Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1921-06-30
ADMITS OWNERSHIP


Lemke, Att. General, formerly admit
ted in district court here under oath
that he owned the majority of stock
in the Consumers United Stores
company, now in receivership, into
which farmers of North Dakota pour
ed great sums of money, claimed that
although he owned the majority of
stock he took no part in the conduct
of the company and admitted that
the National Nonpartisan League
had borrowed funds from this COM
pany. ~
The cross-examination of Mr.. Lem
Ike in district court in the Brinton
perjury trial concluded dramatic
afternoon in the trial during which
Governor Lyn ]. Frazier took the
witness stand, admitted that he
knew the Bank of North Dakota had
large sums of money in the Scandin-
avian-American bank in Fargo, and
in which Commissioner of Agri:ul-
ture John N. Hagan, the third mem
Der of the Industrial Commission,
said that because of his duties and
embership on many official boards
he didn't know about the affairs of
the Bank of North Dakota except
what he learned through the employ
.es conducting the bank. r. e. S;.ss.
Governor Frazier also told the
jury that he had received a letter
of resignation from j. R. Waters.
as manager of the Bank of North Da-
kota, and although text of the
resignation had been printed i'll the
Courier-News which Waters said was
false, and although Waters claimed
his resignation was a forgery, he
had never compared the two texts,
Attorney-General Lemke's memory
became hazy at times during his
cross examination and at one time
the court ordered an answer. of
Lemke's stricken out on complaint
of defense counsel that it sis imperr-
inent to the court and to counsel"
Lemke told Attorney LeSeur that
he had held the majority stock of
the Consumers United Stores COM
pany in trust for farmer stockhOld-
ers at the request of the organizers.
"And you protected their interests
by forgetting all about it?" demand
ed LeSeur.
"Do you know that there's mil
lion dollars or more lost to these
farmers in this company" the at
torney continued.
4 ''No, do not" replied Lemke.
t'Was not the reason why you did
not take more interest in this stores
company because the Consumers I'm
tied Stores company was dummy
organized for the Nom
partisan League and that at one time
over $250,OOO was borrowed by the
League from the Con-
sumers Stores company" demanded
LIE Sueur.
s II know nothing about it," replied
Lemke.
II Then, on further questioning, the
admitted that the
league did borrow some
from the Consumers United
Stores company, but he said he did
MT know how much. 1,
5 He also admitted that A. G. Town
ley was active in getting members
for the stores company.
Did Not Use Power s-ifS
The days testimony placed Lem
ke and F. b. Wood, both members
81 the National Nonpartisan commit
Lee, in the position of giving. con-
testimony. according to
defense counsel. Wood had testified
that he had talked to members Of the
National Nonpartisan executive COM
mittee about the purchase Of banks.
adding "and probably the Scandin-
bank" while Lemke
said that the committee did not dis
cuss the matter II, " 4 3$i 3s5
q Then If Mr.. Wood says that there
was discussion regarding the pur-
chase Of banks, Wood is mistaken"
1ueried counsel. s5ss ;s55 i82s
Eyes, = replied Lemke. .s
The attorney-general then qualff-
ed his answer by saying that Hast
ngs had talked to him about It and
hat w God had talked to Il him about
he Scand ndinavian- erican bank as
ii Individual.
n Going to Lemke.s 3 conn ction with
he stores company Lesueuri asked
lims if he were acquainted with the
Consumers United Stores company
Ies said He was I'M q limited manner.
aeEd declared he had thing to say a-
-