Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-07-23
STATUTORY. RIGHTS
DENIED TOWNLEY
League Head Is Convicted After
Farcical Trial on Con-
.piracy Charge.


that have always been granted in
every American court, the jury at
Jackson, Mimi, July II, returned
verdict of guilty in the case in which
A. G. Townley, president. and Joseph
Gilbert, former general organization
manager of the National Nonpartisan
league, were accused by their political
enemies of conspiring to use unlawful
language.
The result was a foregone conclu
sion from the start. The unfairness
Of the proceedings was so evident that
an impartial witness, a Chicago news.
I paper man, stated during the first
/ days Of the farcical trial.
| II don't see how Townley and Gil.
bert can expect to win when all of the
cards against them are being dealt
from the bottom of the deck"
Any one reading the biased reports
Of papers like the Minneapolis Jour.
nal and the st. Paul Dispatch even
could clearly see the utter unfairness
of the rulings Of Judge Dean. The
little reference they are making to
the verdict in the editorial columns
shows that the papers realize that
the people see the whole frame up.
OF the IA men selected for the
jury venire, not one was a member
Of the Nonpartisan league, although
the organization has approximately
so per cent of the voting strength OF
the county.
The jury was not segregated and
the jurors were allowed to mingle
with the heated opponents of the
League in Jackson. The Jackson pa.
per, whose editor is close friend of
the prosecuting attorney, in bold
headlines accused the Leaguers of be.
ing "red-card Socialists" and "pro-
| Germans"
Judge Dean has previously shown
his prejudice against the League in
an interview which he gave out dur.
ing the last political campaign, Sc.
verely criticizing the organization.
| The court opened the door wide for
the state and held it open, but when
the defense opened it's case the Judge
refused to allow any testimony show
ing the loyal and aggressive support
that Mr.. Townley and the League had
given to the Liberty Loan campaigns,
the Red Cross and other war activi.
ties and the response of the farmers
OF the Northwest to the call.
l. NO evidence was permitted of the
fact that all Of the speeches, writings
and activities of the League were ex-
amined, Inspected and scrutinized by
officials representing the federal gov
ernment and that they found them
absolutely loyal beyond question and
commended the organization and its
leaders for the generous, unselfish
and effective support.
The court allowed no evidence to
impeach the testimony of the states
star witness, now under federal in
dictment for disloyalty. Ferdinand A.
Teigen. The defense was ready to
show that he had long since been dis
credited and that he was in the en-
ploy Of Charles Patterson and other
Twin Cities men. back of the Reliance
Publicity bureau and, various anti
League moves. -.-
Although the judge allowed the
states attorney to talk for four and q
half hours and gave him unlimited
leeWay, he refused to let Mr.. Town.
ley speak in his own behalf, the only
time In the history Of an American
court, as far as is known, that the
defendant has been denied his In
alienable right to plead his own case.
The only conspiracy proved at Jack.
son was the conspiracy to get. AZ C..
ToWnley and the Nonpartisan league.
The only thing that the prosecuting
attorney proved Mr. Townley guilty
| Of was attacking the prof1teers.
Counsel for the defense have an,
nounced that an application has been
made Tor % new trial and that if this
is refused BY the Judge his decision