Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-12-16
GOV. BLAINE
FIRES SHERIFF
Declares Oneida County Official
Acted in Bad Faith to State
acknowledgements
Statement

Madison, W Is, IIec- g hans leVti' |
sheriff of Oneida county, was removett |
from Office on Monday on order OF
GOV John j. Blaine on the ground tilaI
Rodd refused to obey Il fair ana fea-
y.uable direction 10 him from the exec |
utiyp office to discharge Peter Christ
ON pardon issued by the governor.
\ formal order removing ROdd was
filed in the executive office Monday
morning and a copy of the complete
finding Of the governor rs basis fof
me order was sent by GOV Blaine Sat
urtlay night TO be filed with the county
clerk of Oneida county.
COY. Blaine in 5000 word state
Inent summarizing the evidence ana the
proceedings which has resulted in the
removal of Rodd finds that the sheriff
showed IAN utter lack of good falth
and III fact shows cOncluSlvely Dau
faith" that Judge \. III. Reid of Wau-
sau stepped down from the bench ana
became a partisan in Il proceeding III
violation Of the provision of the stat
utcs." ana that R0dd "wilfully dis
obcycd the pardon warrant issued to
him"
The statement of GOV. Blaine is re-
nlctc with sideightS showing a nef-
work Of proceedings and secret UNI
Clerstanding between Judge Reid and
Hans Rodd to disobey the order of the
governor in pard0ning Christ even in
advance of the issuance of the order
Among the more important findings
made by GOV. Blaine were:
ca The pardon warrant of the
executive superseded the order Of the
court committing Christ to Jail.
C2) That a sheriff is directly re-
SpOnsible TO the governor in executing
the laws of the state and that the Con
~titutiOn gives The governor power Of
removal in case sheriff fails to do
his duty.
90 That Judge A. II. Reid secret
IL advised Hans R0dd to keep Christ
in Jail. even if Il pardon were issued.
and that this fact was kept from the
governor by the sheriff and did not he
come public until November 18th.
when the sheriff filed his answer with
The governor as to why he should NOT
be removed Judge ReidS letter WAS
written to Rodd on September II.
a. That in advising with Sheriff
Rodd Judge Reid became Il partisan
in The proceedings. lin violation of the
express provisions Of section 25S2 81
the statutes. which prohibits any judi
of circuit court from giving his ad-
vice or opinion in any action. cause, 81
proceedings which nc has good reason
to believe will be brought IN any OF
the courts OF this state.
(JD Had Judge Reid gone upon
the bench after the pardon was grant
rd and issued an order to show cause
why Christ should not he rec0mmittrd
10 Jail. the executive department
could NOT and would not have inter
fcred in such proceedings, for then the
proceedings would have been one for
the courts.
90 That Hans R0dd failed to obey
the directions of the governor; that
-@hr kept from the governor the letter
Of Sept Ii which had been sent to him
by Judge Reid: and that in refusing
TO discharge Christ ne acted in bad
faith and should therefore be re-
moved.
In reviewing the matter Gov. Blaine
showed that two constitutional pr0yis-
ions were involved in the proceedings,
one gives the governor power to remove
II sheriff upon hearing after charges
haye been filed against him and tile
other gives the governor power II
pardon. after conviction. for all Of
parchment"
Christ must have committed an Of
Tense, and have been convicted there
for. else he would not have been in
jail" said Governor Blaine in his
statement. The right OF the govern
or to pardon was passed upon when
the pardon was granted. and the shat-
III had no right to set himself up as
court to determine the validity of the
pardon. or of the pardon warrant di-
rrcted to him by the governor.
interested parties or the court. Ilp-
on the release Of Peter Christ under
the pardon. could have moved by an
order to show cause why the sheriff
should not rc-cOmmit Christ to Jail.
That was the lawful and orderly course
to have pursued. Instead of Judge
Reid going upon the bench after the
pardon was granted and issuing such
order To show cause. the Judge stepped
down from the bench and became Il
partisan in Il proceeding. in violation
ar the express provisions of section
.25S2 of the statutes which prohibits
amy Judge of circuit court from Civ
ing any advice or opinion in ANY
action. cause or proceeding which ia
has good reason to believe will he
brought in amy of the courts of this
state
In anticipation of Il pardon for
Christ. Judge Reid wrote Sheriff |
Rodd under date Of September II the
following letter:
4 understand that an application |
has hpnO malp to thn ooynrnnr' to nor