Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1920-08-26
ATTORNEY GENERAL
CALLS BLUFF FROM
LEAGUE PRESIDENT
Issues Warrant For Arrest Of
]. w. Brinton Charging
Him With Criminal Libel
Upon Receipt Of Townley
Letter.

k4k1u w 1lA kA 1AMAAA0A AADSA
Upon Receipt Of Townley
Letter.
Bismarck, N. d. Aug. "A. Especially
Sheriff ROllin Welch today sought
to serve J.. w. BrintOn, formerly
prominent in management Of Non
partisan league newspapers, with
warrant charging him with crtmD
libel ON A. @. Townley, presiden' &
national Nonpartisan league, s.
William Lemke, League canT Sc
for attorney general.
Brinton, it is understood, wa. out
of the city, but no trouble was exc
pected in getting service.
Complaint charging criminal libel
was sworn out by William LANCER,
attorney general. LANCER wrote a
letter to ToWmley and Lemke few
days ago Offering to arrest BrintOn
and James Waters, formerly man
ager Of the Bank of North Dakota,
for criminal libel because of stale
ments published in local weekly
newspaper making charges against
the League heads, II TOWnley anil
Lemke SO desired. TOwnley repNetl
today inviting LANCER to go ahead.
Waters and Brinton have declared
they are out to oust Townley and
Lemke from the League leadership.
The title Of the complaint is State
of North Dakota vs. ]. w. Brinton.
Brinton is charged with Criminal libel
on A. C. Townley, president of the
Nonpartisan league, and William
Lemke. The complaint is sworn to
by William LANCER, attorney general.
The complaint charges that 'The
said j. w. Brinton wilfully, knowing
~, maliciously and unlawfully with
the intention thereby to expose one
A. G. Townley and VIM. Lemke to
public scorn, contempt and ridfcule
and to deprive them, the said A. C.
Townley and the said William Lem
Ike, aforesaid, Of the benefit of public
confidence and socia intercourse,
did dictate. write, print publish circu
late and caused to procure to be die
tated, written, printed, published and
circulated in a certain weekly news
paper, to-wit: The Burleigh County
Farmers Press, q certain false, scan
dalous. malicious, defamatory and
libelous article and statement
Along with other things, BrintQn
Is charged with saying that "said a.
C. Townley and tho said William
Lemke aforesaid, Jointly and individ-
ually approved of Interpretations
and embezzlement of money belong
ing to and the property of the Nom
partisan league, approved of mi9ap-
preparation and embezz1ement OF
money belonging to the property of
and deposited in the Bank Of North
Dakota, used and expended moneys
belonging to and the property of the
Nonpartisan leagLe.
For the purpose Of romoting pri-
yate adventures and personal enter
prises signed the names of other
persons to parties and documents
with the intentions and for the pur-
pose of concealing their own A..
C. Town1ey, and William Lemke.
aforesaid autocratic and criminal
conduct, and for the purpose of
protecting and defending them
Lemke, aforesaid, charged other
persons with the commission of
crime; and directed at and Of, and
concerning the conduct Of the said
A. c. Townley and the said William
Lemke, members of the National
Executive committee of the Nom
partisan League, and respectively
president and vice president thereof
and. the performance and discharge
of their respective duties as such
officers; and directed at and of and
concerning the said A. G. Townley
and the said William Lemke, afore-
said, as officers of the Nonpartisan
league and as individuals, in their
relation to and connection with the
Bank of North Dakota, state insti-
tutions, state officials, and the con-
duct and action of such state Off
cials, which said libelous publication
was in words and figures as follows,
(quoting the article Of attack on
Townley and Lemke.)
The action is taken by LANCER as
against the peace and dignity of the
State of North Dakota and contrary
to the law of the state in such case
made and provided and prays that
the defendant j. w. Brinton, may be
arrested and dealt with according to
law"
LANCER was out of the city this
afternoon and could not be- inter-
viewed. It was said at his home ahe
probably would return by evening.
Fargo, North Dakota,
August 23rd, 1920.
Mr. William .Langer, $
Bismarck, North Dakota.
Sir: :3i " ss3s
In letter OF August 20th, 1920,
addressed to Mr. VIM. Lemke and,
myself, and published by you. you
state that one ]. w. Brinton claims
to have evidence that VIM. Lemke
and myself have committed crimes
in North Dakota. 81
.s You are supposed to be attorney
general Of the state, you claim to
be carrying on the duties Of the
5ohlce; your duty Is to zee that All,
crimes committed in the state are
punished to see that all criminals