The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-02

Thorp, on cross examination.
NO" replied Ryckman.
"You talked to other employees about
articles appearing in the opposition
newspapers. attacking the governor
and the five per cent proposition
and it looked pretty dangerous, didn':
it? That's about 1t. isn't it?" Thorp
continued.
II wasn't going to take any chances
on losing my job" Ryckman replied
bluntly.
Well, no one told you you had IA
subscribe" Thorp pursued.
No Pressure-But
"No-kin1er said there would be no
pressure from him but we thought the
pressure might come from behind
from somewhere In back"
Thorp interrupted with an objec-
ton that's not responsive"
Let him finish his statement-let
him finish his statement" Ianier in
terjected. HE hasn't finished yet"
The court Quoted the two attorneys
and turned to the witness.
Have you finished your state
ment?" Judge Miller quietly asked
Ryckman.
mo sir" said Ryckman. The Judge
nodded to him to continue and Ryck-
man again took up his story
Butt being that KinzeS had said
the governor told him it was all right
to make monthly payments instead u
quarterly payments, we figured the
governor had control over him."
Mrs. Minnie Craig. speaker Of the
house in the last session of the legis-
lature and an official Of the federal
relief administration. was present on
one occasion when Mcdonald was ex-
planning the subscription proposition
Ryckman testified.
Ryckman said he attempted to sell
the subscriptions he had received but
was unable to, nobody seemed to
want to buy them" he explained. SO
/ gave them aWay-1 gave away one
book Of them-there,s about 20 in q
book-and I still have more than q
book left"
Checks he made out in payment OF
the pledge were made payable tc
The Leader" he said.
do you know Oscar E. Erickson?
asked Thorp.
mo"
where did you live before com.
ing to Bismarck"
AT Strassburg." Ryckman replied
explaining his father still lives there
There was a conference between the
governor and Thorp, ending with the
latter e~claiming Investigate that
as he waved his hands toward writing
on paper before the governor.
The next witness w. J. Pfenning Of
Mandan. testified that ITO the best Of
his recollection Mcdonald had tolc
him he was working for the COVER.
nor
Pfenning testified he was an EN-.
ploye Of the federal relief admins.
tration and that Mcdonald came Il
the office seeking subscriptions.
He was asked for his credentials,
Pfenning said, "and he didn't have
any. One of the employees asked him
whom he was working for and to thu
best Of my knowledge he replied NJ
was working for the governor
Mcdonald Made Two Visits
Two trips were made by Mcdonald
to the office, Pfenning said On tn.
first sion no subscriptions wer,
taken and no pledges were given. Or
the second trip. the same day, Nc
Donald brought checks 18th hin
which were signed b. the employee
giving him pledges. Pfenning said.
Pfenning testified Kinzer told hin
he had made arrangements with tn
governor concerning monthly pay
mentS instead of quarterly payments
Pfenning signed only nine checks, in
stead Of the customary II, the wit
ness testified. because he was toll.
subscriptions to The Leader" expired
before the year was up.
Up to this point Thorp had conduct
ed cross-examination of government
witnesses, but he was relieved by E. r
Slnkler, Minot.
Sinkler's voice doomed through tn,
courtroom as he drove question aftel
question, in rapid succession, at Pfen
ming.
You said you have been out o
employment year prior to workin,
for the federal emergency relief ad
ministration Of North Dakota?" Sin
kler asked.
Pfenning replied in the affirmative,
and said he had been employed pre-
viously as chief clerk in the Nor
ton county treasurer's office. He be-
gan work for the relief organization
March 81, 1888.
Questioned regarding the confer
ence Of relief employees with Nc
Donald. solicitor for The Leader,
Pfenning said he had told Mcdonald
he couldn't pay the pledge Of five pei
cent of his salary in quarterly pay
ments.
Had you read criticisms tof TIN
five per cent solicitation in the news
paperS?" Sinkler asked.
Il don't know about the newspaper
but there was criticism Of it amonl
people," Pfenping answered.
Mrs. Craig Refused to Pledge
Sinkler asked. Wasn't Mrs. Mimi,
Craig among those present at the re-
lief office when Mcdonald solicited
the pledges?"
Pfenning said she was. He salt
in discussing the matter later. Mrs
Craig had said she wasn't going Il
pledge five per cent Of her salary II
The Leader" subscription fund.
Sinkler's questions were haltes
when Lanier objected to repetition
statements. The court inquired o
Sinkler, what are you trying to do?
Il am trying to get at whether thes'
pledges were made voluntarily" Sin
kler replied.
"All right" said the court. ask hin
that"
sinkler proceeded. when McDonal,
came to the office the next day, wer
the same people PRESENT."
| "Yes."
what did he say?"
Il don't remember what he said
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