The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-08-07
LANCER MAY
FACE TRIAL II
is BLAMED FOR NEGLECTING
DUTY N CASE LEADING TO
MURDER OF Hstats Histor

Evidence is accumlating to show
that Attorney General LANCER, acting
apparently in harmony with the strong
" hostile anti-farmer authorities Of
Golden Valley county, repeatedly re-
fused to take adequate steps to in
vestigate the death of hundreds Of
head Of cattle, belonging mainly to
Mr.. Bowens and to apprehend the cul-
prits, and that when under pressure q
state detective was employed and evi-
dence was discovered Of cattle pois-
oning, Mr.. LANCER discharged the de-
tetcive and failed to act.
Victim Lacquer.
The murdered man was staunch
member Of the Nonpartisan League
and had incurred the deadly enemity
Of the county authorities by opposing
them and by circulating petitions
against them charging them with hav-
ing stolen an election by assert
ing II #as politics that prevented the
running down Of the cattle poisoners.
TheaSact that Attorney General Lam
gef>is an inveterate foe Of the Nom
partisan League is believed to account
for his failure to investigate the cat
tie poisoning cases and give protec-
tion to Mr.. Bowen negligence, no
doubt, responsible for his death.
The staying came as the climax Of
more than q year Of mysterious cat
tie poisoning in which Bowen lost be-
tween 200 and 800 head Believing
it impossible 70 live ii peace and safe
ty any longer il Golden Valley county
he wenEsAhoutetwo weeks agosto Can
ada to seek q new home. While he
was away. cattle belonging to r r.
Ossley were repeatedly turned into.
his pasture at night When Bowen
returned he drove the cattle out Asain,
but found them in the pasture the
next morning. He drove them into
his corrall. According TO the story,
b. r. Ossley came later and demanded
them. Bowen is said TO have refused
to give them up until damages were
paid ON them.
q Slayers Deputized
Shortly after this Ossley came back
with q replevin from the county au-s
thorities. With him were E. w. Tay-
lor, John Stark and q man named
Shepard. Taylor and Stark had been,
deputized by county authorities. Tay-
lor is accused Of having threatened
Bowen's life prior to this. Mrs. Maud
Bowen relates that Taylor handed the,
replevin to Bowen and swung the gate
open to let out the cattle. Then he
drew y revolver and someone shouted,
sket him" Two shots followed and
Mrs. Bowen rushed to the house for
gum. The coroner's jury found four
bullet wounds, two evidently from .
rs calibre and two from q So calibre
pistol indicating that two men did the
shooting.
The four men were afterward plac-,
q duhEler arrest, but were allowed TO
be 1k large later without bail. They
were also allowed to associate togeth-
er and agree If they wished, on Z story
of murder. Taylor had previously
claimed self defense.
About . year ago at the request Of
Governor Frazier, LANCER sent . youth
ful lawyer to investigate the poison
Inc cases. He pooh-poohed the idea
sof cattle poisoning. Governor Fra
xier then engaged the service Of DR..
]. B. Ha1lenback Of the; United States
Department as ani1lM husbandry, who
was unable q find any traces q
known Diseases in the cattle, hut fed
se1al experts found : powder u parts
ssbf tie farc<sses cent thorn which
Sbaif1ed their analysis. Then the state
hired detective who made : report
!, ,usking tile authorities q TAXA actaon.
sIs LANCER Refuses 70 Act
Neither Attorney General Langef
nor te states Attorney q Golden Val
1ey SounC made = move. AT least
three citixSs of Golden Valley county
have deeI1 I'd that this detective nm
] eaxf 16icient evidence % wax.
s1lnts arrest of the two ,perscas cc1l-
with the shooting o& Bowen.
NJ dstective presented evidence at
I D osneT Generals oAlce to sllow
ot only had Bowen's cattle bean
SfiI5 16sne myste terious nanna, but
I1p sogited ~ location of ! nuIn-
qd 6 Tie stolen from Bow
a S xa h1l their brands ir0ned
M was dinInlssds
!. paid MI 3 told he could 81 back q
1oa Z II1Il = ttge "a his reku1a
q 3 1oacf ~ ket = snd
!. = 49,