Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1919-12-25
LANCER EXPLAINS
HIS REASONS FOR
PAYING SALARIES
Feared Interested Learners
Would Tie His Hands In
Manv Important Suits Now
Pending in Court.

Bismarck, N. D., Dec. 23.-(Spe-
cial. .)-Explaining his reasons for
making contracts with Special AS
sistant Attorney General Nuchols Of
Mandan and Lawder of Wahpeton
and the payment Of their years sal
aries in advance, Attorney General
Langer today declared that in view
OF the legislatures recent action in
looping 100000 from his 1919 ap-
preparation of $4,000 he regarded
this action as necessary to protect the
state in important litigation which
these attorneys have under way.
Actions which Lawder and Nuchols
have instituted in behalf Of the state.
and with which Attorney General
LANCER declares no other member Of
his staff familiar, are the states suit
against large grain companies charg-
ed with ombination to batter down
prices paid for grain at primary
points; the states suit against an al
legged combine of fruit houses; the
actions against President H. J. Ha-
gen and Cashier P. r. Sherman of
the Scandinavian-Ameri bank, in
the first of which a conviction was
secured by Judge Lawder in the Cass
county district court, but in which
a motion for a new trial has been al
lowed; the states defense OF the AZ
taxpayers action against the lea
gue's industrial program, now pend
ing in the United States supreme
court, in which all of the arguments
before the federal tribunal have been
made by Judge Lawder and num-
mer Of others, involving vital issues
or claims for large amounts.
Among other matters which Attor-
ney LANCER declares would suffer II
he were not in position to avail
himself OF the services Of these spe-
cial assistants, is wholesale investi-
CATION of alleged I. w. w. activities
in this state, in which a great mass
| of evidence has been accumulated.
Attorney General LANCER declares
that this organization is now oper-
ating thruout the state and that the
extent Of it's activities would startle
the public could they be made known
at this time.
Just Imagine.
President Hagen Of the Scandina-
vian-American bank will be retired
some time during the coming year,
and the trial of Cashier Sherman will
come up in January. Imagine what
would happen in these cases." said
Attorney General LANCER today, III
the governor were to appoint VIII
liam Lemke as a special attorney
general to prosecute for the state!"
The attorney general charges de-
liberate attempt upon the part cf
interested league leaders to tie his
hands in these actions and he as
serts that his duty to the people JUS
titles the course which he has taken
in assuring the continued services of
special assistants who are best quail
flied to prosecute the investigation or
suits which they have begun and in
which they are in possession Of all
the mass of evidence that has been
accumulated.
In the prosecution of the alleged
fruit mbine, now pending in SUI
preme court, Attorney General Lam
ger has engaged Judge John Car
mody of Hillsboro, who as assistant
district U. S. attorney conducted 4
similar prosecution in the federal
courts and who is said to be entire
ly familiar with the case. Unless
some advance arrangement could be
made, says the attorney general, ho
would be forced to dispense of Car
mody's services and to cripple the
states case against the so-called
"fruit trust
One of the sad aftermaths of the
war is the number of French and