The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-06-15

ran toward Polonsky's bedroom,
and shortly after that the hur-
ried steps of the rest OF the
household.
Did Moses POlonsky, Wilton busi-
ness man commit suicide, was he
murdered or was the shooting acci-
dental?
Around this question or it's solu-
tion depends the fate of Norris Mead
ows, accused by the state of having
"willfully, maliciously and wrongful
ly" murdered Moses POlonsky on the
morning of March %.
Circumstantial Evidence
AS the web of circumstantial evil
dence brought forth by the state slow
ly closes about Meadow his lawyers,
f. H. Register and J. T. McCulloch,
are bending all efforts to shake the
testimony of the states witnesses.
Ole Stefferud, sheriff of Mclean
county, has been called to the stand
three times in an effort to weaken his
testimony. John Hammond chief of
police of Wilton, has been on the
stand twice. DR.. Thelan, DR.. Quain,
DR.. Thompson, William Fischer and
Robert Cotton have also been called
to testify.
It is around the last few words of
Polonsky that the lawyers for the de-
fense are making their hardest fight.
Sheriff Steffruds testimony as to Pol
Onsky last words were:
| Shot in Sleep
"I don't know who shot me. l was
sleeping. 1t must have been Meadows.
didn't shoot myself" Later when
Meadows entered the room Polonsky
pointed at him and said, "He did"
John Hammond the next witness.
was subject to the following questions
in part:
/ did Polonsky say anything when
he was being carried out?"
A. "Yes"
@. what did he say?"
A. "Goodbye, little children. Good
by. l won't see you again"
Battle Of Wits
| This answer caused a discussion
among the lawyers and the court in
reference to testimony which was CIV
en- at the preliminary hearing in which
the Wilton chief of police Is said to
have omitted the latter part of that
answer. The court over ruled the fu-
! ture cross examination on that ques-
! tiOn. ..H
@. "Did you have any talk with
Poonsky on the evening before he
died?"
A. "Yes."
@. "Where%
A. AT the Bismarck hospital.
@. What did he say?'
A. II asked if he shot himself and
he said, No, somebody shot me- Then
| ask him again, and he again said
no. After that left, because the
nurse told me he was low"
@. "Did you have any conversation
with Morris Meadow"
A. "Yes, twice."
@. "Where?" ......
A. AT the store room and at the
| police station"
@. What was the Conversations
Called It an Accident
A. "He said he was hungry and
later he said it looked pretty hard for
him because he was the only one up,
when the accident happened
c. "Then he called it an accident?"
A. "Yes sir"
Then an argument arose between
lawyers for the defense and the court
on the question as to whether Ham
mond was employed by Polonsky to
shadow his wife. The court. ruled out
the question, but the police chief ad-
mitted that Polonsky asked him as
various times over the phone as to
what Mrs. Polonsky was doing.
O. Ibid you hear me ask DR.. Thel-
an that he should do all possible to
help POlonsky?"
A. mo" ..t
Sister Aids Meadows
Sitting at the side of the accused
man is Mrs. Polonsky, widow of Moses
Polonsky. Mrs. Warshu, sister of Pol
onsky is also lending her aid to free
Meadows. The aged father of Meadow
is also in court.
During this mornings testimony it
developed that bitter family quarrel
had taken place the entire evening of
March 81 until two o'clock in the
morning of the 22nd. four hours be-
fore Polonsky met his death. Accord
ing to the testimony, his relatives were
trying to induce him to dispose of his
Wilton property and move with his
family to New York
The revolver which caused the death
is 22-caliber.
After the arrival of Sheriff Steffrud
on the scene of the shooting, Polonsky
made and signed a statement in which
he alleged that Meadows shot him.
DR.. Thelan testified that Moses
Polonsky was contradictory at times.
''He said my relatives (or relativei
shot me-. Later he said. 4 don't know
who shot me- but l didn't shoot N.Y.