A former Minnesota Attorney General succumbed to authorities after a twenty-four hour siege on this day in 1907. The General, W. B. Douglas of St. Paul, attempted to avoid being served garnishment papers after his recent purchase of the Smith-Kenmare Dry Coal Company. The papers were being brought on behalf of E. C. Tolley, the company’s primary stockholder and chief opponent of the sale.

The high value of the coal company had earlier attracted the attentions of a group of St. Paul businessmen, who sent Douglas to Minot to represent their interests and negotiate a purchase agreement. All the stockholders of the coal company were delighted with the prospect of selling, all except for Tolley that is. With a long history of blocking the sale of the company behind him, Tolley once again rose in protest to the sale. In response, the other stockholders convened in secret and voted to sell. The board called Douglas in to draw up the details of the sale. Tolley became aware of these actions, and quickly filed for an injunction to stop the sale of the company. Judge Goss threw the injunction out of the district court, and the sale of the company was finalized.

Tolley, not being present for the terms of the sale, was not compensated for his stock in the settlement, and immediately served garnishment papers on Douglas. Douglas, who was staying in a Minot hotel, received word that the deputy sheriff was on his tail with the papers and so retired to his room. The deputy could not serve the papers as long as Douglas did not open the door, and so he was forced to wait in the hall outside of Douglas’s room until the man emerged. Luckily, Douglas’s room was connected to the room of W. T. Smith, one of the company’s stockholders. Smith brought Douglas his meals, while the deputy was served in the hall. Tolley feared that Douglas would stay in his room until the Sabbath, at which point the deputy could not serve the papers. Finally, though, after twenty-four hours of seclusion, the former Attorney General emerged and allowed the papers to be served.

Source:
The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican (Evening ed.). February 21, 1907: p. 1.

--Jayme L. Job

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