The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-12-13
ORDERLY
CITY Is
GUTHRIE
BooTLEGGERS HERE, IT'S
TRUE. BUT THEY WORK
UNDER COVER
~=-
An EXCHANGE OF
CORRESPONDENCE
Between GOyGTrOT and Mayor
Touching Enforcement
Of Law


respondence, touching law enforce
ment in Guthrie. has just taken place
between Governor Haskell and Mayor
'Farquharson. The correspondence fol-
lows on the heels OF a raid on several
bootleggng joints. the arrest and fin
ing of Enforcement officer Cavener IN
police court ana the attempted assass
igation OF Enforcement Officer Priest
hg a man acting, il is alleged, for
bootieggels.
After the shooting Enforcement At
tofney Caldwell and Inspector f. II.
Cain ans others held long confer
enee with Governor Haskell In which
they spoke OF some law violations.
Cain AYERS that local officers do not
co operate with enforcement officers
in suppressIng hootleggers Governor
Haskell sent the following letter to
Mayor FarQuharson
Letter From Governor
December H. 1909. Hon A o
Farquharson. mayor City OF Guthrie,
City: Dear Sir official reports to me
are 20 the effect thai there Is in Guth-
RE a gang Of most persistent volators
of law and thar they are practically
in open defiance Of the law, many OF
The details Of which are almost be.
ycnd belief IN community where
law enforcement should be expected.
| do not wish this TO be understood
as complaint against Yourself, but
do desire 10 know II you feel that
YOU will be able 10 correct this condi-
tlon at once Respectfully yours c
~ Haskell"
10 this letter Mayor Farquharson
replied as follows;
December If, 1909. Governor G. N
Haskell, Governor Of the State OF OR
lahoma. Guthrie, Okla. Dear Govern
or-Your communication of the ilth
received. in which you state ofliclai
reports that come TO Won 70 the el'
feet that there f. in Guthrie o gang
ot most persistent yolators of ne
law and that they are practically mi
omen defiance Of the law. Also. that
many Of the details are nlmOst be'
vond belief IN a community where
law enforcement. should be expected.
Governor. / Wish 10 thank yon fofl
UFiNHtHE tN' tFNtli w mn 'tt'
This report covers good deal OF
ground. and II found true, win nn-l
put the officers of the CITY
who are supposed to enforce the law
IL very bad light before tho people
And on the other hand. II these re- /
ports are not true. the parties who
make these reports are not only DO /
ing an injustice to our officers but
are casting q slur.
Dear Governor, | hope you VIII
kindly give me your assistance in Ter
reting out the truth IN this matter
and I assure you, should such a de-
plorable condition be found 20 exist
as stated in your letter ! 'wlll stop
Al no means within my power 70 bring +
the guilty parties to justice. And on
the other hand. should these reports /
made TO you prove false, hope You
win assist me by giving me The names I
Of your informants. that they may be
dealt with as justice demands.
Hopping to have The pleasure OF n
reply from Won at once giving me
the names OF your informanis 50 mat
no time will be lost IN looking up the +
truth and furnishing the guilty J am
yours A. o. Farquhafson +
in reply TO Farqunarson letter I
Governor Haskell sent another letter
saying his informant was States En-
foreement Attorney +. S. Caldwell. f
who would gladly furnish the mayor
with all data and information the +
mayor desired Chief of Police Mil
ohelI was called into conference with
The mayor and he issued a statement
later, saying. 4 do moi pretend ihal
Guthrie Is that impossible anomaly
a city without crime. bul ! do intend
10 say most emphallcally that In my
iudgment there Is less lawlessnese Ia
the capital city then in any other
city OF equal Size in the entire United
States. Outbreaks Of lawlessness car
not always be prevented. they can
merely be punished Their cont7ol is
what is aimed at and I think that the
OF the police department OF
Guthrie do not deserve very harsh
criticism upon the score OF their hon
est efforts to enforce the law and
serve the citizens to the very best Of
their ability"
Considerable interest was stirred Nd
by the exchange Of these letters.
Opinion Is divided as TO weight OF
the mayors ret0rt TO the governor.
No citizen questions the fact that
there IS hootlegging in Guthrie and 4
lhese boolleggefs are organized In
~a~g. ~ slefv fhe nrohibif0fe laws
there Is no surprise. Law defiers