The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1915-03-25
Communication From H. A. FOss.

Communication from II. "A. foss.
Editor independent:
When George S. LOTUS appeared in
Minot a few weeks ago, his advance
agent called me up in the eleventh
hour and invited me to come to the
meeting, presumably for the purpose
Of discussing certain questions rela-
tive to the grain business.
1 declined the honor, first because
am not a public speaker, and l would
not attempt to debate with anyone un-
less given some time for preparation.
NV son went to the meeting, however,
to take notes; and from these notes
learn that Mr.. Lotus in his talk PAID
some attention to the writer, and
among other things charged me with
having written certain article ap-
pearing in the Independent, in It's Is
sue of March 18th, 1913.
have read that article and believe
it states the truth in forclble man.
ner, so if it had been my production
| should not have felt ashamed OF 1T;
but never like to be given credit for
something which don't belong to me,
hence I have been waiting for the
author to come back from California,
where he went with his sick wife early
in the winter. The other day his many
friends here received the sad news
that his wife had passed away, so
there will very likely be several days
vet before the party will return to
Minot.
Being informed that Mr.. LOTUS is
to appear in our city again today, |
went to the editor Of the Independent
and asked him to testify in my behalf.
Like other honorable men of the fra
ternity, the editor dislikes to divulge
names of contributors to his paper;
but in this case he yielded and gave
me the following
State of North Dakota,
County of Ward, ss:
G. D. Colcord, being first duly
sworn, deposes and says that during
the month of March, in the year 1913,
and for many years prior to that time,
he was, and is, also, at the present
time Editor of the Ward County lnde-
pendent, weekly newspaper publish
ed in the city of Minot, State of North
Dakota; that on or about the 9Th day
of March, 1918, he met in the Post Of
flee at Minot Mr.. N. J. Thorson, then
manager of the Minot Farmers Grain
Association; that said Thorson called
attention to certain articles printed in
the daily papers anent the 1nvestiga-
ton then going on in the Minnesota
Legislature, in which the Terminal
Grain markets in general and the So
called Equity Cooperative Exchange
in particular were involved; that said
N. J. Thorson suggested that an artl.
Gle on the subject ought to be inserted
in the independents; that the affiant
felt confident that Mr.. Thorson was
we'll versed on the subject and asked
him to write such an article for the
Independent; that said N. j. Thorson
promised to do so and did furnish copy
for the article printed in the Indepen-
dent in it's issue of March 13, 1918, un-
der the head lines: "American So
ciety of Equity in the Hands of Graft
ers," and that H. A. Foss was not
consulted in the matter, either by the
editor or his associates.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 22nd day of March, A. D. 1915.
C. H. ZEHRINGER,
(SEAL) Notary Public.
My commission expires Jan. 16, 1919.
Now, if Mr.. LOTUS is gentleman,
he will retract and apologize. By the
way-he also stated in his talk here in
Minot that if he could have spared the
money, he would have had the editor
of the Independent prosecuted for
criminal libel. For the benefit of Mr..
LOTUS and others I will venture the
information that it will not cost a cent
to have criminal case started in this
city or state; if the Equity people are
innocent they will be given justice
free of charge. H. A. FOSS.
HIISRAND RSCONDS