The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-10-27
TOWNLEY, Lacquer,
LOSES LEGAL FIGHT
U. S. SUPREME COURT REFUSES
TO REVIEW CONVICTION
IN MINNESOTA
MUST SERVE 90 DAYS In JAIL
WILL TAKE ABOUT A MONTH TO
MAKE OUT COMMITMENT
PAPERS

A. C. Townley, president Of the
National Nonpartisan league, today
lost his "last ditch fight against the
jail sentence imposed on him in Jack
son county, Minnesota, more than two
years ago. The United States su-
preme court refused to review the
case, according to dispatch from
Washington.
"The refusal of the court to con-
slider the case was stated by Chief
Justice William H. Taft, who gave no
explanation" the dispatch says. cit
is one Of the numerous cases in which
the court today refused to permit
an appeal"
- Mr.. Townley will begin serving his
80 day sentence as soon as the ma
chinery of the court grind out the
necessary commitment papers. He is
in the twin cities, stopping at the
Sherman hotel in st. Paul, buC could
not be reached after news of the SUI
preme court action was received.
''That is all there is to it," said
Vince A. Day, one Of his attorneys,
on hearing the news. ''Mr. Townley
will begin serving his sentence proba-
bly, within month, according to the
time it takes for the papers to get
back to the district court" He had
no other comment to make.
It has been nearly three years and
half since Mr.. Townley was indict-
ed for the offense, for which he now
is to serve the three months in Jail
at Jackson. Mr.. Day and the other
Townley attorneys, George Hoke Of
Minneapolis and George Nordin OF
st. Paul, have exhausted all legal
remedies. Backed by the financial
resources of the Nonpartisan league,
Mr.. Townley has been able to keep
out Of jail for three years and six
months.
Though the legal fight is lost and
the sentence must be served, it was
pointed out, Mr.. Townley cannot be-
gin serving his sentence until the dis
trict court has issued commitments
papers in the case have been sent by
the United States supreme court back
to the state supreme court, and by
the state supreme court to Judge e.
C. Dean of the district court, who
tried the case.
Joseph A. Gilbert, former manager
for the Nonpartisan league, is a CODE
PENDANT in the case, and the action
today applies to him. He is still serv-
ing a sentence for one year in the
Goodhue county Jail at Red Wisg,
under conv1tion for making sedi-
tious speech at Kenyon. When he has
finished the .Goodhue county term
next February the go day sentence
at Jackson remains fol-. him.
No other legal avenue remains for
Townley and Gilbert to continue the
litigation, James E. Markham, assist
ant attorney general, said today. He
was in Washington, two weeks ago to
file a brief opposing consideration OF
the case by the federal supreme
court.
ether can be no fundamental, IN
herent right to preach sedition or to
give public utterance to disloyal SEN
timent," he said in his brief, "when
the country is at war;"
Townley and Gilbert were indicted
in April, 1918, for conspiracy to vio-
late the state law against obstructing
enlistments in the United States ar
nv for the war with Germany. This
only started the fight. Attorneys for
the indicted men filed a demurrer TO
the Indictment, alleging that no Of
Tense against the law was shown.
Judge E. C. Dean overruled the de-
murrer and the attorneys then took
an appeal to the state supreme court.