The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1920-09-03

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Charges that A. C. Townley, pres
ident of the Nonpartisan league owns
a controlling interest in the United
States Sisal Trust, of Miami, Florida,
are contained in a suit filed this morn
ing in the Cass county district court
by James R. Waters, former mana
ger of the Bank of North Dakota.
Mr.. Waters demands payment of
$1,000, which he asserts was his an
nual salary promised him by Mr..
Townley for handling his, Townley's
interests in the sisal trust.
Stock in the company, held in his
name, says Waters, actually belongs
to Mr.. Townley, and is being held in
Waters name in trust.
Testified He Had no Property
In the United States district court,
where he testified in bankruptcy pro-
ceedings by which he seeks to avoid
payment of approximately $4,000 of
debts incurred when he plunged in
flax production in western North Da-
kota, Townley asserted two years G
that he had no interest of any kind
in any property of any nature what
soever.
At that time, if Waters charge con
tanned in his suit filed today is substan-
tiated, Townley was engaged in clos
ing the deal by which the United
States Sisal Trust was organized and
by which it becomes the holding cor
poration owning a tract of 22,400
acres of land in Florida.
Made Demands for Payment
Waters asserts in his suit that he
has made frequent demands on
'Townley for the payment of the sal
airy of $4,000 a year, which he as
serts Townley promised him under
the terms of verbal contract entered
into in about March 1919.
No part of the salary has been paid,
Waters charges.
Mr.. Waters, who has been in Fargo
several days, refused this morning to
discuss the case.
81 am not trying the suit on the
sidewalks" said Mr.. Waters.
Spectacular Step in New Crash
The filing of the suit furnishes
probably the most spectacular step in
the sensational smash within league
circles by which ]. Il. Waters and J.
Wells Brinton, for three years Town
ley's personal representatives, became
arrayed in opposition to the clique
headed by Townley and VIM. Lemke.
According to the complaint filed by
Waters through his attorneys, Spald-
ing q Shure of Fargo, it is asserted
that Townley began the purchase of
the 22,400 acre tract of Florida land
in 1916, and that he has constantly
controlled the property since that
time.
The action on the part of Waters
tk!ows strenuous attempts on the
part of Townley and Lemke, through
the string of newspapers they control,
to discredit Brinton and Waters.
This attack, it now develops, was
precipitated by demands that Waters
appears to have made on Townley for
the payment of money Waters charges
is due to him for representing Town
ley in the sisal trust deal.
Had Demanded His Salary
Several letters, written by Waters
to Roy Craig of Fargo, state manager
of the league, demanding payment tc
him OF certain stated sums, are inter.
preted as referring to Waters claim
for the salary he alleges Townley
promised him.
Waters became a factor in the Uni,
ted States Sisal Trust in 1919. He
followed John Hastings and Thomas
Allan Box in the management of tn,
enterprise. About that same time, ]
W. Brinton appears to have become
publicly identified with the Florida en-
terprise.
Box and Hastings, it was explained
at the time, were eliminated from tn,
sisal trust because Of the explosion i,
connection with the notorious Vale,
City Bank deal.
Lands Extremely Valuable
According to a report made to tn,
state banking board by o. E. Lotus
state bank examiner, warm defender
OF Townley, the Florida lands thai
Waters charges were purchased b,
Townley, are extremely valuable.
LOTUS made a trip to Florida, TO,
the purpose of checking up the en-.
terprise when application was made
by the company for permission to sell
stock in North Dakota.
In this report, fled under date of