The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-12-28
USE OF EXECUTIVE
!. MANSION Seen AS
new Court issue
LANCER Hangs on CrimIy Des-
pite States Refusal to
Pay His Coal Bill

Refusal by the state auditing
board to pay bill OF 1885 for
briquets used in heating the state
executive mansion has again placed
in issue the question of who shall
occupy that structure, it was revealed
Friday.
Still In the mansion, despite their
possession Of home of their own to
which they may return, is the fam
lily Of William LANCER, deposed gov
ernor. In q statement Thursday
Mrs. LANCER said they are in no
hurry to move and probably will not
be out by January Z, the date on
which Governor Thomas H.
Noodle will take office.
II this situation persists, investiga-
ton showed, additional court action
may be necessary to put them out,
since members Of the board of admin
istration, charged by law with MAIN
tanning the property, have been told
by the attorney general that they
have nothing to do with deciding who
shall occupy the mansion.
On this basis, and If the hangers
refuse to observe the amenities of the
situation, 1t may require legal action
to dispoSsess them.
Nelson Sauvain, chairman Of the
board OF administration, said Friday
the question Of the executive man
sion first was raised when Governor
%. H. Olson, following his elevation
to the executive chair upon declara-
ton by the supreme court of Langer's
disability, asked for its possession.
Sought Sathre's Advice
The board sought the advice Of At
torney General p. o. Satire and was
told it had nothing to do with the
question Of who should occupy the
house. He advised them to comply
with the law directing that they shall
maintain the property but that they
had no authority to determine who
should occupy it. That, he said, was
none Of their business.
Subsequently the board refused to
pay a telephone bill for the mansion
on the ground that 1t could not be
considered part of the maintenance,
but bills for light and water were
approved and paid on the ground
that they are part Of the mainten-
llnce operation. Just where proper
maintenance charges end and opera
ton costs begin Sauvain said he has
never ascertained.
The situation was further compli-
Gated recently ,.hen the matter of
paying Governor Olson's hotel bill
was preached. Since he Is not given
use of the executive mansion and
other perquisites Of the gubernatorial
office, it was suggested that the
hoard should pay for his room rent.
This proposal was rejected on the
ground that there was no appropria-
ton for such IN expenditure. It
may be unfair, Sauvain said, but the
only agency which can provide pay
Inent for such . bill is the legisla-
ture.
Again the matter was taken up
with the attorney general and again
the board was told to go right ahead.
Just as you have been doing"
Balk at Coal Bill
Then came the coal bill, whereupon
Olson cnd others baked and the
Amount was not paid. though no one
questions the fact that the fuel was
delivered.
The facts Of the gubernatorial
housing matter, In brief, are that the
hangers own and for many years
lived In house at ia Avenue A,
west. When LANCER s cceeded George
T. shafer rs governor in 1888, they
moved three blocks east into the ex-
scutive mansion and their home was
rented to r. M. Stangler, who had
been appointed as manager Of the
Hank Of North Dakota.
The Stanglers have since vacated