The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
FOR
CRIME BRINGS
EASY SENTENCE
Pastor Talks to Court
When Henry Admits VIC
lating Mann Act

Penitence for the crime for which
he was characterization of the
Mann act-brought a sentence of
only three months in the Cass county
Jail by Judge Charles L. Amidon in
the case of the government against
Axel 7. Henry of Fargo.
Through his counsel, Attorney V.
r. Lowell of Fargo, Henry entered a
plea of guilty to the offense in fed
eral court late Tuesday afternoon.
Seated just a short distance from
him, was Miss Edna Vadnais, 81
years old. of Scotch-F French descent,
whom the government alleged he
wronged in transporting from GER
tain points in Minnesota to North
Dakota.
The indictment was returned at
the recent session Of the federal
grand jury and carried two counts,
the alleged offenses said to have been
committed in July and November of
last year. Henry was arrested at
Bemidji, Mimi, the latter part Of
February and brought to Fargo by
Sheriff A. NJ. Ross to answer to the
state charge which was adultery.
He was committed to the Cass coun-
ty Jail.
Preacher Talks To- Court.
Rev. o. F. Felth, pastor Of the
SWEDISH baptist church of Fargo
interested himself in the matter, and
succeeded in bringing the case to the
attention Of the United States grand
jury. While the prisoner was be-
fore the court for sentence Tuesday
afternoon and just when the court
was about to pass sentence. Rev. Mr..
Felth asked permission to say few
words. The court gave him aud
fence.
Il don't seek revenge, said the
pastor when he appeared before the
court which was crowded with spec
tators, awaiting the verdict in the
Henry Won Bank espionage case. Il
come to your honor as a minister,
one who has tried to effect a recon-
Citation between Henry and his
family-a wife and two children, 6
and 3 years old, whom he deserted
for this young woman. / don't ask
a heavy penitentiary sentence, but
believe that some kind of punishment
is needed in a case of this kind.
felt it my duty to speak before you
at this time to clear any doubt that
may be in your mind before passing
sentence.
Rev. Mr.. Felth declared that in
November last, he effected a recon
cilitatiOn, but that they drifted apart,
and that the woman and her family
Of two, now in Duluth, has had a
hard time, for the last six years. In
response to an interrogation by the
court as to the possible care for the
mother and her family if sentence
was passed on the defendent, the
pastor sale he knew that arrange
ments had been made, and that she
was going on the farm of one of her
relatives.
Knew He Was Penitent.
Attorney V. r. Lowell, pleading in
behalf Of his client, declared that he
had no doubt but what the man was
infatuated with Miss Edna Varnais,
but knew that the defendant was
penitent. The court before passing
sentence upbraided persons who go
along in life just to get all the pleas
ant things. He pictured the wife
and family whom he had left for the
young girl. He declared that such
character was the most despicable
in the world.
Assistant States Attorney William
Green stated this afternoon that the
state charge against Henry will not
be pushed at present.