The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-09
OFFICIAL WAITING AT
STATE HOUSE IN ORDER
TO Obey court ORDER
Noon Lunch Hour Passes
With No Move Made
by Either Party.

! =, -'
| Springfield. Ill, Aug. 9.-The
situation here between Sheriff
Mester, charged with 4 court
warrant for the arrest of Gov
ernOr Len Small developed this
afternoon into game of
"watchfuI waiting" between the
executive and the official. The
sheriff, according to late bull
letin, is waiting for the gov
ernOr TO emerge from the state
house i'll order 10 serve his war
rants. He explains his action
by saying he does not wish to
give the governor an OppOrtu-
nity to raise the techncaIity
that he could not be arrested
while tranSacting the business
of the state. Present indica-
ti0ns are that the governor will
not emerge from the state
hOuSe until 5 p. m. Mean
while, the sheriff waits in one
of the corridors.
Chicago, Aug. efforts to reach
| Governor Len Small at his Office
in the state capitol at Springfield
by telephone, failed this afternoon
when the governors secretary told
the telephone company Mr.. Small
was MOT at the capitol"
Leslie Small, the governors son,
said his father had nothing to say
Asked what the governors plans
are, A. G. Brown, one of Mr.. Small's
secretaries, said:
THE plans are up to the sheriff"
Sheriff Anxious.
Sheriff Mester's anxiety to serve
the warrants increased as the
morning wore away. He wanted to
have the affair over. No action had
been taken atsd1 o'clock. States
: Attorney Mortimer, who has been
expected to make a statement on
the situation, withheld it.
At 11:15 a. m, the sheriff and
states attorney held a conference
in Mortimer's office. 1t was the
first time today that they had talked
things over.
| Governor Small left the execu-
tive mansion and went to his office
about 10 o'clock, his customary
hour.
! Sheriff Mester said he was not
bothered by the governors threat
to sue him and his bondsmen.
, Following a conference Win
States Attorney Mortimer, Sheriff
Mester at 1925 a. m. prepared to
start for the governors office with
the warrants.
Waits for Small
The sheriff waited in a corridor
on the ground floor of the state
house leisurely smoking a cigar.
Both he and the governor were ap-
parently playing a waiting game.
Governor Small's outposts station
ed near the door kept the executive
informed of the sheriff's movements
! and members of the governors cab
tinet and close political friends pac-
i, ed the second floor corridor, wait
, ing for the climax Sheriff Mester
chatted with statehouse acqualnt-
. auces as he waited. The governor
, STAYED in his Office and talked with
? friends. The lunch hour passed
t with neither of the principals in
the great political drama making
= any move.
1 Becomes Siege.
The situation developed into
siege. The sheriff went to the cap
iitol intending to serve the warrants
on Governor Small when he left for
the executive mansion for lunch.
The governor, however, showed no
disposition to leave his office and
the situation took on the appear
ance of war strategy. Many state
house employees remained IN the
J corridors during lunch hour 70
watch developments.
The governors secretary an
s. nounced that the governor was not
Z going out TO lunch and planned TO
{ leave the capitol not before p. m
y, al have had a good lunch and can
wait a while" Sheriff Mester said
y. as he sat down in a comfortable
n chair.
u u The sheriff explained his waiting
policy by saying that technicaLtles
C might be raised if the governor was
q arrested at his desk, while transact
# ing state business. Such defense
! nv the governor would be weak and
d probably worthless, the sheriff said,
= adding. however, that he was not
J. going to give any opportunity for
! raising the question OF technical
e ties in the law. George B. Gillespie.
: one of the governors counsel, was
: waiting near the door OF the execu-
i tive Office.
e When he said he could wait as
e long as the governor, Sherfn Mes
ter was asked:
What if he decided to stay here
: all night?"
n THAT would be something differ
: ent," he replied.
h Crowds began to gather in the
i state house this afternoon and the
q building took on a holiday appear
q ance. The case developed into a
question of when to interrupt the
Il governor in the conduct Of his Of
V fetal business. No similar situa-
o ton has ever arisen in the history
d OF American politics or jurispru-
/ dence. Many amateur and profes-
/ sional cameramen appeared to takE
Ipictures Of the scene