The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-09-03
NORTH DAKOTA
NONPARTIsANS

" VHOU Up OOuuUsNuu4 VI l1UW
the Farmers Have Been
Duped.
A lively row has broken ont in tt
non-partisan league Of North Dako,
between leading members Of the O
ganization. A. c. Townley and Willia
Lelnke on one side and ] w. RYinto
and James r. Waters on the othe
Brintn was formerly head Of the chai
of ToWnley newspapers in North D:
kota and was also head of the Cor
sumers United States Stores compar
les. Waters was formerly manager {
the bank of North Dakota, the stat
owned bank established under leagu
Here is the defy which Brir
ton has issued to his former co-patr
OTIS -
:" TO Whom 1t May Concern:
" The Burleigh County Farmers
Press is controlled by three direc-
tors--H. P. Knappen, j. w. B.jn-
ton and c. NJ. Brinton. It's editor
,al policy could have been chang
ed and could now be changed at
any time by the two last named
Girectors-if they so desired. The
charge made against me by A. C.
Townley and VIM. Lemke, that |
am a traitor to the Nonpartisan
League, falls rather flat in view of
the fact that this paper, and the
Wells County Free Press at Fes-
senden, edited and managed by C..
M. Brinton, has consistently sup
ported the farmers organization
at all times and without reselva-
ton--and during the time that
tie undersigned was strenuous]y
Norking and fighting with the
League bosses to put a stop to
graft and crookedness within the
League, as evidenced by my let
ter to Governor Frazier last May.
4 have no desire to take ad-
vantage of the hundreds of
League farmers in Burleigh
county who have subscribed for
stock in this paper by changing
its policy or refusing to print
anything which Mr.. Lemke or
Mr.. Townlev may have to say
about me. In fact, am anxious
tc publish in this paper all and
everything that Townlev and
Lemke may have to say want
the formers OF Bulleieh county
ara North Dakota and the public
TO know that Lcmke and Townley
Go charge me with being a traitor,
a criminal and man without
moral character. | want them to
tell the whole story-everything
they know about J. w. Brinton.
Men who stand for honesty and
square dealing must expect abuse.
| have received into court so that
the public may know the truth.
i also know that the truth
will out. | know that in short
time there will I've a rude awak-
ening as to the true conditions
within the league; that my
charges that Townley and Lemke
are dishonest; that they approx
ed Of misappropriation and en-
bezzlement of money in the league
and in the league funds to pro-
mote private enterprises; that
they have committed forgery hv
signing other meE's names to do
cuments to cover up their own
autocratic and criminal actions;
that they charged other men with
crime to protect themselves. will
be proven to the satisfaction of
everyone.
1 offer to prove the above
IN anv court of law. This state
ment is criminal libel if not true
and / am subject to criminal ar
rest. invite Mr.. Townley or Mr..
l.emke to arrest me, if the above
statements are false, SO that l
may have an opportunity to de-
mand a public hearing in court
of law and summon them and
their records so that the public
may know the truth.
Regardless of their actions,
will prove my assertions to the
League members of North Dako-
Ia. Then Townley and Lemke will
be ousted from the affairs Q fthe
League and the state government
and honest men whom they
have slandered and libeled-will
be vindicated.
In the meantime, let Mr..
Lemlse and Mr.. Townley tell their
story Let us hope they tell it all
While they have the opportunity
and the league publications and
the league funds at their disposal
Mr.. Nnappen, president of
TIE Rnrleigh County Farmers
Press, has instructions and au-