The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-23
SHERIFF
OF WILLISTON
TO RESIGN
&S&9~ I'D

Williston, N. D., Dec. 23.-Because
he failed TO exercise due diligence
according to the charges, lin prevent
ing the lynching Of Steve Culbertson,
the murderer of the billions, last Tues
day, Sheriff Carl Erickson was late
yesterday asked to resign. The de-
mand for his resignation came after
he had been subjected to a close ques-
tioning by Attorney General Miller and
District Attorney Burdick.
There are several vital reasons why
officials are determined to clear up
the mystery Of the identity Of those
responsible for the outrage OF a week
age, and among them is the effort on
the part of the political enemies Of
Governor Hanna and the administra-
ton to attribute, indirectly, the lynch
ing to the act of the pardoning board
in granting pardons to a number Of
prisoners at the state penitentiary,
held there IN murder charges.
The first excitement had hardly
passed when the gossip started, and
it Is noticeable that the criticism Of
the administration comes from men
with an object in view, namely, of
discrediting Governor Hanna, those in
a position to know state.
Governor Hanna at once made it
plain hat the outrage must be sifted
to the bottom and ave out, in an in
terview, that he would call the attor-
ney general into the case, should the
officials at Williston see fit to ask it.
or 1t appeared that he would be able
to help place the blame where it be-
longed.
Detectives at Work.
1t is we'll understood here that de-
tectives have been engaged by the ad-
ministration on the case, and that
they have been at work quietly for
several days with prospects, it was
stated last night, of something defn-
ite resulting. District Attorney Bur-
dick and officials of the county have
put in a large portion Of their time
since the ~lynching seeking clues, and
it is expected that arrests will follow
the demand for the resignation Of the
sheriff, perhaps tomorrow.
Just what will be the result Of the
demand for Erickson's removal is to
be seen. He has his following and
many are of the opinion that he did
what he could, although there are
others who have all along criticised
i'm and his giving up his prisoner to
the mob. His report Of his part in the
events preceding the lyrlching was
published in a number of papers in
LILO SLdlS SUM dlLGT -Lll6 dlLdI. g
ss The news today that the resignation
of Erickson. had been asked and hints
of other developments which would
cause a sensation, revived interest in
the case and the affair Is on every
tongue today, with the officials keep
ing a close mouth. 1t is known here
that Governor Hanna has stated en-
phatically and within a day, that "the
state will have the guilty ones back
of the bars in less than a week. and
it Is remarked by that officials friends
that he usually mean business. The
notoriety that North Dakota has re-
ceiyed because of this outrage has
greatly ~incensed the governor and 9TH
er officials of the state, and that more
developments are sure to follow Is the
general opinion here, where a MAORI
ty r of the opinion that the adverse
Of the administration Is en-
tirely ~lnWarranted, and that there are
other facts entering into the lynclling
which will come out in the wash. as
one man nut iA