The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-08-07

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WER Y0UMANS' BOOK
Big League Chief Reported to Have
Stated that He Will Not Bring
Action Against Min0t Banker.
Altho Justice Held for Ransom"
the latest book of Grant s. Youmans,
president Of the Minot Farmers Bank,
setting forth charges wherein the Mi
not banker charges Townley with at
tempting to collect $500 from him
to secure favorable supreme court
decision in the case Of Youmans VS..
Hanna, ct al, has been off the press
for more than a week, it is said that
the big chief, after carefully perusing
the 134 pages of the publication, has
definitely decided not to answer any of
the charges made against him in the
book, nor will he bring any action
against Youmans for damages, evil
IDENTIFY somewhat to the disappoint-
ment of the author.
The book relates many transactions
that the author claims to have occur
red between Youmans and Towniey
during the past four or five years,
leading up to the time when the author
states that Townley could secure a
Judgment for $150000 in the supreme
court against the Hanna crowd, that
Youmans should give him $4,000
with which to start paper at Fargo.
The author alleges that the following
conversation took place between them:
Townley: "Would you give me $780,
900 or at least one-third Of the judg-
ment to put something across?"
Youmans: "Art, I'm dumbfounded
at such proposal. / couldn't think
of paying for help, other than what
/ have to pay my attorneys My bar
gain with them is on basis of one
third to Manahan, one-third to Le-
Sueur and one-third to me of whatever
is recovered. I will talk it over with
them. It will be up to them to sanc-
ton or reject your offer"
Townley: (Shaking his fist in my
face) IF you tell anyone. any living
soul, will make you out the damned
est liar in the state of North Dakota" !"
Youmans: ~ can't help that. I'll
certainly, tell the boys as soon as l
see them"
Townley: Don't be a damn fool.
Keep your mouth shut"
Youmans: ~ can't see it that way
and can't make any promises"
Youmans in his book recites the
many things he has done. for Townley
and the league enterprises, spending
nearly IS 900 of his own money to help
Townley and the league.
He states that he loaned Townley
$4,000 to tide over the Courier News
soon after its purchase by Townley.
He loaned the Kenmare Journal, a
league paper, $1,000 Nov. II, 1917,
and the loan has not yet been repaid.
He claims he loaned Townley, thru
his financial secretary, up to $4,000
at one time in the spring of 1918, to
help finance the league. This loan was
secured by farmers post-dated checks
and approved in writing by Bank Ex-
aminer Waters, he says. Loan not
yet fully paid, he adds.
Has always extended a latch key to
his office in Minot to Townley, organ
izers, speakers and employees of the
league movement, he states.
Has subscribed and paid cash for
shares in all league publications and
enterprises whenever asked to do so.
Has kept as high as 100000 reserve
of the Farmers Bank of Minot, in the
Observation-Disclosures Bank of Far
go, known as the League bank Of Far
20, at request of J. ]. Hastings, Town
ley's financial secretary.
AS late as May, 1919, loaned the
league $4,000 to help launch league
newspaper in Minot.
Loaned $4,000 to J. w. Brinton, a
close business associate of A. G. Town
lev, in the promotion Of the United
States Sisal Trust, of which Hon. J.
R. Waters, manager OF the North
Dakota State bank, is president.
Younans adds: ''The sacrifices l
have made for the league and the
league program have been appreciated
by at least our several hundred
farmer stockholders. A. G. Townley
also would have expressed apprecla..
ton for the services / have rendered
him and the league had | not dlsap-
pointed him by refusing to stoop to
the level of criminal. In this ! ask
for no praise-I seek no political IA
vors-I have only done what con-
slider my duty as an American citizen.
= els it any wonder that farmer CO.
: operative business ventures 50 often
fail! Ihe farmers anu 5Lle liiaHaseIs
not only have to fight competitive en-. en-.
emies from without, but too OFTEN are
compelled to experience jealousy, hat
red, slander and even crlme-from
those most trusted within their own
ranks"
Lafe Flaten Back From New York.
Lafe Flaten of the Minot Cloak q
/. Suit Co. returned from q buying trip
to New York Saturday. Lafe says
that it rsst1ed for eight days while ne
was in New York, the rainfall exceed
ing five inches. In speaking OF the
market conditions Lafe said that
prices on ready-to-wear are rising
daily. The supply is wholly made
uuate to meet the demand and as
\ consequence the manufacturers and
;oif,ers are asking scandalous prices
ssSI---.-~honJ;oo Thov uiyo tho scare.