Arizona republican., 1913-02-24
Witnesses Arrived Las t Night and Street Corners and Hotel Corridors Hum With Conjecture of Even tualitieS
A ADMINISTRATION
 SHOWS NO FEAR
Witnesses Say Charges Can Be Absolutely Substan- tiated and That Industrial
 School Will Be Dragged
 Into Fuss >.

The penitentiary investigation di- vided the interest of the crowds upon the street corners and in the hotels last night with the assassination of Madero. With the arrival of the witnesses that were called from Florence in this city, the conversation began to hum with what would. and what wouldn't be done The net result of the affair 50 far is to make the alignment between the governors friends and his oppon- ents more striking than ever.
 The line of demarka ton was notice- able when the train arrived. All those who favored the administration went directly to the Ford hotel and put up. while those who came to the city tn support the charges of the petitions before the legislature, divided them selves between the Commercial and the Adams.
 It is understood, that while the fine of the defense if such the attitude of the prison officials can be called, is to one of complete denial of the charges. But at the same time they are going to insist in the investigation being thoroughly open to the public. To this the petitioners make no objections claiming just as strongly that the peo- pie have d right to know what is going on down at Florence.
 Warden Sims and Parole Clerk San- ders are the only officials of the peni tentiary that have so far arrived, but more are expected in this morning. On the part of the signers of the petition ten have arrived in the city, headed by Mayor Tom Weedin of the city of Florence. the city council composed Of Councilmen J. G. Keating. c. G. Pow ell, C. D. Reppy and Claud R. Michea, and Undersherriff James Sinnott of Pinal county
 The other witnesses present are Mir. and Mrs. F. A. Eberlein, MT. and Mrs. J. P. Conmay, N. Y. Price, Roy TroxalI and w. Q. Palmer.
 Eberlein and Price circulated the pe- tition and last night both gentlemen stated that they had met not the slightest Encouragement in taking around that document. Eberlein said he had received only three refusals among all of those he had asked to sign. Of these one was a personal ! friend of Governor Hunt, who would not do anything to discredit his friend, one was a. man who had a friend in the penitentiary who he was anxious to get a parole, and the other was lady who said she didn't believe in mixing up in such matters.
 It is claimed by those who are to testify ia support of the petition that 1 they can absolutely substantiate the charge that convicts in citizens clothes 1 have visited the public dances in the i city and that the name and date of the | visits can be given. In one case it is 1 claimed that the girl with whom one 1 of the conVicts danced upon one of l these occasions can be absolutely given. The charge concerning the parade of | the convicts band. with the Convicts
 circus through the city can be substan- i tiated they claim, even to the extent
 that the Sunray morning services of
 the church in Florence being interfered with by the parade and the announce
 ments of the parade crier
 The charge is also made that con
 victs are allowed to go to town at night
 regardless almost. that they are all l lON eu tO accept JplJS III llit CIlN III COHi-
 petition with the town labor to the dis 1 advantage of the town labor, and that | upon request the warden has refused
 to interfere. It is also claimed that the 1 industrial school will be dragged into
 the investigation because of the pres
 ence of convicts there.
 In response to this nothing has been
 said but the information comes strong 1 ly from administration circles that the ] investigation will sufficiently clear up | the atmosphere as to leave no room for doubt as to the correctness of the 1 policy that has been pursued. The first session of the joint com
 mittee will be held this morning at 10
 o'clock in the house of representatives. | The joint committee is composed of l from the senate: Senator J. H. Harri- Continued on Page Five.)