The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-03
HATCHER AFFAIR
May Be REVIVED
STOCKHOLDERS IN COURIER
FORUM PUBLISHING CO., PRO-
NOTED BY O. M. HATCHER, MAY
TAKE ACTION IN. COURTS
AGAINST PROMOTER.

There is a strong probability of the
revival Of the Hatcher Courier Forum
affair in the courts has been given
credence throughout the state and city
by the fact that D. B. Holt, OF Enge-
rud, Holt &c Frame, one of the at
torneys of the stockholders of that
company, is now in Bismarck in con-
sultation with Attorney General Mil
Ter about the possibility OF bringing
action against o. M Hatcher of Min
neapolis, who promoted the scheme of
consolidating he two papers two
years 6
A meeting Of some OF the Fargo
stockholders in the Courier Forum
Publishing Co. was held last Monday
afternoon in the Offices Of Aubrey
Lawrence, associate counsel with Mr..
Holt in the matter. 81
It was decided at that meeting to
send Mr.. Holt to Bismarck to consult
with Attorney General Miller about
the possibility of bringing action
against MT. Hatcher. Mr.. Holt went
yesterday.
The stockholders in the Courier
Forum Publishing Co. aver that about
100000 worth of stock was sold to
various men of well known financial
standing throughout the state and that
when the purchase of The Fargo For
UNI fell through that Hatcher Bros.
Corporation Of Grand Forks turned
over to them security amounting to
about $50. 0 70. 49,
1t was said that o. M. Hatcher, who
promoted the scheme, stated to the
stockholders hat there were notes in
the Grand Forks banks amounting to
$4,000 which would leave $4,000 to
cover the amount subscribed by the
various stockholders.
On recent investigation, however,
it was learned by one of the parties
that notes in the Grand Forks banks
amount to $4,000 instead of $40. 900
and that the balance of $50, 900 is not
the equivalent Of the value represent
ed.
The stock in the Courier-Forum
Publishing Co. was sold by o, M.
Hatcher to some of the most promi-
nent men in the state. including Sem
ator Gronna, Secretary of State Hall,
Alec Mcdonald, former land commits
sioner, Sen. w. P. Porterfield, Joe
Purcell, Colonel Whittlesay, w. II.
Stutsman, Walter S. Parkin and 9TH
ers.
The purpose was to purchase The
Fargo Forum and consolidate it with
The Fargo Courier-Ne and make
an Independent newspaper with strong
nominations towards progressive re-
p~ublicanism. O.. M. Hatcher started
his canvass during the Tri-State Grain
Growers convention in January, 1912.
The combination was to become eff
fective April 1 Of that
The Forum was not purchased on a
charge that the circulation was misre-
presented to them by former owners,
and a suit was Immediately started.
After that an evening edition of The
Courier-News was launched called The
Telegram, which was short lived.
Following a subscription contest
which concluded with the arrest of M.
N. Hatcher and A. M. Baker on a
charge of using the mails to defraud,
the paper was foreclosed by Thomas r.
Marshall and sold to A. Y. More.
The charges against Mr.. Baker were
dismissed at once without any prelimi-
nary hearing. A preliminary hearing
was given Mr.. Hatcher, brother of O..
M. Hatcher.
o. NJ. Hatcher is now in Minneapolis
where he won a case in the courts
against him with the last month.