The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-07-18
TOWNLEYCONV|CTEO
O|SL0YklTY CHARGE
NoNPARTlSAN LEAGUE HEAD
NOT ALLOWED TO ADDRESS
JURY IN OWN BEHALF
SECOND BALLOT UNANIMOUS
TownIey Says In Statement People
viii not Approve Ruling That Says
Man May Deny Disioyalty but
Cannot introduce Evidence


jackson. Minn.. July 14.-The jury
in the trial Of President A. c. Town
ley and Joseph Gilbert Of the Nonpar-
tisan league late Saturday night found
the defendants guilty Of the charge OF
conspiracy to teach dislOyalty, In vio'
latiOn Of the Minnesota law.
The defense asserted that speeches
by Townley and Gilbert, ut mass meet
ings In Minnesota early In 1918. were
not diSloyal in their references TO the
government and prosecution Ut the
war. These speeches were made the
basis of the Indictment together with
circulation of the NonpartIsan league's
so-called war program over Townley's
signature.
During the three weeks of the trial
the defense has made repeated charges
that the case is an OutgrOwth Of eff
forts to injure the Nonpartisan league.
Testimony along this line, and also
testimony by Representative James
NJ. Baer, and North Dakota state Off
Gals concerning the loyalty Of Town
ley and the league was excluded by
Judge f. c. Dean.
The verdict was read by the clerk
Of court ut :53 p. N. Neither Town.
ley or Gilbert showed any emotion.
The Jurors announced that they took
two ballots. The first was nine to
three for conviction. The second was
unanimous for conviction.
TownIey Makes Statement.
After receiving the verdict. Townley
made the following statement:
Judges and lawyers may bubble,
but in the court of public opinion the
common sense Of the people will never
approve ruling that says a man may
merely deny he is disloyal and is for
hidden to prove by constructive testi-
mOny that he is loyal
Judge f. c. Dean granted stay Of
sentence until Sept. Is. to permit the
preparation of the court record and
the making Of motions for new
trial.
The two other criminal actions
against Gilbert were continued until
the January term Of court. He was
convicted in justice court at Lake
field of unlawful assemhlage. sentenc-
ed to 80 days in Jail and appealed I"
district court. Both charges are based
upon the speech which Gilbert made
Mt Lakefield January %. 1918.
When Prosecutor f. H. Nicholas
completed his argument shortly before
s o'clock Saturday night In the case Of
A. C. Townley and Joseph Gilbert,
charged with conspiracy to teach dis
loyalty. Townley made a personal
plea to the court that he he permitted
to argue his own case to the jury.
Judge Dean denied the request.
Townley. after brief conference
with his attorneys. announced that IN
view of Judge Deans decision he had
decided to rest his case without argu-
ment.
81 believe that my interests as a
citizen and defendant will be best
served in this manner unless l can
address myself to the jury" said
Townley Judge Dean began his charge
to the jury at 1855 p. IN.
Townley. standing in a crowded
courtroom. told the Judge that he had
dismissed his attorneys; that the CO.
defendant. Gilbert. had waived the
right of further representation by
counsel. and that TOwnley asked for
the privilege of speaking on the
ground that he felt the Nonpartisan
league was on trial.
Says Charge Proved.
Prosecutor Nicholas spoke nearly
four hours before he closed his address
to the jury. He charged that the state
had proven its conspiracy charge
against the two Nonpartisan league
leaders through the testimony of wit
nesses who heard various speeches
made by the defendants. through evil
dence in the form Of league literature,
and through the testimony OF the
states leading witnesses. one of whom
was F.. A. Teigen. n former member
| of the league. who declared that
Townley told him in 1917 1--WE are
against this war, but can't afford to
advertise it,
| A moment after Nicholas closed his
argument. TOwnley stepped before the
court. The president of the Nonparti-
san league, an organization which
TOwnley said has more than o5O,OtO
members. had taken off his coat. His
suspenders snapped as he stretched his