The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-16

Il wanted IL served. And so at the
suggestion OF legal advice. Mr.. Wood
| and Mr.. Fox were asked to organize
a partnership for the purpose OF
l publishing this paper.
| q. Who asked them?
A. ! did.
I O. You had not known Mr.. Wood
or Mr.. Fox very long up to that
| time?
A. Wen. / had known Mr.. Wood
here for about a year and a half or
l two years, and been closely associat-
\ ed with him for about a year and had
known Mr.. Fox for about a year
Q. Did this organization COM
mence about the same time as the
Nonpartisan league commenced?
A. Now, this Publishing company
| was not organized until the fall Of
| 1915, the paper was not published
/ during the summer.
| @. Then your arrangement with
! them is or that this Co-partner-
ship was to receive as much OF the
| IS as was necessary to run the pa
per?
A. There has not been any definite
Arrangement or understanding with
them to that effect.
| Q. That Is the understanding, II
<. The understanding IL that they
are TO publish the paper.
.. What was the understanding
with reference to the financial end
OF it IL they did publish the paper,
| that is what we are Interested in,
what money are they to receive from
the league for publishing the pa
per?
A. II they would demand IL, they
could receive the whole IS.
Q. But they haven't demanded 1t?
A. No. And further, IL there was
any misfortune, IL the paper should
be sued for libel. and it would be
necessary to raise the subscription
to SO a year, that might be done to
save the paper.
it s l., Three dollars a year. to MAKE
A. Yes, sir.
Q. II they libeled somebody. and
they proved il, and they had TO pay
a big judgment, you would raise the
subscription fee from So to IS?
A. II we thought 1t would be to
our advantage to maintain that pa
per.
Q. You would come to the rescue?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And out of the league funds,
you would even so so far as to turn
over So a year?
A. Not out OF the funds collect
cd. Any time the subscription price
would be raised, the price would be
taken out OF membership fees to be
collected I'm the future. And IL also
might be reduced.
q. So the relationship between
this partnership of Wood and Fox
or Fox and Wood with the National
Noupartisan league is very intimate,
is ii not?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And it is so intimate that it is
pretty difficult to distinguish between
the executive committee Of the
Nonpartisan league and this CO.
partnership?
A. Yes. sir, quite so.
Q. Now, did you personally ever
have any understanding with either
Mr.. Wood or Mr.. Fox or both Of them
that you were to profit in the attairs
Of the Nonpartisan Publishing Com
pany?
A. I have not.
Q. None OF that kind?
A. No, sir.
Q. And you never have prohted
in any way?
A. No, sir.
O Never received a dollar aside
from the 800 a month that you
testified they pay you for advising
with them and debating the editorial
policy?
A. Correct.
q. Not q dollar?
A. For my personal purposes.
Q. What do you mean by your
personal purpose?
A. Purchasing Of property for
myself, or buying automobiles for
myself, or furnishing myself with
vacation, or a big feed, or buying a
farm, or something Of that kind, or
paying off my debts, or using 1t for
my personal being.
Q. Did you ever receive from
them aside from this 500 month,
any other sums for any purpose,
from the Nonpartisan Publishing
Company?
A. have used some of the money
OF the publishing company for
political purposes.
Q. Quite sum Of 1t?
A. Oh, no.
o. Where are the books of this
concern kept? Do you know?
A. OF the publishing company?
Q. Yes.
A. st. Paul.
Q. Mr.. Morris is the editorf
A. ICES, Sir
q. What is his full manner
A. Oliver G. Morris.
Q. Who is business manager?
A. Herbert CASTOR.
O. Mr.. Castor is likewise editor
Of The Courier News?
A. Yes. sir.
@. The fact Of the matter is that
neither Mr.. Fox nor Mr.. Wood has
anything to do with running that
paper?
Q. And they never have had?
A. Not directly.
o. What do you mean by direct
! A.. Well, they don't set any type.
Q. And don't write any editor
ials?
A. No.
.. And don't collect any nswsT
4. No. they don't report for the
D 4. And don't solicit advortising'
o, And don't sign any checks?
A. The work is all done by en-
q. These two gentlemen don't |
concern themselves with 1t at all?
A. No, not so long as il serves
the purposes Of the organization. /
II has to serve the organization.
o. But the fact is they don't en-
gage in the operation OF that news
paper at all, or Of the Publishing /
company? Either Mr.. Fox or Mr..
Wood IN any way? Let me put IL
this way, the checks drawn on ac-
count of the Nonpartisan Publishing /
are not signed by either
Mr.. Fox or Mr.. Wood, they are sign
ed by Mr.. Keyes?
"A. Yes. sir.
q, The same gentleman who
signs the checks for the National
league?