The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-07-20
GOLDEN VALLEY
RANCHER FREED
IN HARD FIGHT
Ripple of Applause Starts When
Verdict in Bowen Case is
Announced
TAYLOR WILL BE TRIED
States Attorney Plans To Put
Man Who Did Shooting on
Trial in Bismarck
TAYLOR WILL BE TRIED
Especial to The Tribune)

Especial to The Tribune)
Hettinger, N. D., July 20.-
D. R. Offley, tried for the MUIR
der of M. K. Bowen, Golden Val
ley county rancher, was found
not guilty by the jury which re-
ported at 2 o'clock this morning.
The jury had deliberaed on the
fate Of Offley eight hours after
the conclusion of the trial last
ing about three weeks. The case
was one of the most bitterly con-
tested in the history of the Slope
territory.
According to information obtained
concerning the deliberations there was
no serious difference of opinion among
the Jurors at any time during their
deliberations, but they discussed the
case at all angles. considering the VOL
luminous testimony offered by many
witnesses, and the charge Of Judge
H. l.. Berry.
Hall Is damned.
The assembly hall of the high school
where the trial was held,
was jammed with people waiting to
hear the verdict, despite the late hour.
When the announcement Of the verdict
was made a ripple OF applause was
started among the spectators in the
court room, but was quickly checked
blythe court attaches. The verdict Of
not guilty was generally expected.
-Mfa, M. X. Bowen. widow of the
slams Tancher, was much affected by
the ve.sict. This mornig she violent
ly upbraided several members of the
jury whom she met on the street, ap-
plying various epithets to them, among
others that they were tools Of "hig
bushes" Mrs. Bowen was led away
by friends. p,
Taylor to Re Tried.
r. w. Taylor, who also was charged
with murder, will be tried next, in
Burleigh county, it was stated by
states attorney. The trial, it was said.
would be at the next regular term of
court, which is in December. Under
the system Of rotation Judge j. A.
Coffey, of Jamestown, would preside
at this term in Bismarck. Word was
received that special term of district
court may be held in Bismarck IN
October. If this is true Judge Coffey
would preside at this term and Judge
Nuessle would preside at the regular
December term.
Taylor said on the witness stand
that he shot Bowen because If he
hadn't he would have killed me, Offley
and perhaps all of u.s." and that h;e
"shot and kept shooting until Bowen
dropped"
Offley, Taylor, Ira J. Stark and G. r.
Jeffrey all were charged with the mur-
der of Bowen.
The case aroused interest not only
all over the Slope country but over
the entire state because it became in
volved in political discussion.
Bowen had taken up cattle at his
Golden Valley ranch which belonged
to Offley, according to the latter. Tes-
timony adduced at the trial was to the
effect that there had been bad bloon
between the two ranches. Offley wish
ed to recover his cattle and took two
constables with him to replevin them.
In the party were Stark, Jeffrey, Tay-
lor and Offley. Stark and Jeffrey were
cOnstables.
The state charged all four men with
the murder. The defense used Tay-,
lor's admission that he did the shoot
ing and advanced self-defense in be-
half of all four men. Testimony CT
defense witnesses was to the effect
that Bowen went to the barn and got
shotgun after there were words be-
tween him and the party, and Taylor
said that he shot Bowen as the latter
was preparing to shoot
Defense witnesses testified as to
threats Bowen was said to have made
against Offley One of the star wit
nesses of the defense was Sheriff Bar
clay, of Wibaux, Montana, who testi-
fed that he heard Bowen utter threats
two days before the shooting, against
any one who tried to get the cattle.
Politics Is Injected.
The shooting occurred in July, 1919.
Martin Blank, Nonpartisan league
editor, printed violent articles concern
ing the affair, and the Courier-News Of
Fargo took up the case in defense OF
Bowen and demanding prosecution OF
the alleged murderers. The cOntrO-
versy waxed warm. Governor Frazier
removed States Attorney Richard Gal
lagher and he was reinstated by court
, order. The Nonpartisan claim was
that the murder was the work of anti
Nonpartisans.
| Some political questions were asked
during the trial in Hettinger, where
the case was transferred from Golden
Valley county, and which were pro-
tested. The states chief counsel was
| Leslie Simpson, of Dickinson, ap-
pointed to prosecute. Offley was de-
Tended by T. F.. Murtha, of Dickinson
and John F. Sullivan, of Mandan.
Simpson made the final argument
for the state in the case yesterday
morning. Attorneys Murtha and Sui
livan addressed the jury for total
of four hours in behalf of the defend
ant, resting the case at o'clock Moii-
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