The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-01-02

Two more Of the series of trumped
up charges designed to prosecute or
g%anize1s and members Of the National
N~onpartisan league have been thrown
out of court. % d.
John V. Free, League organizer, wal
acquitted by a jury in federal court in
st. Paul, after only 80 minutes DELHI
Grafton. He was charged with VIOLA
ton of the espionage act. Evidence
showed, however, that the charges
against Free were framed up solely to
discredit him, and the organization for
which he worked. T..
Vague charges brought against Eric
Olson, q League member in Martin
county, were thrown out Of court by
Judge Dean, after he became con-
WINGED that the pointless charges made
In the Indictment did not constitute
an onense that is recognized by law.
Olson Is alleged to have failed to dis
perse when county officers broke up Z
farmers meeting which he attended.
The trial of Free was the first case
OF the kind to be tried by q United
States federal court.
Object Of Persecution.
That Free was the object Of perse-
cution designed to intimidate him into
ceasing organising for the Nonparti-
san league, is the claim that he made
in connection with the case. He testi-
fied that in the fall Of 1917, Dave Nc
Kenzie, Republican political boss of
Wabasha county, stopped him on the
streets of Lake City and told him that
II he did not "cut out that Nonpartisan
league stuff," he, Mckenzie, would
get Free II 1t was the last thing he
did" ......
Mckenzie, who raj county director
Of the Minnesota Public Safety COM
mission in addition to being a promi-
nent Republican of that county, has
bitterly fought the Nonpartisan
league. Testimony showed that he
had taken a federal agent through his
county in an effort to dig up evidence
against Free. 49,
Miss Ethel Metcalfe was the princi.
pal witness against Free. She testi-
fled that while milking cows in Wa
basha county she overheard Free tell
some men that they were foolish to
join the United States army and that
they would make a better investment
by enrolling in the Nonpartisan
league.
Testimony Discounted.
Her testimony, however. was very
much discounted when she admitted on
the witness stand that state authori-
ties had granted a pardon for her
brother, convicted of wife murder and
serving a sentence at the state prison
at Saltwater, Immediately after she
had promised to testify against the
Nonpartisan league organizer. There
has always been a sentiment in League
circles that state authorities of Min
nesota we're willing to do anything to
discredit the Nonpartisan League,
which, the League followers say, i'm
perils their rule.
Eric olson's Case.
Eric Olson was the subject Of the
persecution of A. R. Allen, county at
torney Of Martin county. Olson is an
aged and respected farmer Of this
county. He has lived there for aver
80 years. Because he has been a close
student of economics he was looked
upon as q harmless crank" until he
Joined IN the farmers political organ
ization. Then he was regarded as
dangerous and plans we're made to
keep him in jail. He was arrested
several times on various charges, few
Of which have stuck.
The only n of these charges which
held val mi declaring him in CON
tempt Of court. He refused to obey q
court order to present himself bsfors
the state safety board to tell these
private citizens how much property he
owned. For this offense he paid 500
ins.
Lind Defends Olson.
Olson was defended IN the most re-
cent case against him BY John Lind,
former governor Of Minnesota, close
personal friend Of President Wilson,
and the latter's special envoy to Mex
leo recently. Lind does not usually
handle such cases, but he became in
$3.50 -A-- 49, - &A -4La - ~ -