The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-03-04
S,HOOL OFFICERSCHARGED
With DISSERTATION OF
AMERICAN FLAG
CONTINUED from page ID

the defendant told him and "the next
time that Bill LANCER says anything
about the flag not floating over the
| school house just send him to me and
will talk Dutch to him"
The superintendent of schools
testified that he asked Mr.. Won Bank
If he had made a statement to the
teacher in charge of the school to the
effect he would rather see an old pair
of trousers hanging over the school
! than the American flag, and he said
that he did and with that made the
statement:
Not Going to Hoist Flag.
well, I am not going to put flag
The superintendent of schools visit
ed another school near by and then
returned to Buffalo and reported the
case to S. j. Doyle, the United States
marshal.
Makes Pastsboard Flag.
Miss May Burt, the first witness
called by the government, said she
was assigned to the little school on
Oct. !, 1917 and for patriotic reasons
she had made little flag, 4x5 inches,
out of pasteboard and placed it on
the west wall Of the school room,
which was the only flag in use. She
testified that when she took charge
Of the school she asked the president
why there was no flag and that no
flag was sent to the school until aft
er the Won Bank affair when one of
Joe Anderson's children brought
flag, 2x3 feet, to the school, and that
the rope was then affixed to the flag
pole so the flag could be hoisted.
Won Bank Visits School.
She told Of Won Banks visit to the
school on Dec. Is, 1917, when the al
legged offense is said to have taken
place. She testified that he raped
on the door of the school and that
school was still in session. She con-
versed with him in the hall outside Of
the class room relative to pay for
cleaning the building and about a
young man who had been coming to
visit her during the school hours.
She testified, under the cross
examination Of Attorney Fowler that
she was somewhat provoked at Won
Bank bringing this matter to her at
tention, but that it in no way in
f1uenced her to report the flag
incident to the county superintend
ent. She also testified that she told
the young man to stay away and that
he did.
about the fag?' asked Attorney
Fowler.
"First, asked him if he had a flag
and he said no." she replied She
said she had attended. the institute at
Casselton and that the matter of fly-
ing a flag over the school houses was
brought to her attention then. She
told the counsel for the defendant
that she did not recollect hearing
anything said at Casselton as to the
number of schools in the county that
were not flying the stars and stripes.
She testified under direct examina-
ton that the story about cleaning
the building gradually led up to the
discussion about the flag and that
he made the remark he would rath-
er see a pair Of old trousers flying
from the school house and the Unit
ed States flag"
Calm When Remark Was Made.
'sWas he calm or was he angry
when he made that remark" Judge
Amidon, asked the teacher witness.
He was calm" she replied.
In the testimony of the teacher 1t
was learned that one Of the children
of Joe Anderson, brought flag to
the school when the remark made by
the president Of the district became
known about the neighborhood.
The flag was sent to the school, she
testified, under the order Of Mr..
Miller.
Did you know that Mr.. Miller got
his order to have the flag sent to the
school from Mr.. Won Bank?" asked
Attorney Fowler for the defendant.
'I did not" was the reply.
Not a German.
During the challenging Of witnesses
early this morning, Attorney Fowler
called United States District Attorney
Hildreth's attention to a statement
made by the prosecution that Won
Bank Is a German. Attorney Fowler
corrected the statement to Belgian"