Arizona republican., 1917-07-28
GOVERNOR. II: |: I EEXAS
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 AUSTIN. Tex, July Ex-Governor Ferguson today was indicted by the Travis county grand jury on nine counts, seven charging misapplication of public funds, one diversion of public funds and one showing of embezzle- ment
 C. J. Bartlett, secretary of state, was indicted on six counts charging misap propriation of public funds.
 c. J. Stowe, state superintendent of buildings and grounds. was indicted on one count.
 c. O. Austin, commissioner of insur ance and banking, was indicted on four counts.
 Other indictments were returned but have not been announced. Following Governor Ferguson's appearance before the grand jury several days ago, sen satiopal developments had been eX- pected
 During the last half year the gov ernor has been the center of a series of exciting incidents. Last Monday F. o. Fuller, speaker of the Texas house of representatives. called a special session for August 1 to consider whether ar ticles of impeachment should be pre- scented against the governor. In his call Fuller said there were four matters to be considered, most important being the action of the governor in Vetoing the appropriations for the University of Texas and alleged interpretations in the awarding of the West Texas A. and NJ. College to Abilene.
 This was the second attempt made tO ir1peach Governor Ferguson this year The first was in March, when
 t1 an exhaustive investigation of mansion expenditures and the affairs of the Temple State bank, of which the gov error formerly was president.
 The indictment charging embeZZle ment against the governor contains only mention of the sum involved and the identifying date. The amount is $5.600.
 The charge of diverting a special fund named January s, 1917, as the date and refers to the fund provided by the legislature for the purchase of supplies for the executive mansion. It is charged that the governor fdid will fully borrow, withhold and divert from it's purpose" this fund, applying it to the purchase of various goods, wares and merchandise not authorized by law"
 Of the seven charges of misapplica ton of funds, one refers to the sum of $101 .356, collected by Governor O. E. Colquitt, Ferguson's predecessor. as in surance on the building of the West Texas Normal school at Canyon City. The governor is alleged to have re- ceived this sum from COlquitt and to have placed it in the Temple State bank.
 The other sums, tOtalling s42,S61. and the alleged dates of misapplication are presented without further data.
 Each of the bills returned against Secretary of State Bartlett charges misapplication in that he is alleged to have failed to pay into the state treas nry funds held in his custody until after the time specified by law.
 In the case of c. o. Austin, commis- sioner of insurance and banking, the indictment charges these misapplica- tions:
 December 6. 1916, $962; September 2S, 1916. $1.595; December 8, 1916, S392.50; September IS, 1916. s3.035.
 The indictments against Charles L. Stowe, superintendent of public build ings and grounds, charge the misappli- cation of $64416. November 24 1916. As in the other instances there were additional specifications in the docu- ments returned by the grand jury.
 Immediately after Governor Fergu- son had been served by the sheriff in his office he gave bond in the sum of $5000 in one case and s1 1000 in each of the others. The bonds of Austin and Bartlett were placed at $f,000 in each case and were furnished. Stowe gave bond of $500.
 The governor announced tonight he Was preparing a statement to the public.
 Governor James E. Ferguson late tonight answered the nine charges oi felony placed against him late today by indictments returned by the Travis count grand jury by announcing him self as a candidate for governor o1 Texas for a third term.
 The issue is made declared Gov ern.r Ferguson. Shall the universit! run the state or shall the state run tho university? I accept the challenge. welcome the contest and I here, now announce myself for a third term al governor of Texas and l defy thi.
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