The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-27
would DEPRIVE CITY0F
REFUND ON BRIDGE TAX
NESS TRIAL DEVEL-
OPS SENSATION
CONTINUED from Page ~

1Ness telegram asking that he come,
That he was satisfied with the
arrangements that were being made,
=. -. Murphy of Grand Forks and
ISIS against the snuff bill, whom Ness
said were at work here, but he did
not mention the use OF money in con.
nection with their work.
mat there was nothing to prove
tnat Ness had any connection with
the American Tobacco company O,
really had any. money to use in in
nuencing votes against the measure,
was brought out during the trial OF
s me-, accused man this morning, and
which reached its climax with the
announcement Of the names Of the
legislators, alleged by the defendant
TO have been implicated in a system
of bribery.
Charges Resented.
Thompson of Ward made a hot de.
NAL Of having received any financial
reward for his influence against the
Dill. He had spoken to Ness but once
since the session opened, and on that
occasion the snuff question had not
5een mentioned, either directly or in.
directly. he declared.
Ryan also resented the charges and
the connection of his name with the
alleged briberies. When he had heard
or Ness arrest for attempted bribery
he said. that he believed it merely to
De the result Of Ness fanatical no.
lions to which he declared he was
subject.
Representative streeter appealed
from the decision of the chair.
The chair had ruled that the witnes,
Divet did not have to answer the EN-.
mons county mans question as to, the
names Of members. whom Divet had
previously declared had been, men.
toned to him, but which he had not
stated to h house, Streeter declared
that until y the names we're known
each n every member who had vot.
ed against the bill two years ago and
again this year: was subject to sus.
picion. The publication Of the names
would allow an opportunity to cleal
up the suspicious and upon his in.
sistancc, the house voted to allow the
witness to answer the question as re.
lated to the members Of the presen,
assembly.
w. v. o'Connor of Grand Forks, az
we'll as S%treeter. insisted that the
names of former assembly members
be stated and against the plea OF
Tracy Bangs. that the throwing out
of this dragnet. as he claimed it, was
unjust. the house. by a majority vote
received these names.
Should a member of this assem-.
bly,. just because Ness, in his crazy
and drunken rankings in "a down.
town hotel, had mentioned their
names as being associated with bribery
and corruption, brand those men a.
being crooked?" asked. ATTORNEY
Bangs.
III that is so, then I say that con.
spiracy could be Matched and the leg.
islature entirely depleted of it's mem.
bership. The statement that a mar
Is unqualified to sit in the house JUS
because Ness had said that they hai
received money is not just and. it i:
unfair.
I'm this trial leave this matter ou'
and later, II you want to investigate
you can get the names from the wit
Shea Was Suggested.
United States Marshal James F
Shea's name was brought into tn.
case as being the person to whom
money could be entrusted, but Twichel
and Divet had suggested the name
of Bernt Anderson. representative
from Ramsey county, as the n tt
perform that duty, should Ness OF
the men alleged to be associated with
him. attempt to make the payment OF
a bride.
After the anne had been brought
out. Speaker Frame declared his be,
lief that they had been brought out
in an improper manner.
1t was a few minutes to IL O'Clock
when the hearing reached its sensa'
tional climax, following a recital by
Divet of the negotiations which hi
and Twichell of Cass county were al
legged to have had with Ness on the
question of securing $500 for the
IN Hua~ro oOo{nct thu en,,ef xoOoe,,ro
The house recessed till / o'clock wher
the hearing was Immediately com.
menced.
Use of Names Created Sensation.
The use Of the names created 9
genuine sensation and bitterness.
doubtless will be injected into the
proceedings from nov on. 1t is alst
evident that the hearing will not bt
as speedily disposed of as previously
anticipated.
The criminal case against Ness
pending before Judge Nuessle. wa:
continued to Saturday morning. The
defendants attorney objected to the
appearance of the attorney general II
prosecuting the case, and also resisted
the continuance.
Representative Divet's story Of the
alleged attempt on the part of Mes.
to bride him and Twichell was a re.
SIIdl VI 4ttkC1l6O Alo klICS
had negotiated with him in the hop.
that they would be able to bring abou.
the arrest of some one actually en-.
gagged in the use Of money, was hi.
statement, as he had heard rumor.
for some time that there was corrup
ton in connection with the snuff bill
fight.
tween himself. Twichell and Ness
nf,,ok Il ,o1oroH Tho first ooc,,rroH Ia al
Saturday night about 8 o'clock in q
hotel room. The other conversations
were or Sunday, Monday and Tuesday
The arrest of Ness occurring tho
morning of the last day.
Ywichell called Divet from another
room to his room and there Divet met
Ness. They got to the snuff question
very rapidly, Ness explaining some
features Of the snuff question, using
technical terms in describing its con.
s%tituents. Ness also was alleged tc
have shown a letter on lettetheads OF
the American Tobacco company and
Copenhagen Snuff company, to which
the name of General Counsellor Bur.
rows. Vive President Rice. DR.. Frank.
furter of Minnesota and several others
were attached.
Ness said DR.. Bartlett had told him
anything he could do with Twichel
and .Divet would be satisfactory to
him. He also said that Bartlett would
have to be fixed and that 1t would take
$1,000. Lee Pettibone vas said to
have had the money and Divet said he
didn't want to deal with Ness, but
with Pettibone. Pettibone. Ness said
didn't want to come, being a little
skeptical. Twichell said anything
done would have to be in the presence
of both himself and Divet.
Ness said 5000 had been used two
years g and he gave the names OF