The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-09-20
HEARING AT BEACH TO REMOVE STATE
ATTORNEY AND SHERIFF is CLOSED
SUDDENLY; FIREWORKS ARE MISSING
Evidence Submitted Against
Pierzina and R. F. Gallagher
Is Conceded to Be Very Weak
and Witnesses Failed to Offer
. Testimony of a Serious Nature

Beach, n D., Sept: 20:--The ssudder
termination of the investigat ton result
ing from charges preferred against
Sheriff John Pierzina and States At
torney Gallagher, has caused consider
able speculation among both political
factions in this county, and consider.
able surprise is expressed on all sides
at the meagerness and weakness Of the
testimony produced against the defen
dants. It was conceded that it falls
far short Of being sufficient to convince
any reasonable man that these two of.
ficials have been guilty of offenses suf
ficient to cause their removal. :
None of the men who signed the
charges against Pierzina and Gallagher
were out on the stand and but q few
of the many charges were attempted to
be proved. and these were the least
serious Of the lot.
The utmost good nature prevailed
throuout the hearing, there not being
single clash between attorneys to en-.
liven the proceedings and instead OF
being a spectacular performance it was
one Of tamest hearing, Beach has
witnessed for many years. There has
been no excitement whatever although
the proceedings and testimony were
thoroughly discussed by farmers and
towns people as the case proceeded, and
now that it is ended, unless further
proceedings are held within seven days
as stipulated by the attorneys, the rec
ord will go to the governor before
whom the attorneys on each! side will
appear and present argument within
the next fifteen days. The governor
under the law, will then have fifteen
days in which to decide whether or
not he shall remove the officers charged
with misconduct. Should he decide
upon removal. and appeal will at once
betaken to some county at the option
of the defendants and there argued be-
for the judge Of that district.
COURT OFFICERS LEAVE
The referee, attorneys, stenographer,
and other court officials have "folded
their tents and silently stolen away
to their respective domiciles, and the
curtain rings down on one of the many
malodorous episodes born Of personal
vindicativeness which have made Beach
famous and put her unpleasantly OH
the map
Late Wednesday afternoon the case
against States Attorney Gallagher
was opened by the prosecution. The
introduction of evidence was objected
to on the ground that the complaint did
not state facts sufficient to constitute
grounds for removal. Objection over
ruled.
TESTIFY ABOUT HOG
NJ. A. Rapaezyk was the first witness
sworn. He said that in December,
1918, he lost a hog and that certain
parties told him Charles Woodsend and
Jay Stark had caught the hog and shut
it up; that he had told States Attorney
Gallagher these facts and was in
formed they were not sufficient on
which to issue a warrant for the arrest
Of the accused parties and to inves-
tigate further and if possible get more
information. About two weeks later
he again called on Gallagher in COM
pany with Bowen, Miegs, and Rathje
when complaint was sworn out be-
fore Justice Plomasen and left with
Gallagher to be served in case enough
evidence was secured to warrant an
arrest. He had told Seaman Smith
Blank and, Moore, and that he had
gone to the office Of Attorney Halliday
where an affidavit had already been
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