The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-07
INNOCENT, DECLARES HOLUN
Continued From Page One,

IAAleSsIldW 10 IItSSI1 years at ndrd IA
Dor in the state penitentiary at Bis
marck. his term to begin at noon Fri
day, March 6. He will be taken to Bis
marck today by Sheriff Joseph Benson
and a deputy, to be decided on by the
Grand Forks county official today.
Atty. E. L. Sinkler, representing the
defendant, Immediately served notice
Of intention to file motion for a new
trial and this motion will be heard by
Judge KneeshaW. In case Of a denial,
Attorney Sfnkler stated last evening
that he would carry the case to the
supreme court for a decision on this
! point
Grounds for Motion.
According to Mr.. Sinkler, the motion
Tor a new trial will be made principal
ly upo1 the ground that "the verdict Is
contrary to the evidence, because the
verdict was granddaughter in the first
degree n there was no evidence In
the record of any kind 70 show that
the crime Of m~anslaughter in the first
degree had been committed, and also
upon the ground that the court, in
charging the jury upon manslaughter
in the first degree, committed an error
because there was no evidence war
rantfng such a verdict, and motion for
a new trial will also be made on er-
rors of law, committed during the
course Of the trial"
Out Eighteen Hours.
The jury went out Thursday eve.
ming at about 5 o'clock and spent
eighteen hours in considering the evil
oence In the case. Their verdict.
which was presented to the court ar
11:45 a. m. Friday, follows:
We, the jury in the above entitled
action (title Of action preceding writ
ten verdict, find the defendant, Ma
thias Holum. guilty of manslaughter
In the first degree, and fix the punish
ment Of Imprisonment in the state
penitentiary for fifteen years Signed,
j. 3. ~Spoonheim, foreman"
The news that the jury had arrived
at a verdict was soon flashed about
the city by that invisible medium, in
tuition, as we'll as work of mouth, and
the courtroom was filled with an eager
crowd when the jury filed in and took
places in a semi-circle in front of the
judge.
. w., HoIum Calm.
Holum, accompanied by his attor-
ney, E. r. Sinkler, occupied their &C |
cushioned seats near the table used
ny the attorneys II newspaper men,
the former calm. but evidently fully
appreciative Of the fact that the crisis !
had come, the attorney who has put
up SO valiant a fight to free a. mar |
he sincerely believes to be innocent, |
bearing upon his expressive counte-
nance a look Of deep anxiety he made |
no attempt to conceal. Moments,
seeming hours, passed before the for
malities Of receiving and entering the
verdict had been gone through, dur
ing which all eyes were first on the|
faces Of the twelve men who have
endeavored to calmly and without |
prejudice weigh the evidence in this |
trigic case, and that Of the prisoner,
the slight built man in the neat blue
suit. who sat awaiting their ulti-
matum.
When the verdict was pronounced,
Holum. whose hand had rested
bowed as though in deliberation,
never WINGED. Other than the de-
liberate movement of his hand across
his eyes as though to shut out some
terrible vision Of. prison bars and a
life spent as a prisoner, shut away
from his fellows. Holum made no
manifestation to indicate how the
verdict affected him.
Attorney in Tears.
On the contrary, Atty. E. r. Sink
Ter, when the word guilty like a
knell of doom. came, from the
clerk of courts lips, Bowed his head
on his arms on the table and when
he again raised 1t, traces Of tears
were plainly noticeable. The verdict
went home to this fighting young
barrister from the west, for guilty or
innocent, it has been his honest CON
all through the trial that
Eolum is innocent. Of the crime with
which he is convicted and for which
he must pay the penalty.
He has expressed this conviction
openly, outside the court room, and
since the verdict yesterday and does
not attempt to conceal his di%sappoint-
or his honest sympathy for his
client.
Mother Near Death.
The aged mother of Matt Holum,
who was convicted yesterday of man
slaughter and sentenced to a. term of
fifteen years at hard labor in the state
penitentiary at Bismarck, lies att
deaths door at the home Of her
daughter near the Holum farm, Mil
ton. Cavalier county.
She came to Grand Forks when the
trial opened, and although so years
OF age and unable to understand al
word of English, attended every ses-
sion of court for nearly a week. She
was a guest at the Arlington Park
CALLED Up.
Aaker,s Business college was called
up by long distance last evening and
asked to supply a stenographer. AL
prominent attorney of Valley City also
nafIad AZ }nn 0firnAJ c,aJsfnp for &Sfanrt