Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-11-01

rector general. had accepted the pa
per and was about to trahsmH ny
funds to the Fargo bank. The notes
to be rediscounted were largely Town
ley paper, post-dated check loars'
and personal notes Of William Lmke:
Tovrr'e-'s attorney. and notes OF
TaW.l:c.@s orsa 1izers ana enpioyes.
in authority but I declared ,tnas
that paper came into the bank l
would walk out and make the~dea!
public This brought the
drea1ners to their sensfs. - sssses-
H. wrote my resignation to.the gov.
ernor. In fact, 1 had resigned sew
eral times during the time l was bank
examiner and manager OF the Sank
of North Dakota, but each tame Gov.
ernor Frazier made a personal appeal
to me-made It personal-And l al
ways yielded as / did this time, al
though I hold him in the letter his
director general' was putting me
against the ~penttentiary. But n
governor always said I would not be
responsible for what the director
General did. At another time, tol-
lowing another questionable traneac
ton, I wrote another resignation
charging crime in h n 6 hution n
in this case tho governor tore the lei
ter up and again in his big, easy-go-
ing way, made it a personal matter
and got me to agree to rcmain until
April, 1920, the END of my first year
By this time the political boss had
grown distrustful Of me and his at
torney, Lemke, openly said / was .
damn fool. I could mention dozens
Of transactions committed IN tne
Bank of North Dakota that have sen
men to the penttentiary in othe'
states; currency was taken out of thu
bank when I refused to sign a CHECK
and turned over to league men.
was delighted when my year was up
I resigned and on the am day lef
for Miami. Florida I knew the gov
ernor would not accept my resigna
ton II 1 gave my real reasons, so
demanded $4,000 salary a year ane
told him I couldn't stay for less
and boarded the train. not knowing
that my action was going to stir III
alarm in the league camp.
1 no sooner got to Miami. Florida
than who should call upon me but tn
man who had charge of the credit de
partment Of the bank: He had fol
lowed me to Miami. Florida. at tn
instructions Of Townlcy's attorney, t.
warn me to remain silent about tn
affairs Of the bank. or in other words
to keep my mouth shut. The banl
employe registered under an assumed
name in Miami. His mission was
secret. l was politely told that
could be prosecuted for what tool
piaoe in the bank-for the transac
tons thai L objected to and walked
out because Df; II I remained silent
could live in peace and quiet. but if
opened my mouth about the insid'
Affairs If tho Ponk nf North nokNt:
l would not only get Others int
trouble but myself as well. L wa
indignant. And I confess I had
nervous breakdown and was unde
the doctors care for several days
Upon my recovery I received a cop.
Of the Fargo league paper containing
a resignation we my signatur'
claiming the bank was in fine shap'
and practically putting all the re
sponsibility for all it's affairs upo,
me. Imagine my frame Of mind. Th'
league bosses feared l would give GU
an interview, as I was b3,!ng soug1
by the opposition press to Civ
reasons why I had resigned, and t,
forestall such a piece of possible pub
Lefty. Townley's attorney published
resignation for me in his paper 81
as to publicly onlmf me before
committed myself.
They never dreamed that I woult
bow my neck" because they Away
reasoned that I%,couldn't afford to be
cause of my connection with Town1e,
and the sisal enterprise. But Their
they made a mistake. I said the,
made a mistake when they put me il
the bank. And n mistake general.
leads e othe a Tnsytm J. a, m;s.ak'
Withou my authority, and they mad,
another mistake when they thought