The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-14

of the United States,

of the United States.
Il hope you do your full duty an
want to say to you that the In
terests Of those men are as great,
not greater, under the evidence tina,
those Of the federal government.
Reasonable Doubt
They have the right not to expec
you to place the damnable stain upol
them unless you are satisfied beyon,
reasonable doubt. Can you say t.
yourselves that you are satisfied to
moral certainty that these defendant
entered into a conspiracy to defrau,
the United States?
''You should not allow your politica
affiliations to sway you from YOU
duty. If you do your duty your con
science will be satisfied
you should not crush down tn,
crown of thorns on the b-ows of thes,
innocents to satisfy vau,ting ambition
you should not make them drink bit
ter gall-or cruelty them on the eros
Of political hate-amen!"
Thorp was next defense counsel Il
address the jury. In quiet tones, con
trasting to the vigorous, loudly spoke,
words Of Sinkler. he began his address
Almost Immediately he directed hi
attack against Lanier.
1T was not we'll thought out whe,
this distinguished American citixe,
(pointing to Lanier) said to you tina
the eyes Of the nation and state wer,
upon you; the America. citizen II n,
one else In administering his jury dut,
is unconcerned as to whose eyes ar,
upon him.
THE time has not vet come, m,
fellow citizens. when any force O
argument. vanity or fear can be O.
should be allowed for a moment t,
enter the mind of the America,
Juror.
Were here to determine the fact.
In this case: whether or not you ar,
10 be convinced beyond REASONABLE,
doubt that these gentlemen conspiree
and agreed to traitorously defraud tn,
government of the United States
Whether anybody is looking at you Of
not.
THE picture of this conspiracy a!
alleged in this indictment and as the,
seek to illustrate it by facts. was borr
IN an atmosphere Of distress
Governor Seen as Master Mind
THAT governor who sits at the helm
Of this state and who has been desig.
rated as the master mind by the pros.
ecution is entitled to credibility as {
citizen and a decentralization
ally SO because Of the honor which
the people Of the state have stamped
upon him.
He comes before YOU with a history
and there must abide in the minds oil
every man that this continual and re.
iterated recommendation all his life en-
titles him to at least credibility.
Il say to you that this conspirac,
was born in integrity and care anc
distress
when this governor took Office
lis time loaded with problems of state
and himself in the hospital, beset by
cares OF state-that is the time the
government would have you believe
that the governor-this master mind
and he is master mind i'm more ways
than one-conceived this conspiracy
1T is true" said Thorp that In his
enthusiasm for the Nonpartisar
League he perhaps made mistake
concerning the proprietv Of soliciting
state employees. and perhaps not.
But, gentlemen" he continued. III
is true that Bill LANCER made up hi
mind that he could appropriately ash
state employees to assist In mainten-
ai.ce Of newspaper that would advo.
cate and tell the principles for which
he stood but all OF which are opposed
by the sturdy press of the State OF
North Dakota and we show you this
man conceived that idea and show you
what it was and further show you
that it was not the conception the
government would have you believe
but entirely a matter of his owr
mind.
Fright or Wrong" Not Important
Whether you think it right or
wrong" he charged the jurors, has
no place here It is matter of which
We are perfectly capable Of determin-
ing in our own way when that time
comes. Those overt acts which have
to do with the soliciting of federal
funds lin the highway Department.
have been taken from the considera-
ton Of this jury.
You cannot convict any OF these
defendants for soliciting in the high
way department-bear that in mind
If you are satisfid that there was no
intent to violate the law. then this
prosecution must fail
Gentlemen" he continued. what
is your conception of a traitorous con-
spirator against the law of this coun-
try? This master mind. as they would
have. you believe. who concocted this
idea: this conspirator the man
against whom they say when he made
these applications and knew that
there were post-dated checks to COL
lect. this man who collected the money
from these funds, what did he do?'
Thorp began lengthy analysis Of
the characters of each of the members
o. the state relief committee appointed
by Governor LANCER.
who did he appoint?" he began.
Did he appoint bunch of crooks?
Did he appoint men and women he
could manipulated"
Praises LANCER Appointees
In answering his question, he de-
scribed Judge A. NJ. Christensen as
a man who has worked on the SUI
preme court bench nigh unto a quar-
tel Of century and against whom
there has never been a breath Of
r. NJ. Stangler, head Of
the Bank Of North Dakota lin whom
you place the trust of handling hum
dreds Of thousands of dollars: Mrs.
Minnie Craig, speaker of the state
House Of Representatives, a woman
who would understand women:
Lee Nichols, Morton county auditor,
who has been returned to the office
he holds year after year by his coun-
ty"; Arthur e. Thompson. superin-
tendent OF public instruction. ap-