Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-11-24
EDITOR S
GUILTY Of
CONTEMPT
GEORGE L. NELSON FINED
$500 AND GIVEN 10 DAYS
IN JAIL.
DEFENDANT STANDS BY GUNS
Refuses to Admit Error and
Takes Medicine Without
Murnur.

George IL, Nelson, editor of the Co
operators Herald, Fargo. was sen.
fenced by Chief Justice Spalding to
ten days in the Burleigh county jail
and fined 5000, after being found gull,
ty OF contempt of court. The court
dismissed the action as far as A. NJ.
Baker was concerned, although Chief
Justice Spalding stated that several
circumstances pointed toward his
guilt, as well. In default of pay
ment of the fine, Mr.. Nelson must
serve an additional twenty days.
Mr.. Nelson received the sentence
without comment. In fact, his de-
meanor throughout the action has
been especially stole. When asked
whether he had anything to say why
sentence should not be passed upon
him, Mr.. Nelson answered that he
had nothing to say, and while both
the attorney general and the chief
Justice we're excoriating him, he was
rs inlmovable as the Sphinx
4: Attorney Mysterious.
Lyman iM.. Miller, his attorney,
made no plea for his client, but main
tanned that neither. Nelson nor Baker
was in ,GQptanrt essanse the Strics
lures passed upon the, court. in the
Co.operator's Herald were published
after the court had rendered its deci-
sion. and that the remedy lay through
another action. He made a motion
for dismissal of the suit upon this
ground, which was denied by the
court.
Heiistrom Joins Case.
The court room was we'll filled with
spectators and the case was followed
with considerable interest. One Of
the surprises was the announcement
by +. o. Hellstrom, candidate for
governor on the democratic ticket,
that he had been retained by the de-
PENDANTS. as assisting council. This
probably is the first case of record
where Mr.. HellstrOm appeared in the
role of attorney before the supreme
court
Makes Hin Immune.
1t did not appear why Mr.. He'll
strom Joined the case at the eleventh
hour. He refused to deny or affirm
his connection with the controversy,
hut said in reply to charges made
by. Fargo daily paper that he had
been out Of the state since Nov. s.
His appearance as attorney, however,
makes him immune from possible
charges in connection with this case,
Mr.. Nelson refused to divulge Who
gave him the 'tip' upon which his
story was based. He declared in an
swer to this interrogatory that such
asdisclosure would be breach OF pro
fessional ethics.
In answer to the interrogatories
propounded by Attorney General Mil
Ter. Mr. Nelson claimed that he be
lieyed his statements against the
court were true. At no time was
there the slightest indication tflt
the defendants felt that they were in
error.
The manner in which their attor-
ney conducted the case gave rise to
the rumor that further action was
contemplated. Recourse to the Unit
ed States district court was limited at
by Mr.. Baker.
This is not the first instance in
which Mr.. Baker has figured in a
newspaper controversy He was sum-
1noned to Washington to explain an
editorial in the Courier,News before
the senate committee investigating
the lobbyist charges of Mulhall. He
was involved in the federal indict-
ments against the former manage
ment of the Courier-News, but all
charges against him were dismissed.