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 Donald C. Boyd Scandal of 1977
a book about an old scandal being written online by Harry Welty 
and anyone else who'd like to lend a hand.

What's the book about?

It's about one of the biggest political scandals in Minnesota History and how it was hushed up. More particularly it focuses on one of the few people the scandal ruined, a man who was, I suspect,  wrongly accused, prosecuted, and punished. The trial took five days! Had his life not been turned upside down he might today be a very wealthy man instead of one who jokes that his haircuts are given to him as charity. As the book takes shape I'll remain open to different interpretations, for instance, that everything I've just written is poppycock. For now, however, I'm working under the assumption that where there's smoke there's fire.

What prompted this project?

Last November I wrote a column about the scandalous 1974 election that got Jim Oberstar elected to Congress and mentioned the man I've just described as the likely villain. A short time later the "villain" sent me an email. He'd written a 700 page book.  It needs a little work.

This is how I'm going to write this online.

I'll compose rough drafts of chapters and post them here. At first they may not be much more than tidbits that I find intriguing. Anyone wishing to add their two cents, pro or con, as the book takes shape is welcome to email me with suggestions, criticisms etc. People who want to unburden themselves about what happened a quarter century ago will be most welcome to get in touch with me. The Statute of limitations is past for Federal Law but not for people's consciences.

Chapters will not be written in chronological order or uploaded to this site in their completed form. Already I have renamed some as I study and research this story. Every time I make an addition to this site I will highlight the change in blue script as I've done with this passage. Even now I've only read a quarter of Don Boyd's original 700 page manuscript. I've also been reading other published accounts of this political era that are helping me put this story in the context of its time. There are also a great many news clippings for me to wade through. The best resource I have is Don himself who has already spent considerable time with me and who will no doubt spend much more providing he can survive my constant pestering. He has, he says, been threatened before not to tell the story but that was a long time ago when the surviving participants had connections with the kind of people who would be willing to do just about anything to protect their reputations. They've known about his manuscript for decades but probably breathed a sigh of relief  20 years ago when the Duluth News Tribune wrote about it in a four part series and concluded that it was "disjointed" drivel from an "ex con." It certainly is but I intend to rectify their appraisal.

Timetable

I hope to finish the book sometime by the fall of 2006 but I've recently decided that its too important a story to rush so if it takes longer I'll take the time. I hope the poor story I write will be sufficiently intriguing to entice a real scholar to dive into the records. Someone untainted by my political background and ambition should write this history.

Table of Contents (so far)

   Prologue

   Minnesota Politics in the 1960's  tidbit added 6/1/06

    Wishman's Sporting Goods

    Entrepreneur

        Before the Fall most recent edit: 6/9/06,

    Once I built a Railroad

    Ask not what your nation can do for you

    "You're not supposed to make money"

Mafia Pallets

    Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission

    Mother's Milk Tom Kelm and Company

 1966 Universal Fiberglass 6/6/06 tidbit added 6/7/06

 1967 American Allied Insurance Company of St. Paul
            
 1973 Polar Panel Co   6/7/06

  1977 Molded Wood Palette

    Things Fall Apart

The Tears of Judas nothing yet

    Arrest

  Keystone Accountants the FBI Not much yet

  Once I built a Rail Road 6-25-06

    Lawyers

    Swift and speedy justice

28 Boxes most recent edit: 6/16/06

NEW  Kangaroo Court 6/16/06

    Cellmate

    Grand Jury

    I hope you live long enough to write the book

    Clearing his name

Endorsement most recent edit: 6/18/06

    Who will write my book

    Diamonds are forever

    Gone but not forgotten

   Kelm and Carlson 5-30-06

And if you're getting lost here are some helpful reference pages

        Rogue's Gallery - a who's who of important characters in this story

        Glossary especially of acronyms

        New  catalogued Newspaper stories 6/13/06