Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1919-07-10
WITNESSES BARRED
FROM TELLING OF
OTHER ADDRESSES
Townley'. Defense May Not
Include Testimony on Ad-
dresse. Not Mentioned IN
Indictment.

dresses Not Mentioned IN
Indictment.
Jacksonville, Mimi, July 8.-Ef.
forts by the defense in the trial cl
A. c.. Townley and Joseph Gilbert
Nonpartisan League officials charged
with conspiracy to advocate disloy-
atty, to place large numbers of wit
nesses on the stand to testify as to
the address Of Townley which the de-
fense claims were in support of the
government during the war, were
denied by court ruling late today.
District Judge E C. Dean decided
that the defense cannot offer testi-
mony regarding the war activities Of
Townley and Gilbert at times and
places not specified in the indictment
or br0t up by the state In its evil
dence.
1t is believed that the ruling will
| bar score or more of witnesses.
| Local hotels are crowded with Lea
que adherents, who are ready to tes-
tify that their chief had not voiced
any anti-war sentiments in their lo-
cality.
The decision followed more than
an hour of argument during which
the jury was sent from the court
room. George Hoke, chief counsel
for the defense, made extended pleas
that the testimony be allowed, while
Attorney E. H. Nicholas, prosecutor.
and Assistant Attorney ]. E. Mark
ham just at strenously opposed.
II cannot see," said Judge Dean
''that the court can allow evidence
regarding statements of Townley or
Gilbert other than in speeches and
on occasions specified in the indtc:-
ment. If the defendants have or
have not violated the law on the oc-
casions charged, their subsequent
acts would have no bearing
. Editor on Stand.
The question came up when Fay
Cravens, Nonpartisan League news
paper editor at Milica, Minn., at
tempted to tell of a speech by Mr.
TOwn1ev at Milaca
Joseph Gilbert, former organiza-
tion manager of the League, and now
connected with the United Consum
ers' Stores company, a League sub-
sidiary in North Dakota, was on the
witness stand most of the day. His
redirect examination was completed
this afternoon.
Gilbert while on the stand during
the afternoon session took the Lea
gue's war program and statement of
principles and analyzed it to the jury
He was allowed considerable latitude
and at times the defense asserted he
was making a speech to the men in
the box.
Gilbert declared that the program
was real patriotism as opposed to
profiteering, and severely censured
corporations for alleged excessive
war profits, made, he said, while
washerwomen were asked to buy gov
ernment bonds on the installment
plan.
Soldier Is Called.
Peter Sorenson, soldier who lives
at Milaca,; was called after Cravens
left the stand. Sorenson was asked
If his father was a member OF the
Nonpartisan League. He answered
yes.
The defense then sought to ques-
tion the witness regarding the speech
Townley made at Milaca, Feb. 81,
1918. The state objected and was
sustained. Sorenson left the stand.
State Senator John b. Stephan Of
Brewerville, testified regarding a
speech which Townley made at po-
litical meeting in Saltwater, Feb. 10,
1919.
while Townley was speaking
there was q disturbance and I did
not hear all that was said" Stephan
testified. Townley told about laws
enacted by the North Dakota legislA-
ture at the last session. Some one
in the crowd asked him II they had
passed q red flag bill. Townley said
they did not think it was necessary;
that the red flag is supposed to be
the emblem OF the oppressed and
that the people Of North Dakota were
not oppressed. He also stated that
there was only one animal which us
ually was enraged BY red nag and
that animal was i enclosed by q