Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-05-25

duce them to assist in the defeat OF
the snuff bill known as senae bill
No. SO. ..l'' ....
When questioned by Attorney Sink.
Ter for the defense he told of how his
blood boiled" when he called at
Twichell's room at the Grand Pacific
hotel and found Dewitt there, and re.
Numbering that 1t was Dewitt who pre-.
pared the specifications in, the C0wan
trial two years ago, in which the store
at Devils Lake was attacked as a
place where the probation laws OF
the state had been violated AMI as
a result he had lost owe 1912, 900" in
business. Ness stated on the stand
that he was of the opinion that Twich.
ell and Dewitt were lei of practically
the same type, and he believed that
they were looking for money. He
thought he saw q chance "for re.
venge" and he proceeded. to put, them
in the position iOf being willing Ito
accept a bride. ., He said he led
them to believe that he was a rep.
resentative of the American Tobacco
company and that they could receive
at least $500 for their ~, services
against the bill from either Mr.. Rice
or Mr.. PeAtibone for thei( service
or Mr.. Pettibone for their. services
against the bill. ,.o. .,
Before Ness had been placed on the
stand Divet offered his testimony dur.
ing a night session of the court held
Friday evening when he related in
substance the incidents which were
similar to what Twichell had offered
as testimony3 during the afternoon.
Also before Ness testified Manager
Vesperman OF the Western Union
Office at Bismarck testified as to Ger.
tain messages that had been transmit.
ted relative:to snuff legislation =.
Yesterday afternoon when cross ex.
amined by the Atty9 General for the
state all attempts to- break up Ness
story failed. After repeated attempts
on the part of the attorney general
Ness positively denied that he had
ever told either Twichell or Dewitt
that he was authorized by anyone
to pay them $500 for their services;
Ness related when questioned by the
attorney general his business career
as far back as 1904, tod ]YhSI he first
entered the drug busines4 lSsss75a regis.
tered pharmacist at Devils Lake, how
in a few years afterwards-he-ha sold
out, and became a assistant cashier
in a bank there that he had travelled
for a wholesale drug firm, and after,
wards continued in the drug business
at Devils Lake till after the Cowan
trial two years ago. That he later
became affiliated with an insurance
and investment company for which he
and Tom Tharalson were state agents,
and that he continued to do business
for that company and receive commits
sions up till about February s15, 1913.
He said that he, was now employed
by the Metal Shelter company of st.
Paul, and that he had charge of sales
in certain territory of Minnesota.
He testified as to Meeting Twichell
on February % in room 400 Of the
Mckenzie hotel, which room was the
headquarters for Messrs. Miller and
Taylor both members Of the house,
and also when he was in Bismarck, OF
George Hart Of Ryder, who was d can.
didate for the appointment. Of game
warden. He also, told OF those pres
ent drinking a bottle 81. beer. He
told of Hans Miller taking q quart
bottle half filled with whiskey from
the dresser drawer, and that, Miller
took a drink, and went. out, leaving
Twichell and Ness alone in the room.
Ness told of while he and Twichell
were in the room alone that hey fin
ished the whiskey that Miller had left,
and that afterwards Twichell searched
the dresser drawers for more whis-
key. after which they both left the
room.
Ness says that later that he met
Miller and told him that the "boys"
were looking for more drinks, where
upon Miller gave him a quart Of No.
8 National Club whiskey which he
took to Miller's room, pulled the cork
and took a drink for himself, went
out and told Twichell he had found
the package" that he had been look
ing for.
In reply to the attorney generals
questions Ness SAID, that he had new