Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, April 12, 1907, Page 1

THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONE MINNESOTA - HISTORICAL SOCIETY. VOLUME 4. NUMBER 299 BEMIDJ1, MINNESOTA. FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 1-2. 1907. TEN CENTS PER WEEK FOURNIER'S FATE RESTS WITH THE JURY; BOTH SIDES CLOSED SHORTLY AFTER NOON County Attorney Funkley Began to Sum Up at 3:40---Will Be Followed by Scrutchin for the Defense---Judge Spooner Will Make His Charge to the Jury For the first time Paul Four- nier, charged with the killing of N. O. Dahl, has been given a chance to tell what he knew con- cerning his residence in the Quiring country and the disap- pearance of N. . Dahl and his daughter, whose bodies, were found during the summerof 1904, their skulls crushed and the re- mains decomposed beyond recog- nition except for articles of wearing apparel which were identified by relatives. Fournier’s name, with that of James Wesley, has been insepar- ably connected with the Dahl murders ever since the summer of 1904,and although he was once before arrested, he has never up to the present time, been given an opportunity to testify on the witness stand. Fournier was placed on the stand late yesterday afternoon, and the large crowd which had gathered to hear his evidence, was impatient until his name was called. While Fournier was being sworn there was a death-lhke stillness throughout the court. room, and his firm answer to the oath sounded loud and “distinet. When the accuzed (who is of less than medium height) took the sia-d he was deliberate and calm. His fuce was somewhat paler than usual, but he gave no sign of weakening from his great nerve, aud lookcd full in the faces of ths members of the jury who were intently watching his every mavement. Mr. Martin, associate attorney I for Fournter, had charge of the| examination, and he asked ques-; tions pertaining to every bit of evidenc2 which the state had presented. Fournier denied in toto every statement which witnesses for the state had made that was of a damaging character. Fournier testified that he was 41 years oid and a single man; his parents are dead; he has four brothers and two sisters, all liv- ing. He has followed the occu- pation knownas a lumberjick for the past ten years, and four years ago took up a claim in the Quirmng ccuntry. He knew N, O. Dabl; bad met hir three times. Had seen Miss Dahl but once. B Witness t3stified to knowing Eugene Caidwell and wife and other important witnesses for the state who had given damag- ing testimony dgainsb him. Fournier told of a row he had with William Krueger last fall, and alsoof a “scrap” he had with Eugene Caldwell, in both of which he claimed the other parties were the aggressors. Claimed he had trouble with Charles Martindale, a material witness for the state, owing to Martindale wanting Fournier to cut timber on the Indian reser- vation which belonged to the government. Witness denied that he ever displayed to Mrs. Caldwell, in June, 1904, seven or eight ten- dollar bills, and said he had a few fives and some change. Fournier denied that he had colored when told by Caldwell that the murder of the Dahl’s lay between Caldwell, Fournier and Wesley, and also said he had made arrangements to search This Evening In fact,Fournier readily denied every bit of the state’s evidence which could in any tangible manner connect him directly with the crimes, and when his attor- ney asked him concerning his guilt,he set his jaw and answered firmly i the negative. Asked plainly ii he ever said to John Anderson that he would kill old man Dahl and take his daughter, the witness answered no, very firmly and quietly. Fournier admitted having been at his home on April 7th, 1904, the day thestateclaimsthe Dahl’s were killed. He declares he was at his house most of the time, but that he was with Wesley for a short time on the meadow and that they shot a rabbit and a partridge, corroborating the story by Wesley at his tral last week, According to his version,Four- nier and Wesley were at the for- mer’s cabin on the evening of April Tth, and that they never left the house. i When Attorney Martin had interrogated Fournier thus far, he paused perceptibly, in order that the jury might get the full effect of his questions and the answers of Fournier, and asked: “raul, did you kill either N. 0. Dahl or his daughter Aagot?”’ “No Sir.” “De you know who did do it?” “No sir.” “Did you obtain any money from the body of Mr. Dahl?”’ “No sir.” “Do you know if any one did?” *“No sir.” “Did you take any provi- sions from Dahl's cabin?”’ “Ne sir.” “Are you innocent of this accusation of murder?” “Yes sir.” “Have you ever told any-! one you killed the Dahl’s?”| “No sir.” “Did you ever tell your brother Owen or his wife that you killed the Dahl’s and had five others in these woods that you would kill?”l *‘No sir; that is a lie.” The witness was asked con cerning his imprisonment in thel penitentiary and gave as his reason therefor that he had been with a party of men and running out of food they had broken into & warehouse and stolen some provisiouns. Asked as to whether he ever told that he held up a camp acd turned the looking glass to the wall, the prisoner answered firm ly that he had not, and that he bad no superstition concersing a locking glass reproducing a crime. Court adjourned, to the evident relief of Fournier, MORNING SESSION Court opened this morning for the last session of the famous Dahl case, the defendant resum- ing the stand. Paul Fournier appears more at ease this morn- for themn, but that others had not kept their appointment. ing. Resuming the direct examina- tion, Mr. Scrutchin asked Four- nier: In month of June, 1904, at Cald- well’s house, when Caldwell said, “It is between you or | or Shorty, 1 am in- nocent,” what did you say? Who would be so mean as to kil that old man. The direct examination of Fournier was concluded early this morning, and County Attor- ney Funkley subjected the de- fendant to a searching cross-ex- amination, Fournier told the story of his life since coming to Minnesota, nearly twenty-five years ago. While fairly well connected, his story lacked details, and showed Fournier to have been a rover from place to place in northern Minpesota, and much of his time and Leech Lake reservations. He had never been married, but |like Wesley had lived at differ- ent times with a squaw. Paul Fournier was born in the state of Maine 41 years ago. At the age of 17 he left home and came to Minneapolis. His early Dayton, 25 miles from Minnea- {polis, and between those two places he made his home when not working in the woods or on drive. Brainerd and later to Pine River, but he could not recall the years. had been spent on the Rcd Lake|Serving thirtcen or Afterwards he went to| Later he went up on the Big; Fork, north of Graud Rapids, and was arrested with four other men for robbing a camp. He pleaded guilty to the offense and was sentenced to serve two years 1n the penitentiary. Released from prison after fourteen months, went to Little Falls and worked on the drive. After- wards went to work for C. B. Buckman at Red Lake, and worked near the agency. Wit- ness thought it was about nine years ago but could not recall the year. Later he went to haul- years in this state were spent at |08 rails for the Nebish railroad, and stayed about Nebish and Buena Vista. Some time later he was arrested at Sandy River and taken to jail in Fergus Falls, and served sentence in Minne- apolis. The next summer he worked on the Clearwater drive and later in the year was deckhand on the steamer, Michael Kelly on Red Lake. The following winter he worked for Thomas Newby logging near Buena Vista. Next year he worked on steamboat on the Red Lake again, and later for Hugh Dean at the mouth of Blackduck river. Following year worked around Red Lake, Buena Vista and Turtle River, and then went to Pine River. Fournier had also made his home with Bugene Caldwell off and on for some years until Cald- well had married. He could net well, but it was about ten years ago. Witness went to Quiring in October, 1903, having taken his homestead in May previous, ing at the mouth of vhe Black- duck river, and could not tell fix time when he firsi met Cald- | how long ago, but it was before ! he took homestead. | Fournier’s mother had died in | Mainein 1904, and his father fifteen years before. He had four brothers, Owen, John, Cy and Lawrence, also two sisters, one living in Maine and the other in Massachusetts. He had never had a wife and was never wmarried. his children are now, witness re- plied he did not know he had any children. Had you a boy that called you father? Yes, he is at Leech Lake. Witness did not know how old the boy was. The last time he had seen him was at Walker, but could not recall when, and he He|did not know whether the boy had first met Wesley when work- | was his son or not. Continued on last page. 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