The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-05-20
BUSINESS OF
M'KENZIE IS
DETAILED HERE
George P. Flannery Declares
on Stand His Residence
y, Was in st. Paul
HAD MANY INTERESTS
Mr.. Mckenzie Had Virtually
Retired from Local Water
Company, Is Statement
HAD MANY INTERESTS

ander Mckenzie, former North Da-
kota political leader, took the wit
ness stand before Judge |. c. Davies
In county court here todaS to testify
as to the residence of Mr.. Mckenzie
before his death. Mr.. Flannery, as
admir- strator, contends that Mr..
Mckenzie was resident of St. Paul
while Burleigh county and the state
of North Dakota contends his legal
residence was Bismarck and that,
therefore, the estate should pay an
inheritance tax.
Mr.. Flannery detailed the bust
ness operations of Mr.. Mckenzie,
whom he said he had known since
1874. They included mining inter-
ests in British Columbia, the Cook
Construction Company of St. Paul
and the Cook Construction Company
Limited of~Canada, the Stiles Cattle
Company, operating in North Dako-
ia; Bismarck Water Supply Com
pany.
Flannery declared that Mr.. McKen-
zie on October 6, 1921, transferred
all Of his stock in the Bismarck
Water Supply Company, except one
share, to him and that Mckenzie
said he was not being fairly treated
in Bismarck and hoped he would
never have to come to North Dakota
again.
Mr.. Flannery said that Mr.. Nc
Kenzie moved to St. Paul in 1873,
still retaining much property in Bis
marck. His mining interests in
British Columbia were with the gen
eral counsel of the Northern Pacific.
Later he was in the bond brokerage
business in New York for about
three years with Elijah Coffman, an
early day partner in Bismarck. Nc
kenzie spent considerable time in
Canada looking after work of the
Cook Construction Company later,
the witness said. He and associates
had an option on some iron mining
property in northern Minnesota, but
never acquired title, he said.
Mr.. Flannery mentioned the Stiles
Cattle Co, 'pany, owned by A. B.
Cook, Jack Stiles and Mckenzie. The
company, he said, increased its cat
tie holdings during the war when
the government encouraged increased
farming operations, and when the
market dropped after the war the
company got into financial Difficult
ties. Stockholders put up $45,000 to
take up shrnkage, he said.
Mr.. Flannery said the Bismarck
Water Supply Company caused Mr..
Mckenzie much trouble, smiling as
he mentioned this company, the sub
ject of much bitter discussion. Nc
Kenzie, he said, was here for time
in 1920 at rate hearing. and then
! spent one winter in California, one
in Arizona and one in Canada.
con October 6, 1921, Mckenzie
transferred to me all stock in the
Bismarck Water Supply Company
except one shdfe- which j insisted he
keep, and said they were not treat
ing him fairly in Bismarck and he
hoped he would never have to come
back to North Dakota" said Mr..
Flannery. "He also transferred to
me his stock in the Stiles Cattle
Company"
Mr.. Flannery said Mckenzie never
had anything to do with the TODD
Land company, he managing that.
Mrs. Foster on Stand
Mrs. Mary B. Foster, eldest daugh
ter of the late Alexander Mckenzie,
North Dakota political leader for
many years took the witness stand
yesterday afternoon in support of
the contention that Mckenzie was
resident of Minnesota and that North
Dakota is not entitled to collect an
inheritance tax from the estate.
Mrs. Foster, who was born in Bis
marck, said that her father moved
his family to St. Paul in 1887 and
maintained a house there for his
family and himself, although he was
absent much of the time on busi-
ness, until 1897, when his first wife
died. The house was maintained at
intervals thereafter, she said. For
a time Mr.. Mckenzie lived in New
Work, being engaged in the broker
hge bu mess, she said
AsseI ing that she and her sister
wished TO live in Bismarck after
their u sther' death, she said my |
father lid he would never make an
other h tne in Bismarck. There was |
sentime It about tiny mothers |
death had broken up our home
She and her sister were lavishly |
provided for by their father, being |
sent at various times to school, to
the Adirondacks, to Europe and to |
other places.
Answering the question as. to how
it happened Mr.. Mckenzie was bur-
led in Bismarck after his death in
st. Paul about two years ago, Mrs.
Foster said that she decreed the
burial here because Mr.. McKenzie's
son, John, was buried here and the
sons death was one of the great
griefs of his life, and also in re-
sponse to numerous petitions from
Bismarck citizen that his last rest
ing place be In this city.
Husband Testifies
c. B. Foster of Montreal, Canada,
husband of Mrs. Mary B. Foster, also
Continued on page p