Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1914-1915, 1914-10-22
.GRONNA Will. ASK $4,000 FROM
SERUMGARD FOR ALLEGED S[ANDER|
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE AND
DEVILS LAKE PUBLISHER
FACE LEGAL TROUBLES

FACE LEGAL TROUBLES
An action for $50, 900 in which Siv-
er Serumgard is made defendant, has
been started in the district court of
Ramsey county. The complainant is
A. ]. Gronna, who is a candidate for
U. S. Senator to succeed himself. The
local law firm Of Middaugh, Cuthbert,
Smythe and have been retained by
Mr.. Gronna, and the papers in the ac-
tion have been served on Mr.. Serum
gard this week.
Publisher Bloom of the Devils Lake
Journal will be served with formal no.
tice to retract statements claimed to
have been published in his paper, and
on failure to do this an action for
criminal libel will be started against
him. The two actions, the one already
started, and the other depending on
Blooms action, originate because of
alleged slanderous statements attrib-
uted to Mr.. Serumgard in a recent
campaign speech made here and to
the alleged publication Of the same in
bold headlines in the Devils Lake
Journal, Blooms publication.
When the news leaked cut this
week that Senator Gronna had wearied
of the bitter attacks made upon him
and decided upon legal action, de-
cided sensation was created here. The
fact that Mr.. Bloom and later Mrs.
Bloom, applicants for the postofice at
Devils Lake had been turned down by
the senate on the request of Senator
Gronna, paved the way in the minds
of Llany for any caustic articles in
reference to him appearing in the
Journal subsequent to Mr.. Blooms
disappointment to land the coveted
plum and the vitrolic attacks on the
senator were taken here accordingly.
Mr.. Serumgard aspires to the seat
in the senate held by Sen. Gronna and
it is stated, has been free with charg-
es against him in speeches made else
where during the campaign. While
this sort of campaign surprised
some, the publication of remarks at
tributed to Mr.. Serumgard was evi-
IDENTIFY the straw that broke the cam
els back, and those who know Senator
Gronna, are predicting one of the most
determined legal actions ever marking
political history in this state as .he
result Of the whole affair.
It was stated Tuesday by the attor-
neys for the senator that among 9TH
er alleged slanderous statements at
tributed to serumgard, the following
will be cited in the complaint:
"I charge A. J. Gronna with being
the greatest and most monumental
fraud that ever sought a political ia
vor at the hands Of the people OF
North Dakota. I charge him with be-
I ing one of the men who made Nc
Kenzieism in the state possible during
} the dark days Of the insurgent fight
in North Dakota. charge him with
being friend Of the big interests in
congress, though he hypocritically
poses as friend Of progressive poll
cies. And last, but not least, charge
him with being an unfit man to occu.
py a seat in the senate Of the United
States, because, to North Dakota's
shame, he is a cheap, bungling and
3 petty CRATER"
: This, in substance, is one of the al.
legged slanderous utterances attributed
to Mr.. Serumgard which appears il
the complaint which is to be served
Ion him today, if he can be located. Mr.
: Serumgard is reported to be out il
$ the country campaigning and it may
3 be that service will not be obtained
y tomorrow, but it will be obtained al
: soon as possible the attorneys state.
q Regardless Of the legal result, it il
i evident here that many Democrats arr
2 anything but pleased with the situa
e ton as the result Of the Bloom arti
J. cles and his subsequent bomb. Others
g go so far as to openly say that it viii
n mean hundreds Of votes for Gronna
s some Of the more guarded say, "nos
a unfortunate" and while not in an!
: way attempting to pass opinion on th'
legal ethics Of the situation your cor
respondent believes that the best in
y formation tonight indicates that man!
8 believe it will ruin what chances tn
e Democratic candidate may have ha.
Il . "a & r. .