Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-21
BRAGDON SAYS
He TOOK GIRLS
FLOWER PICKING
Wealthy Clubman Says Motives
Were Purely Charitable
Toward Them.
ADMITS GOING ......
ON JOY RIDES
ADMITS GOING
ON JOY RIDES

Minneapolis, April 20.-Joseph w.
Bragdon, the Uncle Ned" Of the vice
investigation, who was called as a
witness in his own defense today,
branded as false the revolving stories
which were told against him on the
stand yesterday and Thursday.
Bragdon sketched briefly the story
of his life, admitted having taken
various girls in the case on automo-
bile rides during the year 1913, and
denied emphatically and in detail
the stories of two of those girls that
liberties were taken with them on
those rides.
"It is absolutely false: simply
dream-stories on their part was his
characterization of their statements.
A PhiIanthropist.
Bragdon testified that he had all
his life taken an active interest in
charitable work especially in the in
terest of Juveniles, and he had limo
Gently taken young girls riding in his
car
Through the principal witness for
the state, known as Marjorie, he met
two girls, known as Irene and Ellen
He was introduced to them as "tIncle
Ned" but denied that he had ever
adopted any nieces.
Denies !1eiia's Story.
He admitted taking the three girls
to carnival on Lake street in May
1913, and also admitted taking them
to the vicinity of Minnehaha Falls in
August, 1913. He fatty denied the
story of Della, a 12-year-old witness
for the state, who said that, while on
the Minnehaha trip, Bragdon had left
the automobile standing by the road
side, and carrying blanket had TAX
en- the two older girls, one at time
into the woods, some distance from
the car, and remained there som
considerable time.
Admits Going to Woods.
Bragdon said that, alone, he had
from the car While he was gone nc
less than eight automobiles passed
his machine. which was standing by
the side Of the road. When he re-
turned, the girls were engaged in
picking flowers. He said that on all
his trips with the girls, nothing of a
questionable nature had occurred.
The states first big coup in the
trial of Joseph w. Bragdon. charged
with an Offense against young girl
was sprung in District Judge Joseph
W. MolyneauX's court late today
when 13-year-old girl was sum.
moned as a witness to identify the
defendant as the Uncle Ned" who
drove her and two other girls to Medi.
cine lake in the early summer of
1918.
One of the other girls was Mar
jorie, the states principal witness
who has accused Bragdon of an Of
fense against her on an automobile
trip to Minnehaha falls and has also
testified that a similar offense was
committed by the defendant on the
Medicine lake ride.
Was 10 at Time Of Alleged Trip.
Della, the 13-year-old for whom 6
subpoena was issued today, was only
10 years old at the time of the trip
She was expected by the state t.
testify she had gone to Medicine lake
with man known to her as Uncle
Ned" accompanied by Marjorie an(
Irene, another witness. The state
does not contend that any impro
| priety toward her took place.
The states decision to call Dells
| as witness followed a dramatic Incl
dent that occurred in Judge Molly
neaux's courtroom late yesterday, un
known to judge, jury, defense attor
neys or spectators.
| Della was quietly brought into th'
courtroom by private detective. Tn
obtrusively she took a seat fey
| feet from the defense table.
DO you see him anywhere?" whis
| pered the detective.
The child unhesitatingly pointed a
the defendant.
She was Immediately hurried fror
the room.
Della, mentioned by Marjorie in he
original story to the grand jury, wa
not found by the state until yester
day.
On direct examination late yeste1
day she had told of trips to Medicin
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