The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-10
.T0WNLEYs NOT
IN TOWN FOR
T0DA.Y'S QUIZ!
League President and Attorney
Notified Their Presence
Not Required
MccUTcHEoN TELLS WHY

Because of the inability OF Col. g. B.
Little, who has been in the east, to
reach Bismarck this morning, the ex-
animation Of himself, j. Leonard Bell
and F.. f.. Shepard OF Bismarck and
Lee Pettibone OF Dawson, to have been
held in the office OF Referee IN Bank
ruptcy H. F. O'Hare at 10 this fore
noon, was postponed until 2 this after.
noon. The four named have been sub.
poenaed by Francis J. Murphy Of Mi
not, representing creditors OF A. G.
Townley, president of the National
Nonpartisan league, to ascertain
whether they know anything Of an al.
legged transfer of $4,000 to TOwnley
in the fall OF 1915 Rum0rs have been
rife for long time that twenty thou
sand was paid over to TowHley here
at that time by interests seeking the
election of certain candidate for
the United States senate, who shortly
thereafter received the support of the
league and was elected. The same
rumor has it that the alleged twenty
thousand was used in the purchase OF
the Fargo Courier-News' by Townley
and his associates. i4ss
Won Hagen Knows Nothing.
r.. A. VonHagen OF Glen Ullin, -ex-
amined by Attorney Murphy this
morning as to an alleged conversation
with A. C. Townley in 1915 or 1917
during the course OF which TOwnley
was said to have revealed pass
book showing large bank deposits
made in his name, and to have stated
that he was getting along very nicely.
fatty denied that he had ever had
any conversation with Townley, and
declared he knew the Nonpartisan
chieftain only by reputation. Mr.
VonHagen was inclined to believe that
the report of his conversation which
had reached the ears Of Attorney Nun
ply had been made by brother OF
the witness, the late A. -. Won Hagen,
who was drowned in the Heart river
with three other Bismarck commercial
travellers on Easter Sunday, 1917.-A A. A.
Won Hagen, stated his brother, did
have some knowledge, of T0wnley's
affairs, and he thought he nigh thave
disclosed to McCarthy, Of Mccarthy &
Lyons, Minneapolis grain-dealers, de-
tails as to. the alleged conversation
into which Murphy was inquiring.
! The attorney for Townley's credit
ors did not seem greatly disappoint.
ed. "At least said Murphy, I'VE have
the satisfaction OF, setting At rest one
| more OF ;thef 1900 rumorA tbirknt in
regard to Townley's fortune"
\ Towniey Not Here.
| Neither TOwnley nor his attorney,
William Lemke, were here for tho
hearing. Lemke wired Referee o.
Hare yesterday that he had read .
hearing was to be had here and that
| he .Aemke) presumed, It was. only "po.
Ilitical gossip but that II a hearing
was to be held he wished on behalf
of his .client to petition for at leas,
| two weeks notice.. Lemke was ad.
vised that it was not necessary for
him or. his client to be present at this
bearing. I g. Y.
Eve are running down on ofothesc
rumors in. order that no one can fisay,
after the proceedings have beetif I'm
| ally closed, that we did not do our
| best on\ behalf OF the creditors to To-
cate any assets which TOwnley may
have failed voluntarily to disclose"
said Trustee in BankruptcysE. B. Nc.
Cutcheon OF Minot, who is here for the
hearing. "A thousand and one of
these stories reach us every day. Some
are so wild that we can afford to
ignore them; others are given such
general circulation that we cannot at
ford to ignore them, and 1t is neces.
sary that we 60 through with this
probe and prove these stories false or
get their denial on our records under
oath, or, II there really is anything
to them, to follow up the lead thus
Nuo ~ !, al ~ ~ t,9--+f5 il.5i go