The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-01-03
By A. B. Gilbert

amber u GoiiiA
ontence against Joseph Gil
pu' nd L. W. Martin, the supreme
FH a. - Minnesota gives the country
t'ns ~. Mooney case. Like Moneys
'O'1' uses not only grew out of an
SS' n "get" men prominent in
1 a,oning the cause of the COM
0''r noople but the supreme court
p"' - 90 into the obvious evi-
y If an unfair trial in the lows-
fD like the California court, the
s rD.o.ota court based its findings
p ~, IN the legal aspects of the
w. court records and considered as
y" Tho charges sustained by judge
~ INV nnder outrageous circun.
4ances.
:, Anrl and May, 1918, the posi-
s.os Of League success doomed
~ the minds Of Minnesota pol;
IONS Something had to be done
Tseredit the organization. One
-, at their disposal, as desperate
~ Was to use the legal power IF
! tote for framing up the opposi-
- leaders, and it was worked for all
roc worth. Indictments came in
AN and fast at League headquar-
J., At one time in this period
f,,snb Gilbert had no less than FIVE
,sctments against him because he
), organization manager of the
q league.
s nre of these came from Goodhue
rr,tv Mimi, for alleged disloyal re-
marks made in August, 1917, OF
a,bt months previous. The men who
smcbt the Indictment had tried II
pt the federal government to take
n fbp case. but federal agents had
fppr at the meeting and found moth
rg wrong with it. Then after allow
no one session of the grand jury to
Bass the gangsters brought an in
atment under a state law when an
-irtment was badly needed for poll
q jal effect.
3 Previous to and during the trial
5 5oihue county was terrorized by
ben and secret organizations oppos-,
be the League farmers, and from
4 hese people the jury had to be
i taFn. At the trial the judge ruled
& bat NOnpartisan league members
ulld not serve on the jury, although
riously the League should not have
hen on trial. Inasmuch as the
league was so strong there that all
rge either for or against it, this rul-
Big threw the defendant into the
binds Of the League opposition.
y The proof Of the alleged state
nents Of Mr.. Gilbert which met the
lrOval Of this one-sided jury and
Vich the supreme court did not re-
view, would be laughable if the case
ate not so serious. The opposition
paduced a parrot chorus who re-
naaoeTed 10 short sentences from his
20Ch. All remembered the same
Hltences and the same words and
acically nothing else, a most as
lshmg performance. The opposl-
a also produced an editor who
AIRED to have taken notes in a lit
book during the speech with thc
% on his knee in the open air. But
writing was in a fine, careful
Aad such as d man could write only
ais desk with plenty of time.
furthermore, when asked to repeat
notebook feat at another trial tn
aor failed miserably. Yet the judge
united the doped-up book as evil
'Te' Again, practically the SAME
@dS were contained in an indics-
:" against L. w. Martin in an
4sF case, and yet the judge would
allow this other indictment to be
"aced before the jury as evidence
4 a frame-up.
3 Mr. Gilbert declares that he did not
@e the statements attributed to
mat ne confined himself to read
"e League resolutions and 20
lag brief comments in explana-
!. As matter of fact only po-
"a ass could have made the state
~ IN the Indictment, and no ore
NoWs him would be able to think
'OSeph Gilbert as an ass. Where
J.. parrot chorus got the words, how,
b., II evident. They are crude
w on the League resolutions
~. ~ The supreme court on another
4 NJ lOn declared to be proper.
~.n the jury brought in a verdict
H. sn'y the defendants lawyers
ba, ior a stay of sentence, and the
b,t VINO had declared several times
4e Nonpartisan league was not
+ al forgot his pretense so far
0ay that he would have to grant |