Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-29

t-E%gAHEtttf A0AASA ~ 0GBVs ~ 49,, EHlFpS
This conversation took place In
Fargo, Brinton said, and the result OF
it vas that he went to Bismarck with
Brinton, and Waters were placed in
charge Of the properly.
. Before leaving for Florida Brinton
said, he was given directions by
Townley for the promotion of the
sisal enterprise.
g Fixed April II.
pleted and filed until April Z, 1919,
given on January 20, 1919. 'Un2ed
States Sisal Trust, J. J. Hastings,
Trustee" according to Brinton's evil
dence. 80 -. ~
In support Of these statements, the
state brought into court and marked
as exhibits a number of the. records
Of the U. s. sisal trust. These includ-'
ed the declaration of trust, the bylaws
of the concern, an asrOome0t entered
into with j. Fl. .Jaudon, owner of. the
land In Florida on which the sisal
ment of the asal trust with j. w.
Brtnton himself.
Produces Instructions.
Brinton also produced typewritten
relative to the conduct on
the sisal trust, affairs. which he said
had been given him by Townley prior
to his departure for Florida, and a
letter written by ]. J. Hastings intro
ducing Brinton to the Florida man
OF the sisal. trust.
+ The admissibility Of these docu-
ments as evidence in the case was boz
ing argued when the hearing was ad-
journed at noon today.
Brinton returned to tho witness
stand when proceedings were re-
sumed this afternoon.
TownIey Peeved.
Townley was in the court room
throughout the hearing this morn
ing. He sat scowling at Brinton. dur
ing most of the latter's testimony.
There were several heated sparring
matches between the opposing law
yers.
Tuesdays Session.
Fargo, N. D., March zs.-Whether
or. not evidence tending to. show that
A. c.. Townley "a owner or part
owner of the United States Sisal trust
hearing of Townley on the charge of
aiding and c~ounselling e~mbezzlement
was still uncertain when the hearing
adjourned tonight.
Attorneys for ,Townley objected
strenuously to its Introduction claim
ing that whether or not Townley
"owned the whole state of Florida"
had nothing to, do with the charge
Of endorsement and that 1t was be-
ing introduced merely for purposes
of politics, and newspaper publicity.
ut it isn't relevant what on earth
is relevant" came back Attorney
General sveinbjorn johnson. We Of
fer to show that Townley was the
beneficiary of this cmbezzlement be-
cause he. was owner or part owner
Of the Sisal trust which received the
money.
The attorney general then declared
that the attorneys for, the defense
We're taking refuge behind technical
tiles in the effort to rave their client
adding he didn't blame them for so
doing. q,
Counsel can iterate and reiterate
in the face. 1t DOESN'T make any diff
ference to me- shouted w. s. Lauder,
one Of Townley's attorneys.
Brinton on Stand.
Judge A. T. Cole said that the pres
ent situation was rather peculiar; that
people were thinking a lot about poll
tics and that he didn't want to gel
any politics into the present cas- He
ended up by suggesting that counsel
get together tonight and try to reach
an, agreement.
The row arose, when the state put
j.. w. Brinton on the witness stand
to tell what he knew about Townle3
and. the Sisal trust. The Judge after
objection by the defense barred him
from testifying as to his early rela.
tions with Townley.
Brinton- testified that in January
1919, at the time when the embeMle.
ment is alleged to have occurred hi
was employed as Townley's persona
representative handling various mat,
ters for. him, some of which we.t
connected with the Sisal trust
1t was at this point that the objec.
tons to his testimony on this poin
were intr9duced, and the wranEl,
which arose continued until it wa.
time for the court to adjourn for tn,
night.
Two witnesses took up most o,
time Of the hearing during the day
They were N. ]. Brevig, former assist
ant cashier Of the Scandinavia
American Bank OF, Fargo, where tn,
! SAAADSAAACAaiSNI 40 dAlC8 gu ~ nave &C
Cured, and Miss Jane Nystrom, steno
grapher at the same institution.
/ = Identity Records.
Both identified numerous records o
the bank made by them. These will
be used by the state in it's contention
that j.. ]. Hastings, vice president o
the bank. lent $4,000 to the u S
Sisal trust on a note signed by him
self, a trustee, without first obtain
ing the consent OF the board of di
rectors for SC doing.
The law provides that all loans mad,
by a bank to its officers must frs
be, approved by the directors or dis
count committee, and the records o
the bank will be used by the state t,
show that this was not done in tn,
case OF Hastings alleged loan to him
self as trustee of the Sisal trust.
Hastings original note and tn,
draft made on him by 7. p. Harve,
one of the Sisal trust officials which
resulted in the loan being made wer,
also introduced as exhibits along will
2 number Of the books Of the Scan
dinavianLAmerican hank. {.
1t was to prove that Townley wa,
the beneficiary Of this alleged EN-
bezzlement that the state sought t,
introduce evidence to show that h,
was the real owner or part owner o
the Ssal trust.
The note over which the contention
arises wa given by Hastings it is al
legged on Jan. 2o:s 1919. Il was re