The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1915-03-13
SENATE CONSIDERS THE GRAVE
CHARGES PREFERRED BY THE
LOWER HOUSE AGAINST
TWO STATE OFFICIALS
WATSON SPECIALLY WAS S0LlC-
iTIkG LOANS OF C0RPOATl0NS
While Commissioner Welch ls Accused
Of Variety Of Misdeeds. Direct
Bribery, and illegally Using
His Office to Aid His Friends
and Business Associates

Oklahoma City.-A. l.. Welch,
State Insurance Commissioner and
A. p. Watson, Corporation Commits
sioner. will be impeached before the
Legislature adjourns. Charges have
been filed by the House and the Sen
ate is organizing as court OF inn
peachment. A bill has been passed
authorizing the Senate to remain in
session after the House adjourns, to
complete the trials. Investigations
now in progress may include Com
missioners Love and Henshaw in the
impeachment.
The Welch proceedings came first,
and after investigation of some
weeks an affirmative report was re-
turned, the vote OF the committee
standing as follows: For bringing
impeachment proceedings, G.. w.
Goodwin of Pawnee, chairman: ]. o.
McCollister, Mangum: J. p. Speer
Comanche; r. l.. Disney, Muskogee:
l.. N. Barbee, Rush Springs. and +. r.
Sans, Delaware. Sans is the only
Republican member OF the commit.
tee.
The report was adopted by an ov.
erwhelm 'ng vote and Representative
G.. w. Goodwin of Pawnee. c. l.. Pink.
ham Of Kay and T. Il. Sans of No
wata, house managers were instruct
ed to present the articles to the sen.
ate.
Briefly stated the articles are that in
1913 Welch made a false report to the
state examiner and Inspector that he In 4
no funds OF the department in banks on
June 30 OF that year when ho had over
sJo,oqo on deposit with the Purcell Bank
That he fraudulently and corruptly IL
censed the Union Mutual Insurance Co
OF Enid, after permitting the concern to
clear up receiVership at 30 cents on the
dollar and solicited dress suit as a bribe
from II, a. Dillon, secretary treasurer OF
the company.
He Helped Mccomb.
That he wrongfullv used his influence
as Insurance commissioner to Induce the
International Life Insurance co. OF ST
Louis TO purchase certain notes In which
he was personally Interested and later
directed 4. J. McComb TO examine that
company when he knew that the concern
was negotiatinF for the purchase Of the
OF which McComb had been the founder
That he employed r J. McComb al sos
a day n sufficient length Of time to exhaust
the $1,000 appropriation for that purpose
when there WIS little real actual worl,
70 do that could not have been perilf -of
by an expert accountant or one oi o..
employees In the commissioners Office
Also carter's Friend.
That after threatening TO cancel the
license Of the National Fidelity aud Cas-
ualty Co. OF Omaha. Ncb. Welch per-
mitted the company to continue In husi-
ness when II had employed Dorset Carter,
fellow townsman and friend OF the com %
mlssioner, to keep the concern in good
standing.
That he ATTEMPTED 10 force the Amerl-
can Central Life Insurance Co of Indian
HpOlis, 10 put chase notes In which he was
personally Interested, promising to repay
the company during his term OF Office
many times for the favor.
That he atter.pted TO force Miss Ida
Hasley TO purchase note from n bank
I'm which he was Interested and revoked
her license because she refused to comply
with the demand.
S~oN~NN~N-NI~-N00~~-O-oS~-
IThaw's Trial On At New York.
New York.-Harry Kendall Thaw
slayer OF Stanford White. is on trial In
the supreme court on the charge OF
conspiracy growing out of his escape
from the State Hospital for the Grim
inal Insane at Matteawan in August
1918. Thaw escaped in an automobile
eluded capture for a long time and
finall. was arrested at Coaticook, Can
ada. He was subsequently released by
the Canadian authorities nd sent into
Vermont. He fed to Colebrook, N. Ii.
and fought is months against extrsdi
tion.