The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-12-13

~ KILL VI TN ~ NlFW ~ ~
SMALL AS POSSIBLE.
CLEO e., MEA slexsGE, !Mc;
ago seeking information. He said he
was renting the Haven farm. In his
letter, he said the Ravens had left
for Oregon Feb. 10, and that soon
afterwards, he had received a letter
N'om Daniel, postmarked Cotton.
Charles Hunter. postmaster of COL
ton. said q man representing himself
as Bannon visited him about 10 days
ago and made inquiries about the
Ravens. Hunter told him he knew
nothing Of the family.
In an effort to trap Bannon, Ray
Dobson, city editor of the Minot
News, had Bannon write for him on
a sheet of paper. Bannon misspelled
the same words which young Haven
was purported to have misspelled, in
the original letter. It is known, now,
that young Haven was dead when the
letter was written.
The other letter, written by the
elder Bannon to his son from Oregon,
contained the admonition to watch
his step. It said:
Nov Charles. watch your step and
see that everything is right and do
what is right and there will be no
comeback"
Authorities expect to prove that
n of the BannonS wrote the letter
signed with. the name Daniel Haven.
In view of the manner in which
the case has developed within the
last two days, the events leadingAup
to the disclosures of where the bodies
were hidden has attracted interest.
Young Bannon was arrested, on a
chargeof embezzlerpent in connection
with the sale of hogs owned by the
Ravens but most Of the questioning
had to do with the disappearance of
the Haven family and why Bannon
had apparently taken possession of
the Haven place. 2 lJS. 80 80
Last Tuesday Bannon was placed
on the stand and testified that he
was ~ years Of age. had lived in Nc
Kenzie county for IL years and that
he had known the Haven family that
time. He stated that he had worked
for the Haven family on several oc-
casions. the first time being in 1923,
again in 1926 during harvest, also in
the fall of 1927 for two months, again
In the fall of 1929 and that he went
to work for them the last time the
day before the family disappeared In
February 1880.
He stated that he had met Haven
in Watford City on the evening OF
February 8 and that Haven had
stopped him on the street and asked
him If he wouldn't go to work fol-
him. looking after his place for a
couple OF months as Mrs. Haven wa
sick and he wanted to take a trip fol
her health. Haven he said asked him
to come to his place the next day
Sunday and he rode to the Haven
place on horseback and found Mr.
and Mrs. Haven and the two young.
est children at home. He went into
the house and talked with them fol-
a while and then Mr.. Haven asked
him to come to the barn as he want.
ed to show him around.
Hired BY Haven
When they got to the barn he sale
that Haven offered him a heifer fol
three months work and when he re.
fused Haven offered him 5000 pei
month which he accepted. Haver
then. asked him If he would put II
the crop on shares in case he couldn'
get back and he told Haven he hae
too many young cattle and that Their,
would be no profit in 1t for him
Haven then offered to sell the younl
cattle to him he said and he bough
eleven head. of young stock. sever
pigs and two horses for $685.. He salt
he paid Haven in cash after first 60
ing to the McMaster' place where hi
father was q tenant.
Bannon claimed that all of tn
cattle belonging to the Haven estat
were still on the farm. that he hal
sold only his own and that he haa
two head left. He accounted for al
the horses and according to his state
ment there was about 70 tons Of ha
on the farm when he took charge Q
1t. He said that he had bought fiji
teen tons Of hay from Haven on tn
eth Of February which he had fed t
hts own stock. Asked about no,
much he paid for the hay he sal
that the hay was included in tn
ceal for the horses, cattle and pig
and that he had forgotten to mentio
it.
Roy Dory, representative of tn
Federal Land bank, st. Paul, state
that he had gone to the Haven farr
on Oct. Is, 1880. for the purpose {
checking up on q loan for the banl
He said that the bank had write
several letters to the Ravens an
that the letters had been returned I
them unclaimed and that the ban
ordered him to find out what W.
wrong.
Found Bannons On Place
He said the payment. due the ban
was only 5000. and that when /
went to the Haven farm he m,
Charles and James A. Bannon an
that he got the impression from h
conversation with them that bot
had leased the farm on a partner
ship basis. They told him that the
al only so bushels of wheat pr,
E-duced on 25 acres OF the. land
. question and that the Ravens hi