The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-05-30

MAY 80, ]
because I am 4 Lacquer"
Defense Shows Hand
In directing its questions. In exam.
ination Of Hample, to show that =
large number Of employees named In
the indictment were members Of the
state highway administrative staff
previous to the date OF the alleged
conspiracy. the defense Tuesday gave
its first indications Of the approach
which will be taken to disprove the
governments charges Of fraud In the
administration Of relief funds.
The apparent intention Of the de-
tense Is to show that the admins
trative force Is, and was before the
date Of the alleged conspiracy, essen.
ttal to the disbursements OF funds
provided BY the government and that
any money allotted for that purpose
has been used to full advantage re-.
CARELESS Of solicitation OF a percen.
tage Of the salaries after they had
been paid over to the employe.
You are member Of the admin.
istrative department Of the highway
Department." Thorp asked.
Hample replied In the affirmative
and. to further questioning explain
ed that the department Is divided
into seven divisions and one mainte.
nance district, at Fargo.
Pre-1933 Employees Named
SsVyNse -
BY the government> several people In
the administrative department. From
the list Of names you had did you
investigate to see how long they had
been there?" Thorp asked. Hample
replied that he had investigated In
part.
Lanier entered an objection that
the defense questions were immaterial
to the charges In the indictment. He
was overruled by the court. Thorp
continued his interrogation with Z
more general question as to about how
many employees there we're In the de-
partment and how long they had been
there.
Hample was not prepared to answer,
he said.
when Chaput appeared to do this
soliciting, you first saw him where?"
Thorp asked.
In Mr.. vogel;s office" Hample
said.
Was anything said as to why he
(VogeD wanted them to come into
his Officer" Thorp inquired.
"vogel said he didn't want the Of
flee disturbed" Hample answered.
How did they come IMP" Thorp
asked.
IN pairs" said Hainple
1t was Hample's duty to introduce
members of the staff to Chaput. ac-
cording to his testimony to earlier
questioning by the government.
Were any craftsmen introduced"
Thorp inquired.
II didn't introduce tilem," he re-
piled.
Did you hear anyone threatened7"
Thorp said. Hample's answer was
nc"
Checks Of state Employees
when the checks were brought In,
were they all those OF state en-
rloyes?" Thorp queried. He appar-
entity referred to the post-dated
checks which employees gave for their
subscription pledges to The Leader"
Hamples answer was "yes." He
added that Chaput had brought In the
first batch of checks and asked him
Ito handle them" when 1t was con-
venient to the employees.
| Iy tho n,,aet3nv,i,,n that Ro11~~.~A
Hample said he had met the governor
only once with group of others and
that never before the day when
Chaput came to the offices to do his
soliciting for THE Leader" had he
had any conversation with LANCER,
Vogel or others named in the indict-
ment.
Had someone explained the plan
(about Leader" subscriptions to
you?" Thorp asked.
YES" Hample said, "Chaput did,"
For what purpose?" Thorp inquired
For the promotion OF q Nonpar-
tisan newspaper" Hample replied.
you were willing to make the
pledge?" asked Thorp
Eyes SIR" Hample admitted and
testified that he had volunteered to
take "a subscriptions to be sold
wherever he could find q buyer at
500 per year.
The defense offered in evidence one
OF the blanks which employees signed
In pledging five per cent of their
annual salaries to subscriptions for
The Leader" Lanier objected and
the court asked to see the exhibit.
The Judge overruled the objection.
Called to the stand as government
witness. Buttedahl began hts testi-
nlony by identifying himself as editor
Of THE Leader" since II started pub
lication last July. Previously he was
an instructor at the University Of
North Dakota.
He testified he had lived In Wal
kalla where he was acquainted with
Oscar J. Chaput. business manager Of
The Leader" and one Of tho defend
ants.
Outlining his duties on the news
paper, Buttedahl testified he pre-
pared the news and editorial content
that went into the weekly newspaper.
Tells Of Getting Job
He said he first talked to Chaput
about obtaining the position OF editor
for THE Leader" and lster at gov
ernor's day celebration at Fargo. saw
Gov. LANCER.
AT that time did the governor In
quire regarding your experienced"
Lanier asked.
He made some inquiries" Butte
dahl replied. He continued that he
later spoke to LANCER at Grand Forks,
and that the governor told him
hn s@nM.4<ias@nA f.s.>n