The Mena weekly star., 1913-04-24
CITY AND COUNTY
 OFFICERS ACCUSED
Sheriff, Constable, Ex-MayOr and Ex-Deputy Prosecutor at Hot Springs ndicted-NOnfea-
 Sance Is Charged.

Hot Springs, April 20.-Sheriff R. L. Williams was removed from of
 flee temporarily yesterday afternoon when the grand jury returned fl bills of indictment against him for nonfeasance in office. Fourteen bills of indictment were returned against Constable Lankford and six against former Deputy Prosecuting Attor- aey George P. Wilmington, who re- signed ten day ago. Former Mayor w. w. Waters, who was defeated for reelection by pr. J. w. McClen- den month ago. also was indicted on II counts.
 All the indictments are for non feasance in office, charging these officers failed and neglected to en- force the laws against gambling.
 Friends of Sheriff Williams are surprised at the grand jury's action. This surprise is also shared by many who were active in reform circles of local politics, who be- heyed when Sheriff Williams start ed his crusade against the gamblers he was sincere in his efforts.
 Judge Gotham recently stated in his charge to the grand jury that Sheriff Williams, after his attention had been officially called to local conditions, had to all appearances done his best to enforce the law.
 Sheriff Williams Statement.
 Last night Sheriff Williams is sued the following Statement:
 q looked over the indictments rendered against me and find that the information given the grand jury came from gamblers 1 had put out of business. It looks as they for revenge for closing them and my activity in urging the passage of the felony gambling bill, after l found there was no middle ground III this city, for the gambling issue, took revenge and went after me as sheriff. All I ask is that l be given All early trial, and 1 was informed By Judge Gotham that this will be granted. Of all the sheriffs that have held office in Garland county during the time that gambling was running, sometimes wide open and at other periods under cover, when il came to the showdown l was the nnly one who closed it and made | i stay closed. I knew the gamblers had it in for me, and, unless l am very badly mistaken, all the evi- dence against me will be relative to | gaming before 1 started my cru | sade against the gamblers, and will | come from the gamblers them selves. l ask that be tried on each and every count, and that said trial De started as soon as the court can conveniently arrange it. I have no | apology to make for closing gamb- ling in Hot Springs or using my in auence to assist in the passage of | She felony gambling bill. I believe | that when the proper time came E0 act did my duty as I saw it."
 HOgabOOm Made Sheriff.
 Judge Gotham appointed Gilbert Aogaboom, secretary of the Demo- cratic City Central Committee, sheriff, and the first act of that of Hcial was to reappoint all of Sher- If Williams deputies. He issued commissions to Walter Wheatley, chief deputy; Deputy Downing and Deputy Bob" Ford, county jailer.
 The indictments did not come wholly in the nature of a surprise, as it was understood when the grand jury met that one of the re- suits of their deliberations would be the busting from office of thoes officials who are believed to have been responsible for the reOpening of the gambling houses and the ar my of crooks and confidence men, pickpockets, guns" and other mo- sorious characters who flocked here when the word went forth early in the season that Hot Springs was right"
 The grand jury was aided in its research by the fact that the gamblers of the city were only too willing to tell their stories to the grand jury, for they believe they were given the worst of it by the