The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-05
PROBE INTO
PURCHASE OF .
C0URIER-NEWS
Truth to Be Ascertained as to
Transaction Made Here in
Fall of 1916
EXAMINE LEAGUE BOOKS
Trustee in Bankruptcy E. B. Nc
Cutcheon of Minot Pro-
cures Court Order -.
EXAMINE LEAGUE BOOKS

~ plODC lAIO dhC5Cu OllSulAAolAiA S'
surrounding the purchase by A. c..
Townley and associations, presumably
on behalf OF the Nenpartisan league,
of the Fargo Courier-News, just prior
to the leagues switch in the campaign
two years ago from John Burke to
Porter j. McCumber in the United
States senatorial race, is slated for
10 o'clock next Thursday morning,
when several of the capital city's most
prominent citizens have been sub
poenaed to appear before Referee in
Bankruptcy H. +. OHar.
This quiz promises to add another
thrilling chapter to the Townley bank
ruptcy proceedings. Townley and his
brother, c. S. Townley, on the league
payrolls as an organizer, filed vol
untary petition in bankruptcy with
Referee OHare last November, SEIZED.
ulting liabilities of $4,000 and assets
of approximately $500. A number OF
hearings have been held in this city,
and there has been one in st. Paul.
In addition to procuring subpoen'
aes for the Bismarck people and a
numoer Of we'll known Slope citizens
who are held to have come knowledge
of Townley's financial transactions
beginning with the organization OF
the league, Francis j. Murphy, repre-
senting the Townley CREATORS, while
in Fargo yesterday procured from
Judge Amidon of the United States
district court for North Dakota lin
tied order granting e. B. McCutcheon,
trustee in bankruptcy, permission to
apply to the federal court at st. Paul
for permission to examine the books
of the Nonpartisan league. II this
permission is granted by the district
court at St. Paul, thorough investi-
CATION will be made with a view OF
determining how much money Town
ley has collected since he created the
league; how this money has been
spent, whence it came and how much
Townley has appropriated for his own
use.
The contention has been made that
Townley is the league. The organia-
alton has never been incorporated OF
associated, so far as the league IN
North Dakota is concerned, at least.
Townley has written checks and
ufdWu upOu lIlc lCo6uC AuAANo w AAoO
ly as though they were his very own.
He testified here that personal checks
of his drawn on the league treasury
were always honored, whether they
were for the purchase of one automo'
bile or a dozen.
Some Inside Politics.
Some inside information upon the
political consideration which in 1916
induced the league to finally with
draw it's support from John Burke,
only a few weeks before the edection,
and come out for Porter j. McCumber'
may result from the investigation to
be made before Referee O'Hare here.
The story of transaction when $20''
600 is alleged to have been paid over
to Townley, Coates, ct al, by interests
which desired the reelection OF Porter
]. McCumber. The Courier-NeWs was
purchased by Townley and his conted'
crates Immediately following the al
legged date of this alleged transaction;
the word went forth to drop Burke
and support McCumber, it is alleged,
and McCumber was elected by a nice
majority.