The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-05

been drinking whisky with Judg
Cowan on his arrival in Rugby to hol
court for Judge Burr at the famou
Slavin trial.
| Several of the local officials of tn
Impeachment proceedings, incIudin
Chairman Homnes of the house boar
OF managers and one of the stenogra
piers Of the counsel for the prosecu
ton, were called to rise and the wit
ness asked If he had not seen them ii
the prosecution headquarters, room s
at the Grand Pacific hotel Attorne,
Sinkler then asked direct question
which in itself was evident that h
thought the witness had been tam
pered with.
Denied Drinking With cowan.
Didn't you tell me you were drink
ing with Judge Cowan, one night TIL,
| early part Of last week in the room al
the hotel?" asked Mr.. Sinkler of the
witness.
Il didn't tell you any such thing,
retorted Witness Oskendahl.
You have been in the city ever
since?"
Yes" admitted the witness.
Hanging around with Cowan," said
Mr. Sinkler. Then he added. That's
ALL" ...-.
1t was an exciting moment in the
proceedings and one could have heard
pin fall in the big chamber Until
that time there was more or less con-
fusion with people passing back and
forth in the foyer and in the galleries.
But when such startling statements
and insinuations were made there was
absolute silence throughout the whole
wing Of the building.
.. Tracy Bangs Objects.
An objection was made by Tracy r..
Bangs of the defense, when Mr.. Sinkle1
recalled the witness to the chair and
began to read to him certain phases
of the statements Mr.. Oskendahl had
made to him in sthe board of man
ayers headquarters at the Grand Pa
cific hotel more than a week ago and
which were taken down by a stenogra>
pher at the time.
Mr. Bangs stated that he felt it i'm
proper for the counselor to read the
statements made to him by the wit
ness and thus attempt to introduce
evidence against the accused through
the attorney by reading what the at
torney thought ought to be in the testi-
mony.
President Burdick said that he felt
but he was interrupted by Mr.. Sinkler,
who requested the privilege of asking
just one more question.
Brings in Homnes.
Mr.. Sinkler then asked the witness
If he did not recall Chairman Homnes
of the house board of managers, who
was sitting at his right, and who had
been present at the interview between
the counselor and Mr.. Oskendahl. Also
the young lady stenographer OF the
counsel for the prosecution, then sit
ting in the back of the chamber, was
requested to rise and the witness was
asked if he did not recollect her being
at Room 68 at the Grand Pacific hotel
on the same occasion. Mr.. Oskendahl
did not recall the lady.
Didn't you tell me that you were
drinking with Judge Cowan the night
he arrived in Rugby to hold court
for Judge Burr?" again asked Mr..
Sinkler..
Il did," answered the witness, "but
didn't tell you that it was that night"
On cross examination, Tracy r.
Bangs asked the witness if he had re-
erred to another night. to which Mr.. |
Oskendahl replied that he had.
Move to House Chamber.
Immediately following the regular
afternoon recess, it was decided that |
'wing to the great inability of a num- |
Ter of the senators In the back row of |
he chamber in the upper house. trial I
would be given the house chamber and |
lee If any better results could be OBJ |
aimed. The desks In the lower house |
we're rearranged so that it would ac-
the entire membership of
he senate and when the session began
nee more, President Burdick pounded |
lis gavel on his former desk which
lie occupied two years ago when he
vas speaker
After every witness had been ex-
used, some further alteration was
made, and finally a chair was placed
n top of the board of managers ia
lie and the concluding witnesses
lounted and sat aloft while the attor-
eys fired their questions up to them
rom below.
Juror Testifies.
One of the more notable witnesses
the afternoon was w J. HoIbIook
Rugby, a furniture dealer in that
lty, who stated he had once served
n jury panel during a term of
ourt when Judge Cowan was pre-
ding as judge at Rugby. He re-
allied the attorneys in the case as be-
lg Scott Rex of Grand Forks and
ldge Palda of Minot
He said he noticed Judge Cowan
odding on the bench, though when
yer there was an objection entered 4
Y either one of the attorneys in the
use, that he would rouse himself and
lie accordingly. However he stated
lat there were times during the trial
'ecif1ed that the accused jurist failed
make rulings when called upon.
He said he dropped his head on his
ms, and Mr.. Holbrook leaned for
ard on the desk in front of him and
Id his head on his arms to demon
rate the exact attitude In which he
I'd seen Judge Cowan on that occa-
on. He stated he thought he was
1der the influence of liquor then.
On cross examination he stated that
e courtroom in the courthouse at
ugby was very warm and not a nice |
ace to stay in, when suggested
lat 1t was tiny and stuffy, and that |
Ie chair Judge Cowan sat i'm was |
gh backed one and upholstered In |
ather. &