Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-02-11
Brtnton Examination Entertains.

Bismarck, N. d., FeD.
Is an entertaining com'edy the
before the audit committee of the
North Dakota senate yesterday after
noon and evening was a huge success,
but as far as adding anything to the
knowledge already possessed of the
affairs of the Bank of North Dakota
it was a fiat failure.
At the opening Of the afternoon
session the committee members grant
ed Brinton permission to appear as his
own attorney and Mr.. Brinton pro-
ceeded to turn the affair into pure
alternating sthe roles of at
Itorney and client andtindulging in ar
guments with A4xDrney Sinkler, rep
|resenting the pr~obersFuntil finally the
committee calledTa halt on the horse
play and Senator Baker moved that
what little testimony had been OBJ
stricken from the records.
When the session was resumed in
the evening. Theodore Koffel Of Bis
marck, appeared as attorney for the
minority members of the committee.
although it was necessary for him to
take but little part in the proceed
ings.
Attorney sinkler resumed his cross
examination of Brinton on endeavor-
ing to pin him down to the time and
place on the various transactions to
which he testified. but with little sue
cess.
Some Points Cleared.
One or two points were cleared up.
Brinton explained more fully than he
had previously that he did not know
what proportion of the loans made by
the Scandinavian-American Bank of
Fargo had been made before the
u orlS ~ N~1s%1 10o Jr@<1 @~4-1
H explained that some Of the
funds which he had testified were
sent by the Bank of North Dakota to
the Fargo institution had been sent
TO take the place of loans already
made to"the League enterprises; this,
he %riterated, was done by agreement
between the League heads, notably
"A. c. Townley and VIM. Lemke,' 'and
the, management of, the state insti-
tuition.
He also declared that Mr.. Lemke
land H. A. Paddock had been in full
charge of the Fargo bank at various
times. and called attention to the at
fidavit of O.. E. Lofthus made at the
time of the supreme court hearing on
the Observation-Disclosures Bank re-
ownership as showing that Lemke
was in charge at that time.
Brinton Claims Lcmkc Was in Control
Cross examined by MIR. Sinkler as
to what official position Lemke held
in the bank, Mr.. Brinton~ admitted
that he did not know. whether or not
he held any, but maintained that he
was in control Of its affairs regardless
of that. :
At one point in the proceedings MI.
Sinkler demanded whether or not
Brinton during his connection with
the league enterprises had appropriate
ed any of their funds to his W use.
AS attorney for the minority Of the
committee Mr.. Koffell interposed an
objection to the question but Brinton
declared hat he wished to answer it.
II am asking the question with a
view to impeaching the witness testi-
mony," explained Mr.. Sinkler.
Then you admit that you are cross
examining me, do you?" Brinton
wanted to know.
Yes" replied the attorney.
I'm that case" said Brinton,
promptly, 1T think I should be ex-
cused from answering the question
until I can lave my own attorney
here to advise. me- Nh. Sinkler with
drew the question.
Trcadlng Old Ground
Much of the ground one over was
the same that has been covered at
former sessions, Mr.. Sinkl.r constant
~ referring BACK to the records OF
what Brinton had said previously with
a view apparently of getting him to
contradict himself but failing to dc
so.
With the exceptions already noted,
Brinton's evidence was largely repi-
) titions of what he had said before,
broken up by frequent sparring with
the attorney.
Towards the close of the hearing
reference was made to the s11, 600
check which Brinton claimed he had
issued against insufficient funds to
. make a, better showing for the Scan
Observation-Disclosures bank before the
supreme court.
i A search for reference to this was
} made in the records of the supreme
court hearing, but it was found that
the records in the possr ssion of the
committee were incomplete and as
a, result Brinton was excused for the
time being and the hearing adjourned.
Will Be Recalled to Stand
He will be recalled to the stand
later, but whether this will be done
Friday or later was not definitely
decided tonight. He has been asked
to produce a number of papers which
he stated were in st. Paul and it may
be next week before he is again on
the stand. =,
At the hearing held this morning by
the house committee a number Of the
loans. redeposits, etc., Of the Bank OF
:. North Dakota were under examina-
StiOn, amOng them certain ira nsactions