The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-08
IN SPITE OF QUESTIONABLE
PARDON ATTORNEY GENER-
AL DETERMINED EAIBEZZI.ER
SHALL SERVE SENTENCE
continued From Page One)

Continued From Page One)
an investigation conducted by Attor
ney General Freeing.
Davidson only left the state for five
and a half hours Saturday, he said
His only business in Independence
Kansas, was to give Waldrep the
honor of being governor for a day.
1t was at Waldreps suggestion that
he left the state, Davidson said.
May BE Illegal
Waldrep asked Davidson to pardon
Fulkerson as soon as he became gev
ernor before Lieutenant Governor
Trapp left the state, Davidson de
clared on the stand, When l refused
to even investigate the matter after
hearing of Governor Robertson's prior
action prove that the pardon was moi
legal Waldrep suggested that if
left the state he would exercise elem
ency Davidson said
I'm the two and half years that
have been attorney for the state
banking department five bankers have
been convicted for misuse Of bank
money" NJ. NJ. Thomas said at the
pardon investigation yesterday. "Only
one has ever seen the inside of a Jail
He made away with $4,000, but was
out of the penitentiary in "A few
months"
Indications that the hearing may
prove that the pardon was not lega
came to light when George B. Ritten
house, attorney representing Fulker
son, was called to the stand in the
course of the investigation.
Rittenhouse said that he was en-
ployed to represent Fulkerson after
the application for clemency had been
denied by Governor Robertson or
June 7. He said that he had often
employed him in Shawnee and that
when he heard that Waldrep might
become governor he held a conference
with him and went over the case.
Pardon Not Attested
IL was convinced that Fulkerson
was not guilty" Rittenhouse said
"And Waldrep seemed to believe in
his innocence as well. That was about
two weeks before Waldrep became
governor"
Rittenhouse said that Waldrep deliv'
cred Fulkerson's pardon to him at
his office Saturday morning, shortly
before noon. He admitted that the
pardon had not been attested by the
secretary of state at that time.
The pardon was not attested until
S o'clock Tuesday morning c. j. Ken
die assistant secretary of state de-
clared. He said that at Waldrep's
request he came to the office early.
Waldrep came with another man to
file the pardon. Kendle did not know
whether the man was Fulkerson.
Testimony was that Waldrep had
not been at the capitol Saturday morn
ing and that no employe Of either the
governors office or the pardon and
parole department prepared the par
don paper. Rittenhouse thought that
ii might have been prepared prior
to Waldrep's accession to the COVER
nor's chair.
Wanted One More Day
An additional element Of doubt was
injected into the investigation when
Davidson testified that Waldrcp tele'
phoned to him at Tulsa Sunday morn
ing and asked when Trapp was ex'
pected back in the state.
"Waldrep asked for an interview
with me-" Davidson said. He then
said that he didn't get to do what
he wanted Saturday and asked that
he might be governor another day.
"He said that after reading an
article in the Daily Oklahoman Sat.
urday morning regarding the Creek
more pardon granted by me Friday
he got leary"
Asked whether he knew then that
Waldrep had pardoned Fulkerson Da.
wilson said that he did not. He re-
piled that his first knowledge Of tho
pardon was when he arrived in Okla
homa City Tuesday morning and went
out to the capitol.
O'Brien Forecast
He said that he has not seen Wal
drcp since that time nor communi-
Gated with him.
Davidson cdrrobmated the tests-
mony of Joe O'Brien, secretary to the
governor, that he had been told that
an effort was to be made to have
Fulkerson pardoned and that the gov
ernor had already denied a prior ap'
plication.
He said that Waldrep called at his
office Friday afternoon after long
distance telephone conversation and
that Waldrep promised faithfully not
to pardon the alleged embezzler after
being told the circumstances.
Davidson said that he left the state
at II o'clock Saturday morning and