The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-20
GOOD DAY
FOR COWAN
Many Prominent Witnesses
Testified in His Behalf
They Showed the Judge Had
Been Sober, Not Drunk

"a big day for Judge Cowan. The tes-
timony OF the prosecution was refuted
and strong testimony taken. showing
Judge Cowan's sobriety.
The testimony OF Monroe Branchfow-
er of Devils Lake. witness for prose-
lcution. that Judge Cowan entered the
courtroom one morning during the
Judges stand, adjourned court without
taking his seat or stating the reason.
while supposed to be In an intoxicated
condition, was disproved this morning
by Herman Stenseth, clerk OF court
OF Ramsey county
Court Records Shown.
Stenseth produced the court records
showing that court had been in ses-
sion for the full time every day during
the term, which began Jan. is and
lasted until the middle of March.
The records showed that no recesses
were taken except for Sunday and for
Lincoln's birthday. During the first
Shaffer trial, lasting two weeks, which
was first on the January term calen-
dar, Judge w. j. Kneeshaw presided
for the accused jurist.
Judge Cowan heard the noted Mary
Wright murder case, where the de-
PENDANT was tried for the murder Of
her adopted daughter.
Judge Kneeshaw returned for the
second Shaffer trial after Judge Cowan
had ordered a call for new jury, as
. the one already sitting had been dis
qualified, nearly every juror having
previously heard the evidence In the
famous horse stealing case.
Stewart Recalled.
r. A. Stewart, q Minnewaukon at
torney, the last witness on the stand
yesterday. was recalled early this
morning.
He stated he had practiced law be-
fore Judge Cowan ten years and in
that time had never seen the respond
ent intoxicated.
cowan Sentenced Many Pisgers.
/ While Stenseth was on the stand the
i defense wanted to introduce evidence
concerning 1O4 blindpiggers Judge
Cowan had sentenced as shown by the
court records.
The prosecution objected on the
grounds Of irrelevancy and being i'm
material. and was sustained by the
chair.
eanderson Appealed.
Senator Gunderson felt the respond
ent should be permitted to enter such
cases as evidence and appealed from
the chair to the senate.
President Burdick was sustained by
the upper house by vote OF % to 10
Chair Sustained.
Supporting Burdick on roll call
were: Allen, Bessessen, CasheI. Gar
den. Hookway, johnson. Mcdowell. Nc
Lean. diversion, Plain, Kretschmar, La
Moure. Iinde, Ruziclxa, Simpson,
Steel OF Stutsman. Steele OF Rem
vile. Talcott, Turner, Wallin Walton.
Welo, WEIGH, Whitcher. williams,
Young
Voting for introduction of that evil
dence were: Baker. Carter, Duncan,
Ellingson. Ganssle. Gronvold, Gunder-
son, Jacobson. Martin. Stevens.
cando Witnesses.
The next witness called was Chris
Olsen, general merchant Of Cando.
He had known Cowan twenty seven
years and had frequently been in the
company OF the accused. He testified
he never saw him drunk.
Capt. @ j. Atkins. a farmer near
Cando who ran a steamboat from st.
Louis to Fort Benton in 1853, was next
put on the stand.
He testified he knew Cowan we'll.
that the latter often took dinner with
him when in Cando. He was asked
IL, In all the years of his acuuaint-
ance. he had ever seen Judge Cowan
intoxicated.
Specified Cases.
The prosecution objected to the
query on the grounds that times cited
must be specified or limited to the spe-
cifications OF the charges. The ruling |
OF the chair was that the testimony
should be limited to instances.
After brief discussion between the |
counsel. Tracy Bangs stated that cit
was all right II the opposing counsel |
wanted TO preclude such evidence, that
they had several more witnesses to
testify to the general character OF the |
respondent, charged with habitual
Drunkenness
George Can Still Smile.
George Bangs smiled and stated he
was glad counsel had made such an |
acknowledgment, so as to save the
time OF the court
Senator LaMoure returned last night |
from trip home to the bedside of his
invalid wife, who has been confined to |
her home all winter. He was given a |
warm reception at the Mckenzie hotel, |
as the conclusion OF the Cowan I'M |
peachment trial will probably be his
anal appearance in public life as a |
North Dakota statesman.
Fun Injected.
An amusing incident OF the morning |
session was when Alex Currie. farmer
and merchant Of Cando, testified he
had not known Judge Cowan to take
D drink during the last two years and
knew Of one occasion when the ac-
cused refused TO imbibe.
He said he called on the Judge while
holding court last December, invited !
him to his residence to have some
Scotch whisky, but Cowan declined
thanking him, but said he was not
drinking.
hut the whisky was at the house2" |
asked George Bangs, to show the ac-
cused had not accepted the invitation. /
The witness assented
but it was Scotch, added Tracy
Bangs quickly, indicating anyone must
have made positive resolution to /
swear off, in order to resist such q |
temptation.
poyon's Testimony.
g. II. Doyon. former banker OF
Dpxon. a. p another witness called.