The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-11-23
|. v. VS. CONVICTED

dence and Tells the Story Connect.
ed with the Poison and PhOsphOr.
GUS Sent Through the Nails to
the Milbank Post Office.
The Aberd cen News gives the
following account of the trial Of
the l. w. W's. in the federal court
last wee:
John E. Dawn, the government $
star witness in the trial of Stanley
Brown and Martin Gunderson, l.
w. W.'s and alleged members of
the phosphorus gang, told a sensa-
tional story in federal court of |.
w. w. violence and lawlessness last
week.
Dawn gave the "inside dope" on
alleged plans Of the L. w. WIS to
terrorize the farmers through the
northwest by intimidation and sa-
botage, involving plots Of whole
sale destruction of property to gain
their ends.
Dawn testified that Martin Gun
derson. the "gunman Of the gang"
returned to Appleton after the Alb
,erdeen livery barn fires and told
members of the gang
in the jungles that he had made
three ''shots" with the phosphorus
at Chief of Police Coacher's barn.
He declared that Gunderson said
the first and second 'shots" failed
but the third time he placed the
phosphorus in the manger and the
haymow, and boasted he had the
pleasure of witnessing the burning
of the barn and that he was among
the spectators when the horses
were removed.
Dawn testified further that Gun
derson stated in the jungles that he
nearly burned down q hotel in Abb
erdeen experimenting with the
phosphorus, when he set fire to
sheets and mattress and burned a
hole in the carpet in his room.
He said that prior to that. Gun
derson and Stanley Brown, secre-
tary of the executive committee.
had come out from Minneapolis
carrying Colt revolvers, heavy
artillery" the l. w. W.'s call
them, and that Gunderson, when
he left for Minneapolis. had very
little money and that he presum-
ably visited Minneapolis headquar-
ters Of the l. w. w.. for he return
ed to Milbank with a roll of bills.
Duncan RAIN, clerk in the Aber-
deem postoffice, who was the first
man to take the stand as witness
for the government, testified that
the bottle of phosphorus tablets had
been mailed by Gunderson here on
August 8. C. S. Johnson, clerk in
the Milbank postofice, testified
that he had received the package
and that the bottle was broken, the
phosphorus smoking and in q little
more time would have burst into
flames. This was on August 8.
johnson said.
The phosphorus was turned over
to R. D. Deacon, postoffice inspec-
tor, who. with Glenn C. Moore,
special agent Of the department of
justice, and the cooperation Of
county and city officials rounded
up the members of the gang.
Mr.. Martin. postmaster at Mil
bank, testified that Stanley Brown
called for the package Of phosphor-
us, which was addressed to Jack
Nelson, and which was now in the
possession Of Mr.. Deacon. Mr..
Martin said Brown got the package
containing the cyanide of POTASH
sum mailed from Abeedeen to him
ABrown) at Milbank.
Brown was arrested at Milbank
the same morning by Glenn C.
Moore and searched in the office Of
Robert Jones, city attorney. Mr..
Jones testified the bottle Of cyan
ide Of potassium was found on his
person and taken from him.
o. B. Poore, professor Of chem
istry at the Northern Normal. told
the court that there was enough
poison in that one small bottle to
kill one hundred men. This pois-
on, the federal officers believe. was
responsible for the sudden and un-
explainable death of farmers stock
in this vicinity. and the phosphor.
us the cause Of a number Of mys-
terious fires in barns and separat-
Ors.
After his arrest in Milbank
Brown was returned to Aberdeen
on . state charge and placed in the
city Jail until his arrest By the
fodoral authorities.