The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-19
TOOK STAND ON OWN DEFENSE
Was Allowed to Tell His Story Of
The Shooting and Previous
Events.
TESTIMONY Is sUBsTANT1ATED
Other Witnesses Corroborated His
Story-Wife Was not
Called.

Called.
"We, the jury, find that said Paul
Fournier came to his death on Thurs
day, March IA, 1912, at the house
OF George Cyr, In the township OF
Quiring, county of Beltrami, state Of
Minnesota, by a bullet from Win
chester rife in the hands of one
George Cyr. We believe said George
Cyr was justified in said act.
(Signed) Joe. E. Harris. J. p. Omich.
W. H. Utley, w. NJ. Everts. A. A.
Carter, Carl Heffron.''
The above verdict was reached by
the coroner's jury in the case Of Paul
Fournier at the inquest conducted by
Coroner Ibertson last night in the
city hall. After hearing the testt-
mony the jury took but few min
utes in which to return It's verdict
The hall was we'll filled with specta-
tors.
Chief interest centered about
George Cyr and his story as told on
the witness stand was eagerly listen
ed to. Mr.. Cyr volunteered to go on
the stand and his counsel, =. =. Nc
f'DeaAad, ooasentines tAeexaantnaeaea
was at once taken up by County At
torney Torrance. The story OF the
shooting was illustratah by photo
graphs taken last Sunday at the
scene and also by the gun and dirk
| which figured in the tragedy.
| George Cyr's Story.
The story told by Mr.. Cyr during
the examination was substantially
as follows:
II have lived in Quiring township
for the past six years doing some
logging. Am married and have one
child girl. I have known Four
nier about twelve years although he
is an uncle. He had q homestead
and I first knew him when lived
at Buena Vista several years ago.
We had always been friendly until
the day before the shooting.
"When Fournier first was sent to
the penitentiary in the Dahl case, I
took over some of his goods for q
price of $3.50. When he returned /
still owed him balance of $25 and
he wanted the money. This I gave
him the day after he asked for it. At
that time he said he was going to
the Rainy River country. He re-
turned in the fall of 1910 and went
to work for the Crookston Lumber
company living at the landing camp
until about March, 1911. While
there he came to see us on Sundays
frequently.
"He quit the lumber camp in
March and went down the Mississip-
pi on drive returning in the fall
Iof 1911. He then lived with Robert
Logan and we logged forty on
shares. We each drew half Of the
money. but l also got So per thous-
and additional for the hauling and
sledding. Fournier drew $103 and
drew $145. There was no trouble
Of any kind over this deal.
Quarrel il the Barn.
Last wednesday he came over
to my place. Dick Ebert and his
wife were visiting u.s. He said he
came to get some jars of Logan's,
that we had and we went out to the.
barn to get them. He took eight
but |. told him my. woman said that
there were only seven there OF I.o-
gan's. He also wanted set OF
sleighs but refused to give them
| Iup. He said. Well, ven have to
have settlement. told him that
he had already been paid for them
and that there was nothing to settle.
He then went away and said he was
looming back Thursday tosget table.
| q stove and some other things.
Thursday morning ne came over
before breakfast and entered with
out knocking. He said, I'VE come to
1settle. said, We settled : long
time ago He appeared. angry and
looked different than any time that
had ever seen him before. He was
also carrying knife which was un-
usual. We asked him to wait until
latter breakfast.
HE pulled the table cloth OF the.
(coafinnsd . last Haesl as.ssl