The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-09-18
1OWNLtY AND GILBERT
SENTENCED TO JAIL
Judge Dean Sentences Leaders to
Three Months in Jackson County
Jail-Stay of Sentence of so
Days Granted.

Days Granted.
jackson, Mimi, Sept. 16.-A. c..
ToWnley, president Of the National
Nonpartisan league, and Joseph M.
Gilbert, former league manager, were
sentenced to three months in the Jack
son county jail, the maximum penalty,
following their conviction on charges
of conspiracy to teach sedition, by Dis
trict Judge E. c. Dean, late yesterday.
A stay of sentence of 60 days was
granted to permit Townley and Gilbert
to move for a new trial on the ground
of errors in the record Appeal will
be taken to the state supreme court if
the motion is denied.
The men were tried on charges of
having made speeches and distributed
literature in Jackson county and other
counties of the state shortly before and
after the United States entered the
war for the alleged purpose of discour-
aging enlistm ents and cooperation in
other war measures.
Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas said
in part:
"May it please the court. There are
a few things which I wish to say at
this time. The offense with which
these defendants are charged, and of
which they have been found guilty, is
the crime of conspiracy to violate the
law of this state. The crime under our
law, as your honor knows, is a mis-
demeanor. It matters not whteres the
conspiracy was to violate the law pro-
hibiting going fishing on Sunday, or
whether they conspired to commit
murder, or whether they conspired to
teach sedition or disloyalty. The
penalty under the statute is just the
, same.
"Your honor realizes that with the
outbreak Of the war, the laws of the
| nation and the laws of the several
states of this nation were wholly in
adequate to deal with the conditions
with which we were confronted.
Attacks Statements About Jury.
"The assertion has repeatedly been
made by the defendants and their my
/ riads of disreputable agents, as well
as by the publications controlled by
the defendants that the jury in this
case was 'handpicked jury and I
think demand should be made upon
the defendants to explain what they
meant by that. The men who conlpos-
ed this jury were collected by the
county board of this county and more
| honorable men than constitute that
board would be hard to find
IF your honor has seen their papers
or heard anv of the addresses that
have been given in reference to the
trial, your honor will perceive that the
whole intent has been to give the pub
lie the impression that you, as we'll as
the other officials and the prosecus-
ing attorney, are part of a conspiracy
to blacken the characters Of these
men.
81 think it would be hard matter
to blacken their characters, your
honor.
Asks About Alleged SANDER.
- think vour honor should inquire
fore the court for sentence what the
| counted something over rs such abso-
! lutely false statements in one issue
! of one of the papers controlled by
these defendants,
I "There never has been such a cam
paign Of abuse and blackguardism in
the state of Minnesota as these de-
/ PENDANTS have carried on since the
trial closed Their attitude toward this
! country is no different; their agents
are still out preaching sedition; are
still out preaching the overthrow of
| the American constitution. I had the
honor of hearing, few weeks ago,
/ Arthur LeSueur at the Auditorium in
j St. Paul, at meeting under the aus
! pices of the Nonpartisan league, in
which he openly preached revolution in
! the United States; in which he openly
made fun of the American constitu-
ton; in which he openly advocated
/ the present form of soviet govern
ment in Russia, and in which he said
that that was the only government in
the world that was not at war with the
people, and that it was the only coun-
| try in the world that had democratic
! form of government"