The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-07-07
CRIMINAL LIBEL
FILED AGAINST
OLD employees
Gummers0n and Totten Arrested
For Preparing Statement
About Funds
STATE LEADERS MEET
Courier-News Explains Why
Edition of Wednesday
Paper Was Destroyed
STATE LEADERS MEET

Edition of Wednesday
Paper Was Destroyed
Fargo. N. D., July I'm an extend
ed statement published today, the Far
go Courier News asserts that the spe-
cial edition of that paper confiscated
yesterday and destroyed by majority
members of the Nonpartisan league
state committee was sponsored wholly
by d1sgruntled employees who had been
discharged for incompetency. No
league state officials had hand in tho
affair, asserts the Courier-News, which
is today in complete control of the
members of the committee against
whom charges Of mishandling the
campaign funds of the leage were III
rected.
Hearing Tomorrow.
George A. Totten. Jr., former busi-
ness manager of the Fargo Courier
News, and c. K. Gummerson, former
editor, arrested yesterday on charge
OF criminal libel following the publi-
cation of an edition of that paper in
which 1t was charged that members of
the Nonpartisan league committee
handling funds for the recall election
to be held in North Dakota this fall
had squandered certain amount of
the funds, will be given preliminary
hearing On the charges tomorrow, it
was announced today.
In addition to the charge of criminal
libel Totten was arrested on a federal
warrant charging him with transport
ing liquor. He also is subject to
restraining order preventing him from
in any manner exercising control over
the CourierNews and funds which he
deposited in Fargo banks derived from
contributions for the league recall
campaign of which he is charged of the
embezzlement of $1O2.7O.
Alleged Shortage.
Totten was arrested on the embez-
element charge last Saturday follow
ing discovery by Ole Kaldor, treasurer
Of the committee in charge of the re-
call fund, that $102.70 sent to that
committee had not been acknowledged,
according to the information on which
the warrant was isued. The sender
in the amount in question has forward
ed his cancelled check to Kaldor and
according to the information the
money had not been deposited with the
fund over with Kaldor had charge
but in the Dakota Savings bank to the
account of George A. Totten, Jr.
Today Totten was out on bond of
$500 on the charge of transporting
liquor in violation of the prohibition
act pending action by the next ses.
sion of the grand jury.
Today the exective committee of the
NOnpartisan league is meeting here.
AS the situation stands in the courts
today, two former officers Of the Cour-
ier-news are under arrest, and various
other court proceedings are under
way.
George A. Totten, Jr., former busi-
ness manager of the paper, in charge
ut the time of the preparation of the
special edition bringing charges
against Committeeman Liederbach,
Kaldor and Levang, is charged with
criminal libel. embezzlement and
transporting liquor. Also he Is under
injunction to prevent him from in any
manner exercising any control over the
CourierNews, and funds which he de-
deposited in Fargo bank, derived from
contributions for the league campaign.
have been garnisheed by Ole Kaldor,
treasurer of the state committee.
Criminal Libel.
c. X. Gummerson, the editor in
charge when the coup was attempted.
is under arrest for criminal libel,
charges being preferred by Lieder-
bach.
Totten and Gummerson will be given
hearings on the criminal libel charge
tomorrow. Totten will be arraigned
late this week on the federal warrant
charging transportation of liquor, his
arrest following discovery of a bottle
containing beverage in his car during
the height Of the disturbance at the
CourierNews Office yesterday morn
ing.
Late last night. committee members
who had arrived in Fargo were in ses-
sion at the league headquarters. Wal
ter Maddox was the first minority
member coming to Fargo early today.
No statement of the meeting was given
out today.
Leaders Arrive.
Members of the state executive COM
mittee of the Nonpartisan league ar
rived here today to consider steps in
connection with the conduct of league
newspapers as result of yesterdays
suppression of part of the edition Of
the Fargo CourierNews ordered by
majority of the committee.
The Nonpartisan league headquar-
ters announced the arrival this morn
ing of all state executive committee
members.
What Caused Trouble.
The statement complained of fol-
lows:
Victory fund mishandling by Lied.
erbach and Kaldor necessitate conven-
ton to elect three men to serve with
Maddox and Walker; send donations
to Poindexter.
"A situation has arisen within the
Nonpartisan league which demands
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