The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-01-02
that Townley had in fact drawn
ahead, and really owed money to the
league at the time.

ahead, and really owed money to the
league at the time.
The only payment that A. C. Town
ley is required to make for the bene-
fit of his creditors is $17.S9, which is
the value of his possessions in excess
Of his legal exemptions.
In discussing the newspaper stu
alton, Judge Amidon says in part:
"The administration Of this estate
has been unusual in many Of its fea-
lures. At the time the petition in
bankruptcy was filed, Sept. 2, 1917, A.
C. Townley had been for three years
the leader of the Nonpartisan league.
His examinations before the referee,
and later before the court, have had
to do, not with his privte estate, but
with the funds of the league, and the
agencies which it has created to carry
out its program. Against his objec-
tions the bankrupt has been COM
PEELED to disclose the amount of such
funds and his connection Herewith.
The amount having been shown to be
large, it was next charged that there
was no adequate system Of account
ing, and that the inference was justi-
fed that he had betrayed his trust
and had either by the consent of off
GERS Of the league, subject to his in
fluence, or without their consent,
withdrawn large sums belonging to
the league and it's subordinate agen-
cies, and had the same hidden in Sc
cret deposits, or investments upon Sc
cret trusts. This was made the basis
of claimed right to examine all the
books, records and files of the league
and its agencies to see if some clue
could not be found leading to these
hidden treasures. The search has been
pursued not only with the zeal Of
creditors intent on collecting their
debts, but that of political adversar-
les seeking to discredit a party be-
lieved to be dangerous. Detectives
We're hired to ingratiate themselves
with the wife Of the bankrupt, and
they have brought back reports Of ad-
missions as to such concealed funds.
AS the result of months of following
up these clues by the trustee, the
creditors and their detectives, counsel
for the trustee state frankly on the
argument at recent meeting, that
no secret deposit or specific property
held upon trust had been found. The
conclusion is justified, and the court
so finds the fact to be, that the rea-
son why this hidden treasure has not
been found, is that it does not exist.
"The Nonpartisan league is polit-
ical movement which was started in
1915 in the state of North Dakota to
redress certain alleged grievances of
farmers in connection with the mar
keting of their products. The move
ment has grown rapidly, not only in
North Dakota but in several other
states. The publishing company and
newspaper plants that are referred to
in the evidence are organs of the
league, paid for by it's funds, and es-
tablished as means of appealing to
the public in carrying out its program.
Soon after the movement was started
those who were opposed to it charged
that all persons who joined it became
jointly and sevrally liable as general
partners for all it's debts and liabili-
ties. Those charges were supported
by the opinions of eminent lawyers.
They caused serious alarm among re-
sponsible farmers who had already
Joined the league, and threatened the
life of the movement as a deterrent
to others from joining. It is also true
that the Nonpartisan league was in
large measure the outgrowth Of an
earlier movement known as the Equity
Society and Equity Exchange, under
he leadership Of man by the name
# LOTUS. These organizations were
Incorporated. They were subjected to
great amount Of litigation which