The Bismarck tribune., 1919-03-25

<IIOVUSy N6UCtdt .@dVVSC CdVtS
President "A. c. TownIey's hand
in . statement issued today offer.
ing reward Of $1,000 for proof
that, az ciaimed by the Fargo
courier-News on Sunday, plot
has been hatched in which $4,000
Is to be used to illegally harrass
the United Consumers Store Co.
The Fargo story was so wOrded as
to intimate that the Consumers Unit
ed Stores Co. considered the investl-
cation of its business ordered by the
blue sky commission, of which Mr..
LANCER is a member, a part of this
plot. .m..t
In addition to offering reward of
$1,000, "as an individual and citizen
fthe state of North Dakota" for
any evidence which will lead to the
apprehension and conviction of any
person, idividual, associatio or cor
poratio implicated in said illegal plot
inviolation Of the state laws" Mr..
LANCER has wired William c. Green,
states attorney of Cass county, re-
questing that he Investigate phase
OF the .Courier-News story to the ef-
feet that Fargo wholesalers and job.
bers last Thursday evening raised
1900 to be put into a fund of 10000
which the Fargo paper alleged Is be
ing raised in the Twin Cities for the
purpose OF illegally fighting the Unit
ed Consumers Stores Co.
"eorrowed the Money
>E
suspicion that re has at this time
sudden accession Of wealth. Mr..
LANCER naively closes his reward
notice with the postscript: ~
borrowed the money"
The notice follows: q"
ITO whom Il may concern, apd
especially the officers and attor.
neys Of the United Consumers
Stores Co., the editor and yofficera
of the courienNews publishing
company, the chief Of police Of
fargo, the sheriff II Scass coun-
(; ty. North Dakota. the United Il
states Marshal, AND TO A. G.
.ToWNLEY:
sirs:
Information having this day been
published in the Courier. News Of Ear
SO. N. Oak, that q plot has been
Matched. as a part OF which there was
a meeting In Fargo on March 20, 1919,
at which $1,000 was raised as part
of fund Of $4,000, with which to
illegally harrass the. United Consum-
ers Stores Co., you are hereby noti-
fled that as an individual and citl'
zen of the state of North Dako.a|
have deposited the sum OF $1,000 mi
the Farmers Equity State BANK OF
,Mandan, at Mandan, N. D., to lie paid
by me personally for any evidence
which will lead to the apprehension
and conviction of any person. individ'
ual, association or corporation impll-
Gated in said Illegal plot in violation OF
the state laws. l
CIVILIAN, LANCER, Il
"ATORNEY GENERAL"
"P. s.-I BORROWED THE
Asks Prosecutor to Act.
To William c. Green, states attor.
neyt of Cass county, Mr.. LANCER
wrote:
THE Courier News this morning
states that Fargo wholesalers ard
jobbers Thursday evening raised 81
400 to be put into a fund of $4o,OO0
now alleged as being raised in the
Twin Cities for the purpose of lie
gally fighting the United Consumers
Stores Co.
"You are hereby instructed to in
vestigate these charges | suggest
that you Immediately interview the
editor and officers of the Courier
News and the officers of the Consum-
ers' United Stores Co. for the purpose
of getting evidence against any whole
salers or jobbers and that If you lave
evidence even to warrant a prima
facie vase. that you imediately arrest
the jobber or wholesaler or both.
hereby tender the services of one OF
my assistants and the powers of my
office to assist you. 1t is my earnest
desire that you investigate these
charges thoroughly and impartially
and assiduously. and that you bring
the guilty individual or corporations
to justice. I assure you Of my Jealous
cooperation"