Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-31

tho rU1tDox INQUIRY uON only iuto t"o
govern0rs reasons for freeing the
young man, but Also into the methods
employed by Havner In gaining re-
vocation OF the pardon thru an agree
ment' with young Rathbun.
Censure for Both.
Close observers OF the investigation
arc predicting freely the probable
course the committees recommends
tions to the house win take. and among
tho four Des Moines papers there u
absolute unanimity OF professed be-
lief that Impeachment proceedings will
not be mentioned, but, they predict
the committee undoubtedly will recon-
mend censure of both Governor
Harding and Attorney General HIavner,
the former for acting hastily In grant
ing the pardon without fullest investi-
cation, and the latter for entering into
an alleged bargain" that sent Rath-
bun to the reformatory and caused the
quashing OF indictments voted by the
Ida county grand jury against his
brother and father and his attorney,
George Clark.
Governor Harding has admitted in
testifying before the committee that
he did not investigate the case on his
own initiative, but relied on informa-
ton furnished by CLARK, together with
the records OF the trial. He admitted
further that had he investigated for
himself, he would have concluded
Rathbun was guilty as charged, and
would have refused a pardon.
Just what knowledge. II any. the
governar had of the alleged bargain"
setting aside the pardon has not been
brought out, and possibly may come
up before the investigation is COM
pletod. II. w Byers. special committee
counsel severely arrai2ned Attorney
General Havner, Clark and others who
We're parties to the alleged bargain
and which, Byers said. sent "RatAbun
to the penitentiary TO save Clark"
johnson to Be Recalled.
A. &. Johnson, wealthy Ida Grove
citizen. has a surprise to spring in the
Rathbun pardon inquiry, ne said Sat
urday
He is to be recalled as witness
Tuesday when the House judiciary
committee will go into session again
to investigate the pardoning Of the
Ida Grove rapist by Governor Hard
ing.
1t is believed that Johnson's testi-
mony and bomb will be in connec-
ton with his meeting with Governor
Harding at Carroll just before the gov
ernor went to Ida Grove to testify be-
fore the Ida county grand fury.
Did Governor Harding know that
the pardon of Rathbun was going to
be revoked by agreement when he went
to Ida Grove to appear before the
grand jury in session there?" Johnson
was asked. He replied:
"Yec, it is my belief that he did. 1t
was generally understood at the con-
ference We had in the hospital at Car
roll in which the governor took part"
Johnson came from California on
his own accord 10 testify before the
committee. He said the committee
legally could not have forced him to
come here.
johnson expressed resentment at
the way he was examined by Byers.
Il came as willing witness" said
Johnson. 81 was interested in the case
only as far as young Rathbun was
concerned. I helped send Rathbun TO
the pentitentiary because / thought he
was guilty. I still think he is guilty
and never did think that the COVER
nors pardon was legal
I helped set the pardon of the gov
ernor aside on that reason and that
reason only-to make a wrong right"