The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-02-28
!. N|E|GHB0R GIVES
new Evidence
Statement Concerning Quar-
rel Differs From That
Made at Inquest. :
DIDN'T SEE MRS.
HOLUM ABOUT. FARM
Prosecution Nears End Of its Case
and May Rest Late Today-stories
/; Of Clashes Between Husband and
Wife are Many.

TnlS was the question raised this
morning In the district court by the
evidence Of Matt Solberg, farmer.
whose farm lay directly across the
road from that Of Holum.
Scream, Then Silence.
Solberg testified that he heard Ho-
lum and his wife quarreling the even
ing Of June 19, 1918. He could hear
Holum swearing, he said, and could
hear the voice Of his wife raised in
reply. Then came a sharp scream
from Mrs. Holum ''as though she had
been hurt" followed by silence.
Didn't See Her Afterwards.
The witness said that he did not
see Mrs. Holum again that night nor
the next morning, although 1t was
her general custom to milk the COWS
on the Holum farm at 8 o'clock in
the morning. The day the tragedy be-
came known however. the cows. so far
as he could see. were not milked.
These statements on the part of
solberg appeared to be in contradic-
ton to his evidence given at the time
Of the coroner's inquest in regard to
Mrs. Holum's death ,as read by e. R.
sinkler, attorney for the defense.
Didn't Hear Her.
At that time, according to the
transcript Of the evidence, Solberg
stated that he did not hear Mrs. SOL
berg's voice during the quarrel in
question, and that he saw the woman
going to milk the cows after the quar-
rel. When the apparent contradiction
was pointed out to him by Mr.. Sinkler,
the witness declared that his evidence
at the inquest had been "merked
down wrong"
The first witness called by the state
this morning was G. 8. Roberteon,
clerk Of the district court of Cavalier
county. Mr.. Robertson said that he
met Holum in Milton in October. 1912,
goirE to ,LanxdOn Z to get q sd1Ynrce
from his wife. Holum said according
to tho witness that a farm hand,
whom he had DISCHARGED was con-
stantly coming to see her. and that he
had stood it as long as he was going
to-"
Holum then asked Robertson. it ap-
pears, in regard to the attorneys OF
Langdon. No papers in the divorce
case were ever filed. however.
On cross examination Attorney
Sinkler asked the witness if he had in
lis possession the report Of the In
vestigation made at the Holum farm
on the Saturday night following the
tragedy. This question was ruled out
by Judge Kneeshaw.
HOlum Drinking.
Il. B. Lang, liverv stable keeper OF
Milton, was the next witness called.
He stated that he had seen Holum at
his barn the Thursday before Mrs.
Holum's death. and that Holum had
apparently been drinking at that time.
Matt Solberg was then called to the
stand He testified that the first con-
versation which he had had with
Holum regarding his wife occurred N
the fall Of 1908. Solberg and Holum
were driving home together from Mil
ton at the time. HOlum was some
what under the influence Of liquor,
but insisted on taking another drink
from bottle which he had with him.
with Holum, telling MIN that IL he
drank any more he would have trou.
ble with his wife. Holum's reply
according to the witness. was that he
didn't care a - about his wife,
and meant to get rid of her anyway ii
Wlliskey for Refreshments.
short time later. according to
solberg, there was a. dance at the
Holum place. at which the refresh.
ments" consisted chiefly Of whiskey.
Holum, he said. was drunk before the
party began.
solberg says that he was invited to
dance by Mrs. Holum. He did SO and
where Holum was. He says that he
heard Holum ask his wife what she
was doing there. and tell her that
she had better go to solberg's."
Following this party the witness
said that he had no further inter-
course with Holum, beyond a nodding
to him when they happened to meet
on the road. =; 49,
Cows MIXED Regularly.
tn "A Qfr me n
1913, solberg said that 1t was Mrs.
Holum's custom to milk the cows at
: o'clock in the morning, and at the
! same time in the evening. The cows
he said always came to the place Of
their own accord to be milked.
After telling the quarrel. which he
claims to have heard, and the scream
from Mrs. Holum, he said that he saw
the cows at the usual place the next
morning. but that he did not see Mrs:
Holum 90 to milk them. In fact he
;, neither saw. nor heard any sign Of
! her around the place during the en-
tire morning.
Vasue as to Time.
On cross-examination by Attorney
Sinkler the witness maintained that
the quarrel occurred after Mrs. Hol-
nm had milked the COWS on the
Thursday night following her death.
dltHOuBH ne appeared I'd Do 0omo wHet
vague as to whether this was before
or after dark.
He said that he saw Holum start
after the load Of straw at about 10
o'clock Friday morning. He himself
left the farm about an hour after
Holum had gone.
; In going over his conversation with
Holum, at the time they weve driving
home together from Milton he. said
that the latter was well jagged," and
that he had done the driving. i
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