Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-19
LAX PROSECUTION
LAID TO REEVES
Mother of Vernon Hatfield
Asks That Another Attor-
ney Aid in Case.
FRIENDLY WITH DEFENDANTS
Sensational Petition Only Fea-
ture of First Day in
Townsend Trial.

Like D,ogenes OF old in his quest
Tor an honest man. attorneys in the
Hatfield murder case sought in vain
all day yesterday for twelve Impair
tial jurors. who could pass fair judg-
ment on II. II. Townsend, Bin Shue
Ramey Miller and Carl Lewis. charged
with the murder Of Vernon Hatfield
Al o'clock in the afternoon the Jury
poN was exhausted with only eight
accepted jurors, and Judge ~ +. Me
Nell was forced to adjourn court un-
I'll this morning when more venire-
men are summoned to appear.
Featuring the dreary grind Of ex-
/ animation and Cross-questioning was
a petition presented at the close OF
+ proceedings by Mrs. Effie Hatfield,
| mother Of the slain boy, who charges
| that County Attorney George Reeves
IS IN sympathy with the alleged muir
derers and is therefore unfit to prose-
] cute the trial.
Wants Two Lawyers.
Mrs Hatfield represented that she
had secured the services Of Grassland
D .
ton of the states case Reeves. sne
claims, refused to allow more than
one of the partners to take part in
the proceedings as colleague
The petition, with its imputations
| or conspiracy on the part of Reeves
to shield the defendants during the
present trial. is as follows:
In the district court within and for Tulsa
county, state OF Oklahoma State Of Okla.
homa, plaintiff, VS.. William Shue, H. II.
Townsend. Carl Lewis and Ramey Miller. de.
PENDANTS. Application and request to allow
attorneys employed by mother Of deceased to
assist In and appear in the prosecution.
Comes now the applicant and sfiiant, Mrs
Efhe Hatfield. and states that she is the
mother OF Vernon Hatfield, deceased, who
was shot and killed In the city Of Tulsa.
okla, on the night OF January IL, 1917, by
the detendsils, William Shue. H. II. Town.
send, Carl Lewis and Ramcy Miller. and
states that she has secured the firm OF Cross.
land Grassland composed Of Samuel II
Grassland aud I'd Grassland. each Of whom
are regular licensed and practicing attorneys
OF this bar, 10 assist in the prosecution Of
the above-nAmed defendants in the above
valid reason why they should not be allowed
TO do so; but that George +. Reeves, county
attorney Of Tulsa county Okla, refuses 10
allow Samuel H. Grassland TO do so, for the
reason that he says that he will be over
shadowed In this trial but that the real rea.
son is that he refuses TO allow him to appear
and assist tho prosecution IL an effort on the
part Of said Reeves TO shield and -rotoct the
defendants and each OF them from a fair
and honest presentation Of the facts Of the
case. She says that the said Reeves is a
partisan Of these defendants, and from the
beginning Of this case has done an in his
power TO shield aud protect these defencaLts;
that on the night OF the killing said Reeves
was at the police station in this city n short
time after the killing in consultation with
these defendants and remained in eolsulta.
Mt
on the next morning after the killing that the
said Reeves was at the office Of one Harry
TyrTen, strong partisan OF those defendants
and strong partisan of the said Reeves. I'm
private consultation with the said Tyrrell and
others who were in sympathy with these de-
Pendants, and that these people said in the
presence OF the said Reeves, these officers
must be projected meaning these defend
ants who had killed Vernon Hatfield, her
son. ON the night before. That thereafter
there was organized in this city a political or
ganiEation who styled their organization
"The Committee Of One Hundred" who held
\ meeting In the ketchum hotel in this city,
said committee being composed. as she is in.
formed and believes. OF Harry Tyrrell, Ar.
thur Hull and others, who are partiSans OF
these defendants, and who control and domi
nate the said George Reeves, and that at said
meeting the said Reeves made speech say
ing that he was with the said committee OF
one hundred. That when the said defendants
were held by the county judge OF this county
TO answer the charge OF murder, and without
bail, the said Reeves as county attorney OF
Tulsa county agreed that they and each OF
them be admitted to bail In the sum Of 81, 500
even necessary. That the said Reeves and
these defendants are warm personal friends,
and have been in consultation with him time
and time again In his private office In the
Tulsa county courthouse. And as she is in-
formed and believes that he has been IN pri.
yate consultation with the attorneys for the
defendants about the case She says that
she is informed and believes that the said
Reeves has stated to the judge of this court
that he believes that the Jury drawn rnd Sc
l"cted TO try this case at this term of court |
are prciudiced against these defendants, and
made use OF other remarks evidcncing his
solicitule for them. She SAYS that she has |
no confidence In the good faith OF the said !
Reeves in this prosecution, and believes that |
he is doing all In his power to shield and |
protect these defendants, and each of them, |
and to bring about an acquitaal OF them and
each OF them.
she says that the said Reeves in the clos |
ing argument at the preliminary trial OF the |
defendants on this charge stated to the court |
that he did not believe the defendants were
guilty Of deliberate murder, but had gone q
them testify on the stand that they had shot
At the DECEASED, intending to hit him. for |
the purpose Of stopping the car he was rid
ing In. She states that several months ago
that she wen: to the said Reeves and ex.
pressed he- lack Of confidence In his good
faith In this prosecution, and asked him to
place W. u. Williams, assistant county at
torney OF this county. in charge Of this case,
and have full control Of it that she believes
thst said Williams would give the case a fair
and honest prosecution. and that the said
Reeves. well knowing that the said Williams
would do that. and use his honest efforts TO
see that justice would he done in this case,
reiased to DO so, because ne does not want
these defendants convicted OF the crime OF
which they are charged, aud are guilty.
Wherefore, she asks In the interest Of jus.
iice, and to the end that fair presentation
Of this case from The states side may be had,
that the attorneys employed by her hc per.
mit,cd 70 participate In the prosecution OF
this case Mrs Effie Hatfield.
Statc OF Oklahoma Tulsa county, Sc |
TIE affisnt Mrs. Efiie Hatfield. says that
she has read the foregoing affidavit and ap.
plication and that the facts therein stated
are true as she verify believes Mrs. Efiie
Hatfield
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this
July II, 1917 Frank Ingraham. court clerk
Judge Mcneil is expected TO rule
on the petition at the opening OF
court this morning.