The Bismarck tribune., 1919-04-10

fOfman, ~. d., April lO.--The plot
by which Peter Weber was ousted
from his seat in the house OF repre-
sentatives that a man committed to
the policies of the "inner circle" Of
the Nonpartisan league could be seat
ed, was hatched in the office of tle
North Dakota Nonpartisan league in
Fargo s .H. .. ..,g
William Eemke, James Manahan
and George 'Totten, Jr., the latter af-
terwards chief clerk of the house, are
the league men with whom Frank Ri
ba conferred when he was in Fargo
before he filed his contest, the con-
ference taking place in the league of.
fices in Fargo.
George Totten, Jr., told Riba to go
home and get what evidence he could
find, and told him that when you 90
to Bismarck we will handle it for
You" "
Riba had no evidence of any ma
ture on which to base his contest
when the same was filed, and charges
recited in the contest notice were
purely fictitious
Frank RDba, the man who was seat
ed in the chair from which Peter We
ber, the legally elected legislator, was
Ousted, says there was no dishonesty
or no fraud, in the conduct of the
election in the Forman precinct, which
was the precinct thrown out by the
house OF representatives so that Riba
could be seated. Also. -Kiba declares
ton were as honest and &C sonscien-
oh ;,,iC CSo
E.~W Bowen, the attorney for Ri
bo, also so declared, and he, too, says
there was no fraud, and no dishon.
esty. in the conduct of the election by
the FIrman precinct election boaal,
he DECLARES, too, ;hat IT, alrcilon
officials are honest and conscientious.
Foregoing are net results Of the in
vestigation conducted here Monday
evening and yesterday by Attorney
General William I.anger, at the in,
stance OF the house of representa-
tives, which adopted resolution de-
1nanding OF the attorney general that
he prosecute members of the Forman
election board for fraud and irregular
conduct 81 the election. z
sRiba Bares the Scheme.
1t was Frank Riba, himself, on the
witness stand, who laid bare the op-
eratiQps that preceded the filing Of
the, contest by himself~against Peter
Weber He WAS in Fargo, said Ri3a,
on other business, when he was called
to the Nonpartisan league .leadquar
ters, and there met William Lemke,
James Manahan and George Totten..
Jr.
At that time, said Riba, he had no
evidence of election Irregularities but
he says the league men told him to
go home and dig up whot he could.
and when we gst' to Bismarck we
will take care of it,"
Plan Secretly Executed.
It was in Bismarck that the Riba
case was put across behind the iron
door of the secret caucus, and the
Weber unseating plot was carried
into execution at the instance and
under the guiding hand of Lemke,
Manahan and the others making up
the NOnpartisan league legislative bu-
reau. r..s"
Riba testified, too, that he had no
evidence of any fraud or Irregularities
when he filed the contest, ana that
the charges made in the contest pa
pers were simply recited as a means
Of getting the case up. There was
nothing on which to substantiate any
of the charges, he said
E Totten Pays the Fee.
Further evidence disclosing the fact
that the whole deal was framed in the
NOnpartisan league office in Fargo
was offered when it was developed
that George Totten, Jr., had called up
on the long distance telephone, and
had offered to Attorney Leslie of For
man fee of $50 if the latter would
take care of the preliminary work Mr..
Leslie declined to have anything to-
do with the case.
Bowen Supports Board.
Attorney Bowen. who represented
the league, and Riba, when on the wit
ness stand, swore to the honesty of
the election officials of Forman. and
he said he did not believe that there
was any fraud in connection with the
case.
Election Officials on Stand.
All members of. the election board
were on the witness stand at the in
CONTINUED on Page Six.)
TrrYNYr/ 0ryr n