The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-03-08
SPEED REMOVED
CONTINUED rrou page -

men in the Usage country to pay taxes
on live stock aggregating 100000.
Taxes Had Accumulated.
These taxes had accumulated after
the Usage reservation was attached to
Pawnee county for judicial purposes. /
The COMMISSIONERS who npde con-
tract with Speed were Robert Dunlap |
ana J. L. Martin The third commits
sioner, T. ID. Bashear, refused to agree |
to the contract. Under this contract |
Speed was to press the suits against
the cattlemen and received percent
age upon the amounts collected. At
the time the contract was made there
were rumors Of irregul rites and these
ruomrs reached the apartment of
justice The suits were started. but
finally were compromised by the cat
tlemen paying the county about $780,
600, on which Speed was paid fees az
gregg ting $4,000.
When these commissioners had
gone out Of Office the new commits
sioners filed a petition in the Oklaho-
ma courts in which bribery and cor
ruption were alleged in the making of
the contract and demand made for
the return of the money by Speed.
This petition came before Chief JUS
tice Burford. Speed filed a demurrer
which Burford overruled He then
took the case before Associate Justice
Gillette. who sustained his demurrer
in part. From Gillette's court Speed
went before Associate Justice irwin
land he sustained the demurrer. The
commissioners appealed the case TO
the supreme court Of Oldahome. That
court was not called upon to render a
decision, as the case was compromised
by Speed agreeing to pay the county
$1,000.
A Speed-Burford Quarrel.
The decision of Burford led to a
break between him and Speed, which
resulted in charges filed by Speed
against Burford at the department of
Justice. Attorney General Moody sent
special agent named Harr to Okla
, homa to investigate these charges.
Speeds course in fling them proved
J unfortunate for him, as Harr in his
) report vlndicated Burford, but criti
| czed Speed on account of his connec
+ ton with the tax cases. Upon the
/ strength Of this report Mr. Moody sent
' special agent. named Hustled, to
Guthrie to make an investigation OF
the charges against Speed. Hustled
, made his report several weeks ago
He recommended that Speed be re
moved from Office, as he stated that he
had disclosed evidence sustaining the
charges Of irregularities against him
The case was referred by Attorney
General Moody to Assistant General
Charles n. Russell Mr. Russell was
taken seriously III few days after he
received the papers and has not been
at the department Of justice since
Yesterday Mr.. Moody took charge OF
the case personally and recommended
the removal of Speed Upon this
recommendation the President tool
3 action. The announcement that Speed
had been removed was made last night
by Secretary Loeb,
A Victory for Mcguire.
The removal OF Speed is gratifying tC
Delegate Mcclure and the republican or
ganizatlon IN Oklahoma politics. Speed
: has been identified with the element rep
Y resented by Dennis Flynn and Governo
Ferguson aud there - also persona
cnmity between him aud Mcclure. Th'
latter was formerly assistant district at
: torney under Speed.
z when Speeds term expired two year
! ago, Mcclure bitterly opposed his reap.
polntment A. the tax contract cas'
was then in the courts, MIR. Roosevelt
, decdde not 10 take map judgment
e but to await the oncome of The cour
/, proceedings Accordingly be apponte'
!, him for second term Speed is an In
? diana republican lie went TO oklahom'
: from indianapolis az the time OF th'
u Opening. about seventeen years ago. III
!. located in Guthrie and began the prac
.. lice Of law q few years later he wal
employed by the Interior department q
= represent the government In ghe prose
y cution Of what was known the "semi
H. MOLE burning cases" la the prosecution
q nf these ease he came 10 contact wit
Senator Quay OF Pennsylvania and tr
officers OF the Indian Rights association
y quay became his friend and he had IN
n support OF the Pennsylvania senator un
! tn tae death Of the latter. The officer
OF the association namsd also supporto'
him. Ween he came up for reappoint
ment quay went 20 the president am
made a personal appeal for him.
Named BY Mckinley.
- Speed was first appointed Y. S. dis
7, triet attorney hy President Mckinley. IA
4 succeeded Samuel Oversireet also Of Ia
A. diana, vino d.ed 10 office. Among hi
supporters IN congress are the member
of the Indiana delegation, incuding Sen
n ator Beveridg7. who has been especially
a active I'm defending him since the depaEt
4 ment OF justice took charge OF the in
!, yestigation In connection with She tN
? contract Tfe Office pays $1,000 yeaI
3, The Mcclure pocgie VIII MAKO e aron
IS enort 10 hand the ONCE of district atfor
q noy for John Embry Of Chandler III
later was formerly a mem>er Of the Ok
lahoma legislature an dis known as
A..