The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-03-17

SuDstantiate his charges. he adnltS
in his testimony that he never made
any attempt to examine the records of
the Pardon and Parole Department.
that he never talked with Governor
Robertson, or the Pardon and Parole
Oficer about the affairs of the Par
don and Parole Office He states spe-
cifcally to the Committee, that he has
no charges and cannot make any
charges against the Governor or ~
Pardon and Parole Department of this
state involving misconduct, malfeas'
ance, or anything involving moral ter
pitude of anyone connected with the
Pardon and Parole Department.
Statements "Untrue"
As will be found in the record of the
testimony Mr.. Russell did not attentr
TO correct misstatements when 1t was
brought to his attention that he had
made them. He insisted upon plb-
fishing time and again statements that
were not true, and upon the evidence
OF ieliable men, mad been called to
his attention.
Your Committee has gone very
thoroughly into the records of the
Pardon and Parole Department of his
state. We desire to say to this Hon
orable Body, that, those records are
complete, containing every letter. rec
ommendation and protest in the mat
ter of pardons and paroles OF the
many cases that are filed therein. Az
ter examining the records hearing the
testimony OF Governor Robertson and
Mr.. Searcy, the Parole Attorney, we
are col vinced that these officials have
been doing the utmost in their judg-
ment, fer The best interest of society
and the unfortunate men and women
in their care and keeping
RUSSELL Raised Rates
In his testimony, Mr. Campbell Rus
sell admitted that, as Corporation
Commissioner, he had issued orders
raising the rates of public service cor
porations in the various towns and
cities of this state. He admitted that
millions of dollars, appeared before
him asking that the rates of their cor
porations be raised; and he admitted
before this Committee, that II the
same line of reasoning was applied to
him, that he applied to the Governor
of this state in The matter of pardona
and paroles, that the consumers, who
were forced to pay the advanced rates
prescribed by the Corporation Com
MISSION, would be justified in believ-
ing that he was filling his pocket with
corporation money in return for the
privilege of raising the rates.
This Committee does not believe
that Mr. Campbell Russell, acting in
the capacity Of public servant of this
state is selling himself to every COR
poraticn attorney who appears before
him and asks the right to charge the
public more money for their services;
neither do we believe that Governor
Robertson is accepting part of the
few paltry dollars that the unfortunate
convicts of this state are able to pay
attorneys to represent them before
the Pardon and Parole Department OF
this state.
Eleventh Hour Move
One more thing your Committee de-
sires to mention to this Honorable
Body. On this last day of the session,
in its closing hours, Mr.: Campbell
Russell presented your committee an
affidavit charging Governor Robertson
with ignorance or with the commission
of an act involving moral turptude,
This affidavit does not bear upon
the matters concerning the Pardon and
Parole Department of this State, hut
relates to a resolution then pending
before the legislature of this State and
which communication was to advise
the Senate of the Governors construc-
tion of the language used in the reso-
luton, and which merely called the at
tention of the Legislature to the effect
which he believed such resolution
would have
The letter mentioned is utterly void
Of any inference that the Governor
was acting in an improper manner or
attempting to deceive or mislead the
Senate or the members of the Legis-
lature.
Action Delayed
Although the affidavit fled today
contains charges that have been pub
lished by him before, he has never at
tempted to bring this matter before
the legislative session when it had
time to act upon it.
The only conclusion that your Com
mittee can come to in this matter is,
that Mr.. Russell, having failed utterly
to produce anything that could sus-
tain him in his vicious attack upon
Governor Robertson and the Pardon
and Parole Department, he now at
tempts to inject an affidavit that will
give him an excuse for continuing his
attack upon Governor Robertson and
upon the Legislature.
Robertson TestIffes
Governor Robertson testified before
the Committee, that Campbell Russell
had never been in his Office but once
since he was inaugurated He testi-
fed that few days after he was in