The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-16
The Governor Declares In nOcence Must Be Estab- lished on Every Single
 Charge Preferred
VERDICT OF JURY COMES AS A GREAT
 SURPRISE TO MANY
Lacy's Statement Following Oakley's Acquittal Causes Much Com ment-Stste Will Continue on
 the Theory Oakley Was
 Lacy's Accomplice
By L. S. BETTY

Montgomery, March 15.-(special) Although the state of Alabama has lost one of the cases against James G. oak ley, the governor tonight declared that the former president of the state board of convict inspectors would be prose- cuted on all the other indictments against him to the full extent of the law.
 The governor declared that the ac- guittal of Oakley on the trial of the first indictment twill not lessen my ef- forts to bring to justice all who eith- CT as principaIs or accessories perpe- trated the most daring and shameful crime against the state in its history" statement to the duty imposed upon him by the constitution, which makes it man. datory for him to see that all the laws are faithfully executed. He also invokes the support and cooperation of every patriotic and Iaw-abiding citizen of the state to bring to justice all who aided in the conspiracy to loot the treasury.
 Push Other Indictments
 His statement is as follows:
 The acquittal of MT. James G. Oak ley of the trial of the first indictment against him will not lessen my efforts to bring to justice all who either as prIn- ciples or accessories perpetrated the most daring and shameful crime against the state in it's history.
 rThe reports of the state examiners and the records at the capitol show that over Sl16,o00 of the states money was embedded or stolen. There is, therefore, no basis for the statement in The Birmingham Age-Herald that the representatives of the state intend to dismiss or abandon the prosecution of single indictment now ssridsng against Mr. Oakley. 7s-,T If Mr. Oakley is Innocent of a single , charge preferred, that innocence must be established after a fair and impartial trial by jury, on each separate indictment.
 'ln every case now pending, in every case that subsequent developments may disclose, speedy trials will be demanded by the states representatives.
 'The time has not yet come in Ala bama when men who have held high office and betrayed the peoples trust can through personal or political influence or power, defeat permanently the demands of outraged justice.
 s"The constitution imposes upon me the duty to see to 1t that the laws are faithfully executed. I shall strive in the future, as 1 have in the past. to give full |, force and vitality to that important man date of the fundamental law.
 .'In the efforts of the states represen- tatives to uphold and maintain the law and to bring to justice every man who inspired, executed aided or abetted the conspiracy to loot the treasury, I invoke nd inn of aya ,ao- triotic and 1aw-abidinG citizen of the state"
 The indictment under which Oakley was tried last week was one of 21 which have been found against him. Most of the in- dictments were found by Montgomery grand juries.
 He is also under several indictments f.i Bibb county and three in Shelby county.
 The Shelby county indictments charge the embezzlement and larceny of some thing over $3500 this sum representing the money which Oakley drew out of the Bibb County Bank and Trust com pany at Centerville and deposited in the Merchants and Planters bank at Mon tevalIo. Oakley was to have been tried ' on this indictment early in March, but the defendant did not appear at court OF account of illness, and the case was continued. Later special term of the Shelby circuit court was ordered to be held early in April, and Oakley will then be tried on the Shelby county in dictments.
 Verdict General Surprise
 There has been considerable talk in Mont gomery today concerning the yer dict of the jury in the first case against Oakley. It was generally believed that he would be convicted. and expressions of surprise were heard on all sides when 1t was learned that he had been found not guilty.
 Another topic which caused some comment on the streets today was The odore Lacy's statement following Oak ley's acquittal. The former chief clerk of the convict department, convicted of embedding $50,000 of state funds, de- - clared when he heard the verdict that ~ an innocent man had been vindicated,
 
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