The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-30

Atty. William Lemke.
Wood and Lemke, he stated, were
vice presidents of the National Nom
partisan league and Treasurer Keyes,
he stated, handled the money for all
OF these league organizations and
auxiliaries.
Million Dollar Exchange.
The principal business of the
league exchange, a million dollar
corporation organized under the laws
Of North Dakota, is the financing
of the league, said Townley. The
exchange was organized to handle
farm loans and lands and Townley
thought it might have done so but
for the war.
f. b. Wood is president, Keyes is
secretary and treasurer, and Town
ley a director Of the exchange. The
exchange has sold $500 worth of
stock to farmers who have taken up
their notes to the extent Of $4,000.
Mr.. TOWnley professed to own but
one 500 share. The exchange was
organized by him, with the advice
and counsel of Lemke. The same was
true of the Nonpartisan Publishing
company and Of the Consumers
United Stores company.
The United States Guaranty COM
pany also was initiated by Mr.,
ToWnley, but he stated he has had
very little to do with its business
affairs. G. NJ. Hutchinson is president
of this institution; j. J. Hastings,
formerly Of the YOumans bank at
Minot and now president of the
Scandinavian American bank Of Far
go, is secretary and Mr.. TOwnley
was not surprised to learn that the
same Mr.. Keyes is treasurer"
The Consumers United StoresI
company was another TOwnley idea
He created and originated the agree
ment recently brought to light and
which all stockholders sign. He and
A. Z. Bowen and J. M. Brinton did
the first organization work, with
Representative J. H. Sinclair as an
aide.
Has Collected 100000.
The concern has collected $3.50, OOOI
since July /, 1917. Townley was not
positive that Mr.. Keyes is treasurer
of this company, but believed him to
be so. The home office of this con-
Germ is in the Guaranty building in,
ST. Paul.
Mr.. Reyes has full custody of
the books. Mr.. ToWnley owns no
financial interest in the Consumers
United Stores company he said. J.
M. BrintOn, a former Beach news
paperman, is manager and he draws
the checks. Mr.. Townley admitted
that he had selected Heck and Ell
lott to be organizers for this enter
prise and that he had n general SUI
pervision over the disbursement of
the funds of all these institutions
but that his only financial interest
in any of them is his hundred dollGr
share of stock in the league ex-
change.
Mr.. Townley declared he had no
understanding with any of these
eoncNns that he viii or will notl
profit at any future time from their
enterprise not any more, said he,
than I have with the Great North
ern railway or the electric company
here" He admitted there was some
distinction, however, between his
connection with the league enterprise
and with the Great Northern.
"If you get into the Great North
ern cash box, 1t probably would be
with a burglars jimmy, wouldn't it'll
Mr.. Townley?" asked Mr. Murphy.
Mr.. Townley confessed that was his
one best chance to get anything out
of the Great Northern.
Mr.. Townley wasn't certain that
he owned a Liberty bond. He believ-
ed "some of the boys about the Of
fee" had bought one for him during
the second campaign, when he was
away. He asked Lemke for vertical
ton and the latter stated that Town