Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-24
A.. c. Townley. dictator of.the
Soitpn.ttsan league and the resi-. ruler
aud car o; the capitol out on the
Political Blooms Everywhere.

OAGapJiS VI eEtAlHaAerSOnS now Omclal.
ly connected with the state capitol
which have Deem brought into, COM
mon gossip as a result of the possible
'r~amifcations Of the ~sHprosecution and
the persecution Of Tom Hall. s1
There is William LANCER. attorney
general. who is said to- be burning
with the desire to- mount the throne
now, occupied. by Lynn j. Frazier--as
a stepping stone to- the seat now held
down by one: Gronna in the nations
capitol.
There is Frank B.. Packard, who is
said to have just rs ardent a desire to
Dust one Patrick D.. Norton from the
position of congressman from : the
Second district. l. ~.
Now tits said, as; common gossip
and conversation among a largAypef-
centage of those who talk of the: Tom
Hall case--and who does not?-that
Tom Hall stood in the way of at Feast
these two political ambitions and, pos
BILE to turn a corner in the halls: OF
the capitol building these daystwith-
out humping into a political ambition
Of good healthy proportions or. one
that has just been incubated.
But LANCER and Packard have loos-
ened the ties Of associated interests
that might have held Tom Hall silent
as to matters in the capitol and
among the first Of the condolences
er purposes and ambitions that are
to cause comment! at least. II
not actual opposition among the :in-
side ring" members Of the Official
Townley family. And it Is not always
the best thing to- have factionalA fights
breaking out juAt when you are about
to. enter On a political campaign.
State Finances in Bad Way. ~
Then there is the matter Of state
fnancesrwhich is quite another story
and one worthy Of individual treat
ment at some length--which will be
thoroughly aired with interesting
sidelights by Tom Hall. ;,
1t is already apparent that; the
Townley administration has been the
most expensive single year in the his
tory O f,the state Of North Dakota, and
that the. departments Owe which Mr..
LANCER and MI. Packard are the dic7
tators SO far as the<details are con!
cerned. are not the most economically
administered, by any mannern2of
means. - = s-Hps /
0fBurleighq county citizens. are not at
all pleased with the reflections cast
upon their fairness and honesty by
the attorney generals department in
the petition for, change Oft venue for
the reason that a fair and impartial
trial of~the case could not be secured
in the county and the later statement
by Assistant Attorney General: Bren-
nan that word had came to his chief
that money had beer used on the jury.
{ Ju,yman Asks Protection.
\ Edward Adams. one ,,of the jury.
arosasGndsin langnageafthat could not
mA64ndSrstopd,Sa tdt That iins4he old
days such b statement would mean I'd.
sort to >.'44's,,',, and: he" asked the court
Tor protection from such assaults.
S ThssmAtteF ofafallfng = grand jHkty
40 HuraeiehNc0unty was STRONGLY op-
posed by}the' attorney generals office.
It is alleged, for the announced rea-
Nm that 1t was an effort to white-
wash Tom Hall. Mr. Hall says in re-
pl:" that afidavits asking for a grand
ivy specified alleged neglect to In.
yes;ieate rumors of trouble over Ger.
tain Paving matters in the city Of Big
marcl. sJ'd had nothing to do with
ToE Balls affairs. n
One of the most singular things in
the conduct of the Tom. Hall case was
the filing of afidavits of prejudice
AAgainst" the judge sitting in the Blt.
4eigh district. by the attorney genera
xhen the law. it issaid, does lot give the
'Eeate> authority to file such affidav4te.
that both the attorney general aud
the ;,s.scourt being corrob9ratiye
branches OF the state government. one
could not file affidavits of prejudice
against the other. Yet this matter
was1fougtt over. for three days during
the earlier phases Of the TRIAL.