Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-18
CUSTER PROCEEDINGS AGAINST
MUIR TO Be STARTED; TOTTEN
QUITS ADMINISTER ALTON BOARD
The Same Charge. VIII Be
Brought Against Muir As
Were Brought Against
Totten And Cahin; Init
mated That Cahiu Will Re
sign Even Though He De-
clared He Would Fight
Charges. i.
lHerald Special Service. J

Charges. III
(Herald Special service.)
Bismarck, N. D.. Feb. 18.-Ouster
charges will be instituted Against
Robert T. Muir, Nonpartisan member
of the state board of administration,
by Governor r. A. Nestos it was
learned today. The same charges will
be brought against Muir that were
brought against J. L Cahill and
George Totten, other league members
Of the board, based upon the consti-
tutiona1 provision regarding removal
OF officers j ~.
MI. Muir is president &of the board
at this time. It is understood that
there was some reluctance to bring
charges against Muir but that Cover
nor Nestos felt that inasmuch as the
charges brought against Totten and
Cahill were for acts Of the entire three
active members Of the board and be-
cause evidence submitted to him since
the removal applied equally to all
three that Muir should be included IN
the custer.
The resignation OF Muir was asked
for and was refused. it was learned.
The resignation Of George Totten,
member. of the board. submitted to
Governor Frazier late yesterday, hm-
its the custer proceedings to Muir and
to Cahill. Cahill has already stated
that he will fight the charges. al
though there have been reports that
he would also resign. 4
Conferred With Governor.
Totten quit his position after seek
ing two conferences with the COVER
nor, during which he asked that the
time for. his quitting. office be SO fixed
as to allow him to make certain bust
ness adjustments. His resignation Wlii
be effective April 80.
The charges against Totten, which
were based upon the general consti-
tutional provision in such cases,
charging malfeasance in office, were
withdrawn by the governor. 4, the ne
place control of the board OF admins
tration ip the hands of the ,Independ-
ents as Commissioner Of Agriculture
Kitchen i and state! superintendent
ls1elsSors Sll s. S,t'
! Toeten's Statement.
M. Totten made the following
statement regarding his resignation: (
'.My reasons for resigning are az
follows: In matters of this KIND the
governor is both prosecutor AND
Judge. On the evidence submitted a at
that there was sufficient cause and re
move the accused officials. Then
these officials are on the outside look
ing in and they are compelled to go te
the courts in order to get Nretnstateo
and to draw their salary In case the
courts find in their favor. This Is q
very expensive proceeding, also :
Il not several thousand dollars and
lasting over a period of a year In
the meantime while these officials are
waiting for Justice from the courts
their positions will be filed by the
governor's appointees who in A.
probability will remove many of the
appointeess OF. the board thus destroy:
ING the organization which the board
has made. Personally. cannot AZ
ford to stand the expense OF sact
legal proceedings and in the seconc
place the prospect OF such lega
fight makes the game not worth tnt
candle. My resignation is not an ao.
mission that the charges are true Iol
J. am satisfied that no Jus. cause
Il am proud Of the work which, ha'
been accomplished by the board O.
administration and am satisned ina
there has been no general demand OF
the part of the taxpayers for our re-
n,oval but that the demand has COM
from those who are desirous OF %
tanning Office. I have nothing Z
. -
the beet of my ability the best inter
ests OF the state as saw them.
rotten was appointed to the boart
of regents in November, 1917, and
serving on the board Of admiplstra
ton under a 6--year term ending, el \
Georse Totten of Bowman, y. p
leaguers. He led the state board
administration in Its unsuccessful az
tempt to GUST President Th omas =
Kane from. the University of Nortl
Dakota to make q. berth for q league
some two years ago.
TottenS broke with other leagn
members OF the board nearly q yea
ago It is reported. The break wa
attributed to the> deal In which n
ager Of the Fargo Courier News,
:. Nonpartisan League organ, and g. K
Gummerson, editor OF that paper
were thwarted lin an attempt Las
summer to denOunce the majorlt'
members OF the state executive com
mittee in seven columns OF black Typ
on the front page. -.{ i.
The majority members under nr
received word Of the plot and swoop
time to IRE Totten and Gummersol
and confscate practically all copies
The~ main foundation OF tn
charges made against is Cahill an
/. Totten was that they had not con
sidered the best interests Of the stat
in the letting pf c0ntracts for pslr
chase Of suppfies for state sinstitu
III several instances the contract
were lot with utter disregard to tn
I,~af hyf1aineaa nfanciples and not 70 th