Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-06-29
LYNN FRAZIER
ON STAND IN
PERJURY CASE
North Dakota Governor
Denies State Bank
Backed N.P.L. Outfits.
Attorney General and
Labor Commissioner
Also Are Witnesses.

| Bismarck. \. D.. June 2S.-Goyern-
or Lynn J. Frazier, Attorney General
William Lemke and John n. Hagan.
commissioner Of agriculture and labor.
who compose the state industrial com
! mission. were placed on the witness
| stand in district court here Tuesday
| afternoon to testify in the case of
j. w. Brinton. charged with perjury
| in connection with testimony before
| legislative committees last winter.
Governor Frazier and Mr.. Hagan
denied that there had been any con-
,, troyersy between officials at the time
the Bank of North Dakota was organ
ized as charged by Brinton. The gov
ernor said. however, on cross-examina-
ton, that he had received a letter from
Brinton in 1919 complaining against
the alleged financing of league enter
prises through the Scandinavian
American bank of Fargo and declaring
that public funds were being used to
finance subsidiary corporations. He
said he did not believe the charges.
Braads- Statemeat False. ..s.,s>s
Mr.. Lemke testified that statements
by Brinton that the Scandinavian bank
was purchased by J. J. Hastings as
financial secretary of the Nonpartisan
league on the advice of A. G.. Townley,
president of the league, and Lemke.
were false. Lemke further branded as
false statements that the Nonpartisan
league executive committee had dis
cussed the purchase of the bank and
that Lemke controlled the Publishers
National Service bureau.
Lemke asserted on the stand that
although he held the majority of the
stock in the Consumers United Stores
Go. league enterprise now in re-
ceivership, he took no part in its man
agement.
lis not the reason you did not take |
active part in the MANAGEMENT be-
cause the Consumers United Stores |
Co. was dummy corporation organ
lied for the Nonpartisan leagues ben
eft and that the Nonpartisan league |
at one time had borrowed over $3.50 /
ooO from the stores company" asked
Arthur Leseueur. counsel for Brinton.
Il know nothing about it." said Mr..
Lemke.
Smaller Amount Borrowed.
On further questioning. Mr.. Lemke
said that the Nonpartisan league had
oohio"eu hHolleA from the stores COM
pany. that he did not know how much
but that he was certain it was mot
like $4,000"
Mr.. Lemke. explaining his holding of
seven shares of the ten in the stores
company, declared that he held the
stock in trust for farmers at the re-
luest of organizers because they
lacked confidence" in J. w. Brinton,
,he manager. He said he was always
opposed to the stores company as
natter OF principle.
DO you know these farmers lost
NIXON dollars or more in this com
'any? LIE sueur asked.
II do not" replied Mr.. Lemke. He
ald tnat he understood it was in re-
eivership.
State Nearly Through. c
Mr. Hagan declared that it had been /
he policy of the industrial commission q
ot to permit paper of league corpor- s
t'ons to be brought into the Bank of
1erth Dakota.
Inc state may finish its case Wed :, l.
esday; The defense, according to '
ounsei, will place but few witnesses = =
n the stand. u