Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-04-28
FLAGSTAFF VERDICT REVERSED
Supreme Court Gives Anderson
Another Hard Knock.

VS.. M. j. Burns, Day county, reversed.
The above news item from the Min
neapolis Journal denotes that the sup
RENE court of South Dakota has again
shown up the incompetency of States
Attorney Anderson, has relieved Mr..
Flagstad of Anderson's prosecutions,
and has completely indicated the
attitude of the Reporter and Farmer
in regard to these cases.
1t will be remembered that the Flag
stad case was tried at the July, 1909,
term of the circuit court for this county.
The charge uron which he was arrested
was selling intoxicating liquors with
out license during the month of June
1906.
From the beginning it was evident
that the case was merely another one
of Anderson's freak political cases. He
was out to establish a record as a blind
pig chaser, and as the blind-biggers
and violators of the liquor law were not
very numerous, he apparently came to
the conclusion that it was necessary for
him to delve into ancient history and
rake up case from the musty records
of the dim past in order to preserve
the morals of the county. Certain pol
itical friends Of Mr.. Anderson were at
that time openly violating the liquor
law, but of course he could not hale
them before the court-it would have
been poor politics. Mr.. Flagstad, who
was not languishing in the sunshine of
Anderson's friendly smiles, was select
ed as the victim to be sacrificed in the
name of reform" Anderson filed an
information charging him with selling
Intoxicating liquors without license in
June, almost three years prior to
the time the information was filed. He
secured a conviction in the circuit court,
but Mr.. Flagstad's attorneys, Sears &
Potter, carried the case to the supreme
court and have secured a complete
reversal upon the grounds that the evil
dence is wholly insufficient. The deci
sions of the supreme court in this and
the NJ. j. Burns case leaves our "effi-
Gent states attorney without con-
viction to his credit during that famous
July term, which will be noted in the
history of Day county as the "blind pig
| term"
At the time this case was tried, the
Reporter and Farmer, in commenting
upon it, stated that it has the appear
ance of persecution rather than pros
ecution." This touched off Editor
Bronson's fireworks, and that amiable
gentleman Immediately ambled to the
front and proceeded to reel off several
columns of inspired reform" dope in
which he denounced the Reporter and
Farmer as "a blind pig defender" and
"a defender of criminals. To him the
idea appeared preposterous that anyone
should think for moment that Ander-
sons noble brow did not conceal more
brains than all the attorneys of the
state possess. That we should question
Anderson's motives or ability was in
his opinion a sacrilege-an attempt &c
stem the reform" movement inaugur.
ated by our efficient" states attorney
After gushing forth his eulogies OF
our states attorney for several weeks
+, Editor Bronson subsidized, and now, his
brain having recovered from the dazC
occasioned by his strenuous effort anC
the supreme court having proven The
: fallacy of his confidence in Anderson
we believe he will admit the truth o.
! our contention that the Flagstad case
was persecution, not a prosecution
He should bear in mind that Mr.. Flag
stad can obtain no redress for the eX
pense and inconvenience caused him BY
. the incompetence or ignorance of on
states attorney. He has been put to
heavy expense, has been classed as
blind pigger-merely because on
alleged Performers" had to have a vic
tim. If this is not persecution, w,
would like to know what is.
The supreme court decisions in these
cases should put an effectual brake OF
Anderson's headlong career. If this
proves true, the taxpayers can congrat.
ulate themselves upon not having Il
pay the cost of any more freak cases
brought by Anderson for the pupose Of
giving the voters the impression thai
he is the most brilliant, intelligent ano
deficient" reformer that ever appeared
in South Dakota.