The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-31
SAY F0NTANA
PRAYED FOR
GOVERNMENT
Parishioners Tell of Invocation
of Divine Guidance for
President
LINKED 2 FATHERLANDS
Pleaded for Peace Between the
Old and the New
Many Testify
LINKED 2 FATHERLANDs

Old and the New
Many Testify
Members of Rev. A. l.. Fontana' 5
flock, lestifying in his defense in fed.
eral court here today, told how tho
divine prayed for President Wilson
and for congress and the government,
and how he asked the Lord to give
them wisdom that this terrible War
might be ended" Some OF the wit
nesses spoke English we'll; others
spoke it poorly. and at least two of the
mornings witnesses spoke it not at
all. although one OF them had resided
at New Salem for 2l years. A number
of the witnesses wear the "On to vic
tory" buttons distributed in large
numbers by the North Dakota counci:
Of defense. Others had Liberty bond,
Red Cross or other patriotic insignia
on the lapels of their coats.
Fred CRUDE, aged 20 and in Glass
in the. draft, was born near New
Salem in Morton county and has spent
all his life there. He. has been a
member OF Rev. FOntana's church
since boyhood. He had heard the de-
fendant pray for President Wilson,
for congress and for the army and
navy. @
The court sustained an objection
from the government to line OF Ques-
ti0ning upon the part Of the defense
by which it sought to place before
the jury the witness opinion as to the
impression which Rev. F0ntana.s re-
markes made upon his attitude to,
ward the army and navy. Judge
Knauff, chief of council for the de-
fenses then introduced into the record
3 long statement as to the showing
which the defense purposed to make
through these witnesses. The gov
ernment again protested, and the
court once more sustained the governs
ment's, objection. upon the ground
that the evidence which the defense
sought TO Introduce was irrelevan:,
immaterial and not applicable. 70 the
issues of the case. n 4: 81
NJ: C. Baebe, aged 3, i resident OF the
New salem community Tor IS or 20
years, heard Rev. .Fontana pray to
l;Od that He give the president and
congress and higher officers Wisdom.
'He prayed for peace between our
cslntry-this country Germany
and asked God to stop thi sterribA
war" testified the witness.
]. M. Gaebe, brother OF the pre-
ceding witness, is not quite 81 and has
lived near New, Salem for II years. He
is in Glass 4 OF the draft. He heard
Rev. -F0ntana implore the Lord to ''bc
= n,,<i ~
to give them the wisdom TO do right
Under cross examination, Gaebe
told of a gathering of the clans at
the home of Rev. Fontana about two
months ago, when q call went forth
through the countryside and a large
number of Rev. rontana's parishon-
ers assembled. Judge Knauff was
there, testified the witness, and a
large number of questions were ask
ed as to the patriotic quality Of Rev.
F0ntana'sT prayers and discourses
Judge Knauff asked the church peO-
ple assembled there whether they had
heard anything disloyal in Rev. Fon.
tana's prayers and sermons, said
Gaebe. He didn't thoroughly under
stand what 1t was all about, but gain
ell IuC llllptCbbAOA LHoS IAO PSOPAS AS"
been called there because they were
to be as witnesses Mrs. FOntana in'
terpreted the questions, which were
put in English, for those present who
could understand nothing but Ger
man. :.
J. A. Wipke, retired farmer at New
Salem, had heard Rev. Fontana pray
for the president and for the ending
the war. Paul Hoharg, who is SS
years old and has lived near New
Salem p years. but who speaks NO
English. testified through an interpr.'
Ter that Fontana had played for
epace between the "old fatherland and
the new fatherland." : Mr.. 44oharg al
SO ha dheard the divine pray for rains,
that there might be plenty for every
one to eat.
Henry Albright. aged %, born and
reared at New Saluenl, and In Glass
Of the draft because he had a broken
limb at the time his QUESTIONABLE was
filled out, and Walter Ledahl OF New
Salem. insurance agent, aged 20, and
in class Of the draft. cOrroborated
the testimony of former witnesses fot
the defense