The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1935-04-11
Directs Treasurer and Other
Officials Not to Honor
0lson's Signature
LATTER PROCEEDS WITH JOB
Recalls Plomasen and Cancels
All Changes and Appoint
ments by Flanagan

Acting Governor Walter Wexford
Thursday directed the state treasurer
that Ole H. Olson, once more roads
chief by order Of the supreme court.
was without authority to bind or OBJ
ligate the state for any purpose"
Welford's latest move was taken AZ
ter the state supreme court had re-
strained his appointee to the office Of
highway commissioner. w. J. Flanni-
gan, from interfering with Olson q
highway commissioner, and had en-.
Joined Flanagan from acting %
roads head.
Meanwhile, Olson, back In office A.
ter flanagan had occupied the po-
sition for . day. recalled T. q. Ploma-
sen to service rs maintenance engi-
neer. Plomasen had resigned Monday
when Flanagan took over control
At the same time. Olson removed
other appointees Of Flanagan, and
declared other shifting Of personnel
to be void.
Court Considers Appeal
While Wexford directed the state
heads virtually to refuse to recognize
tho authority Of Olson, the state su-
preme court took under consideration
an application by Attorney General
p. O. Satire and his assistant
Charles A. Verret. to vacate the tenn.
porary restraining order against
F7annigan. In arguments In confer.
ence with the court, the attorney gen.
eral maintained the court had ex.
ceeded its jurisdiction in issuing the
temporary restraining order, holding
it to be q violation Of . statute pro.
viding that title to office could moi
be determined by injunction. c. Lie.
bert Crum opposed the action, taking
the stand the court had acted within
its power.
In opposition to the claim by Olson
that he had given up keys to his Of.
flee under threats of superior physi.
cal force" Monday, the attorney gen.
eral presented IN affidavit from
Flanagan In which the latter deniet
any attempt or show Of violence o.
any kind"
No New Order Issued
No order came from the suprem,
court In response to the application
Of the attorney general Is the d.,
ended.
In identical letters sent to Johr
Gray, state treasurer; James D
0ronna, secretary Of state; Berta E
Baker, state auditor; and to the boars
Of administration, Wexford warned
that he had removed Olson and tina
the latter's bond had been transferred
and cancelled. To each of the de,
partment heads, he said, you are id
vised that Mr.. Ole H. Olson was b.
me, for cause, formally removed from
the office Of state highway commits
sioner OF the state Of North Dakota o,
April 8, 1885.
Bond Transferred, Cancelled
"You are further advised that hi
bond has been transferred and can
celled in accordance with remova
proceedings.
1T Is, therefore, directed that MI
| Ole II. Olson has no authority to bin,
the state In any transactions nor Il
obligate the state. or any ageuc,
thereof. for any purpose whatsoever.
Gray interpreted the order Of Vel
ford to mean that no special or othe
warrants signed by Olson coming int
his office would be honored. He OK
| planned no regular pay warrant
would come before the state auditinl
board until April Is. three days ate
the hearing scheduled In suprem
court on the restraining order.
Any warrants coming into his offic
and bearing The signature Of Olsol
viii not be honored by him, Gray said