The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-18
AUTHORITIES ARE
AFTER M'LAREN
SHERIFF AND CHIEF or POLICE
OF BURLINGTON, IA. ARRIVED
IN CITY THIS MORNING WITH
REouIsITloN PAPERS FOR
GUS MLAREN.

Willard of Burlington, Ia, arrived in
the city this morning with requisition
papers for Gus McLaTen, the negro
who they say Is wanted for shooting
a Burlington police officer, Ellis
Countryman. with intent to kill. Nc
Laren is the man who was given a
hearing recently before Judge Pollock
in the district court for firing two
shots into the air in a wild shooting
scrape on N. p. ven He was
discharged by the court and tmmedl-
ately arrested again by the city ponce
department on request from ChleL
Willard of Burlington.
The negro was held and tried In
Minot on the same charge as is
brought by the Burlington authorities
but at that time proved an alibl.
When arrested here again last week
he stated he would be willing to go
to Burlington without reQuisttion
papers as he could again prove al
alfbi. on the arrival of Sheriff n
and Chief Willard this morning, how
ever, McLaren states his unwilhng-
ness to retnru without h necessary
papers and q hearing will be held here
in Fargo.
Has Case Against 500.
According to sheriff Ernest, NC.
L4aren is the plaintiff in a $4,000
damage suit against the 500 railroad
for being put off a train In motion
after paying his fare. n sherfI
said to a Forum representative this
morning that the negro had paid MS
fare and his ticket was properly col
lected on the train by the conductor
who failed to give him q return check
and attempted to collect again from
him after the next station had pee
When McLaren refused to pay
again Sheriff Ernest stated that the
conductor put him off The train while
in motion and that 1t was thought ne
had an excellent case against he raiI-
! road. According to the shertm tne
conductor was said to have peen IN
toxicated on that occasion and later
lost his job.
on the Soo.' he said. "And while Nc
Laren was around that vicinity ne
met a friend of Officer C~ountrymans
and told him In a boastful way thar
he had shot q police oflcer in Iowa.
That was how we first got u clue
to his present whereabouts.
eAt the Minot trial McLaren prov
ed an alibi and would MOI come TO
Burlington without requisition papers.
His attorneys put up a strong hgnl
for him and won out, though 1t seems
~ me hat If they had known OF this
damage suit against the Q such 9
strong defense would not nave peer
made. I feel that he same condi-
tions exist now and that Is why such
a Strenuous effort is being made IN
McT,aren's behalf for If we should win
and the & would be sentenced to
the n~enitentiary, the 500 WouIdnI
| have much Of a case to fight with the
p~laintiff absent from the trial.
II have heard the o viii ngnt the
| case to the last notch so his chances
| for recovery don't look promising ln
that direction. Had ChleI Wllara ,ale
I know that McLaren was unwilling
"a 60 to Burlington without requisi-
| lion napers we would not have made
the trip up here. IL he insists on 9
| trial mere it will probably take the
greater part OF two weeks and we
| haven't the time to stay In Fargo
that long"
How officer Was Shot.
chief willard told the story Of the
shooting Of Officer Countrman o.
burlington and said the act was COM
mitted without the least provocauon
"Oficer Countryman,s he said, "hac
noticed ! negro on certain places
along his beat about the city for sew.
eraI nights running. He approaches
him one evening and simply said It
like to know what o are doing aDou
here
without any parley or WARNING
whatever, the negro answered. II
show you what I'm doing here. anc
with that be pulled a gun and sno
the officer directly through the cheel
bone, Countryman was in the hospl'
tai three months. !.
Now when CountTyman's frtend II
North Dakota reported that q negrt
by the name OF Gus McLarerl, Wh'
answered the description OF the mai
who shot the officer, had told him n
| had shot a policeman In Iowa. W.
thought it must have been the sam
man. The shooting of policemen i
Iowa is not an every day occurrence
and the shot fired at C~ountryman wa
the only one reported IN the state q
that time
Seth Richardson. OF the firm Q
Barnett 81 Richardson, has been re
tanned by McLaren to defend him u
the matter and beyond the fact tina
the negro has expressed his unwilling
ness to go back with the Burlington
authorities, further details OF his de
tense have not been given out
ry.As.- ~ xnnkN.nHAnwa