The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-05-21
SILVER WILL
PLEAD GUILTY
HERE TODAY
st. Paul Man Drops Habeas
Corpus Action and Is Brought
Here This Noon
M'CURDY BRIBE
Was willing to Pay $1,000 a
Month If Allowed to Run
Still in County

Harry Silver of st. Paul, who is
charged with having offered a bribe
to States Attorney F. f. McCurdy
here for permission to operate on
illicit still in Burleigh county, will
plead guilty to the charge before
District Judge Fred Jansonius
sometime this afternoon, according
to Mr.. McCurdy, who returned from
St. Paul last night.
When arrested Friday in st.
Paul by the Minnesota state de-
partment of criminal apprehension,
acting for the North Dakota au-
thorities, Silver's attorneys immed-
lately secured q writ Of habeas
corpus to obtain freedom for their
client. The hearing on the writ was
set for today, but late Saturday, ac-
cording to Mr.. McCurdy, Silver de-
cided to drop the action and an
nounced that he wished to be ar
raigned as soon as possible and
would plead guilty to the charge.
Silver was brought to Bismarck
today noon by Sheriff Rollin Welch,
who went to st. Paul last week with
Mr.. McCurdy and representatives OF
the attorney generals office.
Silvcr's Proposal
Silver called on Mr.. McCurdy al
his office here shortly after noon
on January 28, the states attorney
said today in giving the details Of
the bribery proposition. He offered
to pay the Burleigh county. Official
$1,000 a month for as long q time
as operation Of a large liquor still
was permitted somewhere in the
county, probably near the city o1
Bismarck, All he asked, McCurd,
says, was the good will of ths
states attorney and the promise o1
being clipped off" in the event there
was any suspicion directed towards
the project later on.
HE presented his proposition to
me as coolly and in as businesslike
q manner as though he had been en-
deavoring to sell ne a typewriter,
Mr.. McCurdy said today.
The local official asked for time
to consider the proposition and
made an appointment with Silver
for later in the afternoon.
On his second call Silver, Nc
Curdy says, went into his PROPOSE
tion in even more detail, explaining
that he planned to locate a still in
some barn out in the country where
there would be little chance of de.
lection. The plaht, he said. would
have a capacity of from 1000 to
5000 gallons of alcohol day and
the product would not be marketed
locally but would be placed on sale
at distant points.
Shafer Behind Bookcase
During the second conversation
however, without Silvcr's knowledge
Attorney General George Shafer
was concealed behind row of book
cases in McCurdy's office and there
fore heard the entire proposition.
Silver, McCurdy says, offered him
a roll of currency at that time which
he claimed contained $500, and
promised to pay the balance Of the
first months payment a week or SC
later. McCurdy says he told Silver
that he would not accept a partial
payment, demanding the full $1,000
or nothing. Silver agreed to return
the following week with the full
amount, but a few days later wrote
McCurdy that he had changed his
plans and the deal was "off."
In the meantime, however, Nc.
Curdy and Shafer had been working
on tho case and their action finally
resulted in Silver's arrest Friday
All precautions against Silver's
cluding them or gaining his freedom
after being arrested had been TAX
en-, and arrangements were made fol
his extradition to North Dakota be.
fore he was taken into CUSTODY.