Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-08
A DIRECTED
VERDICT GIVEN
TO DEFENDANTS
Celebrated Youmans Suit Is His
tory; Minot Man Has No
Case.
COMPLAINANT IS
SEVERELY SCORED
Banking Board Officers Acted
Within Powers in Closing
Institution.

Minot, April with a verdict in
favor of the defendants, the celebrat.
ed Youmans. case came to an abrupt
end Friday afternoon at Minot. Judge
Kneeshaw, who has been the trial
judge in directing the verdict, made
a statement to the effect that the
state officials could not be blamed as
they had simply acted as state Off
cials and had no ulterior motives in
closing the banks doors.
Scores Complainant.
In his statement to the jury, Judge
kneeshaw scathingly denounced the
complainant for having secured the
signatures OF farm HANDS who possess
ed no property. The entire business
was considered fraudulent and on &C
count OF that the banking board oftic'
es acted entirely within their prov.
ince whom they ordered an accounting
or liquidation Of the bank, and also
the officials, therefore, could not be
held responsible for damages.
Audience Demonsrrative.
The demonstrations of the audience
in favor of the complainant, was ac.
cording to reports, disgustingly parti'
san and wholly un-American. "Such
disagreeable proceedings on the part
of the spectators, were never seen in
court OF justice before said the
judge. Il don't know who they are,
bur they must be deprayed and have
depraved minds. Such people who
would trample our beautiful flag, with
its stars and stripes, underfoot, are
not entitled to live in any commun
ity," concluded the speaker.
General Satisfaction.
The many people, Outside those
who have been wholly prejudiced in
favors OF the plaintiff) were well salts
fed with the turn the case had taken,
when they learned that directed ver-
dict in favor Of the defendants had
been given. j The. spectators sat sill
a ent and the keenest attention was di-
,rected, toward the bench when Judge
Kneeshaw said, in. conclusion, "Now,
gentlemen, l am here, and l am not
afraid OF any living soul; nor afraid
OF any anarchist in this crowd or in
this city; am prepared to do my duty
before Almighty God, and they can't
frighten or bulldoze me-
Unfair Misstatements.
The conduct of Grant S. Youmans
and his attorney, Manahan, was de-
nounced as the worst that the judge
had ever come across in the forty
years in which he had been engaged
in law practice. And Manahan was
scored for alleged deliberate and un-
fair msstatement of facts.
No Proof of Conspiracy.
There was absolutely no. evidence
OF conspiracy and the only course
open to the court was to direct YER
dict in favor of the defense. The
state officers only did their duty.
They had Youmans' request entered
into contract with the complainant
to settle the accounts of the bank.
This contract was ratified by series
Of letters written by Mr.. Youmans.
Hold Meeting Sunday.
There is report that Messrs. You
mans, Manahan and others will hold
a meeting Sunday in the opera house,
when speakers will tell ''How 1t Was
Done" Presumption states that the
loser in the suit will attempt to stir
up more strife and make political
capital out of his failure to put his
hands into the state treasury for
nearly $325,000.