Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1913-12-26
Sheriff
Asked to Resign

Williston. N. D.. Dec. 23.-Because
he failed to exercise due diligence
according to the charges. ''in prevent
ing the lynching of Steve Culbertson.
the murderer of the billions. last Tues
day. Sheriff Carl Erickson was late yes
terday asked to resign. The demand
for his resisnation came after he had
been subjected to close questioning by
Attorney General Miller and District At.
torney Burdick.
There are several vital reasons why
officials are determined to clear up the
mystery of the identity of those re-
sponsible for the outrage of week
ago. 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 pardonine board
in granting pardons to number Of
prisoners at the state penitentiary.
held there on murder charges.
THE first excitement had hardly
passed when the sossip started. and
it is noticeable that the criticism Of
the administration comes from men
Of other political faith and evidently
with an object in view, namely. of
discrediting Governor Hanna. those in
position to know state.
Governor Hanna at once made i,
plain that the outrage must be sifted
to the bottom and gave 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 it 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 the,
have been at work qu;ctiy for se"era
days With prospects. it wac stated las
night. something definite resulting
District Attorney Burdi-'s and official
Of the county have put in a large por
ton Of their time since th. lynchins
seeking clues, and it i, expected tina
arrests will follow the demand for tn.
sheriff perhaps tomorrow.
Just what will be the result Of th'
demand for Erickson's removal is t
be seen. He has his :c:iowins AM
many are of the opiMon that he d''
what he could. although there are 9th
er. who have all along criticised hin
and his giving up his prisoner to tn
mob. His report of his pa:t in tn
events preceding the lynching was pub
I;shed in a number OF papers in tx
state soon after the affair.
The news today that the resignation
of Erickson had been asked and hint
: of other developments which woul
cause a sensation. revived interest i
: the case and the affair is on ever
} tongue today. with the officials keep
: ing a close mouth. 1t is known her
that Governor Hanna has stated en-
. phatically and within a day. that "th
: state will have the guilty ones bac
J. of the bars in less than week.. an
; that he usually means business. tn
, notoriety that North Dakota has re
ceived because Of this outrage hs
greatly incensed the governor and 9th
. er officials of the state. and that mo,
: developments are sure to follow is th
general opinion here, here a majoris
are of the opinion that the adver'
criticism Of the administration 10 el
. tirely unwarran:ed. and that there al
: other facts entering into the lynohin
. ing which will come out in the wash
as one man put it.
.s-s-s-s-s.se ses-s-s-s-s.