The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-11
WITH HELP OF TWO DEMOS
THE HOUSE REPUBS VOTE
TO IMPEACH TRAPP
Continued from page u

piOCCeulIlBS.
After lunch the gallery of the house
began to fill with visitors. ana when
business was resumed there was a
considerable audience to give attention
10 the speakers The speaker an.
nounced that the question would be
DEBATED and after the argument was
concluded each article would be voted
on separately without further debate
The prosecution would open with its
I statements, then the defense or the
Trapp adherents would have their say
then one representative of the prosecu-
ton would close the argument.
Matthews made the first statement
He said the cry of politics" had been
raised against the committees charges
that he said. was a cheap defense
Then he took up the case against
Trapp, expounding the various charges.
In connection with Seminole county
bond transactions, he asserted that in
his opinion Trapp had been guilty of
'conspiring with the county commits
tsioners and the county attorney. and
possibly the district Judge, to violate
the law; of maintaining a false suit
against the county; Of perjury in
swearing to a false claim. He insisted
fhat an official could be impeached
without having been convicted in
court of crime.
Remington Rogers of Tulsa began
his speech by saying he had no per-
lsona prejudice, no political grudges
or political ambitions to be considered.
Before he had finished, however, he
mad cried ~ accuse Lieutenant Gov
'ernor Trapp of conspiracy to defrafd
seminole county of thousands of dol
Iars; | accuse Lieutenant Governor
Trapp Of embezzling county funds
and one or two more accuses" And
TIE had used the expressions: "contin-
uous, nefari0us stealing" and "dast-
ardly Vaccinations" He spoke Of
ahe wrongs of the taxpayers. He said
the house was the grand jury, and if
1t had reasonable ground to believe
dhe accused man had committed the
Offence charged, it was it's duty to
vote for impeachment He spoke of
Christ driving the money-lenders out
Of the temple. He said the case under
consideration was not one for sym
pathy. This Is no case Of overpower-
1ng temptation TO suddenly go wrong"
he declared. THE testimony shows a
scoundre VINO has done these things
knowingly and tried to cover his
tracks"
Bruce l.. Keenan, Of Cherokee coun-
" asserted there was no shadow of
question but tfhat the law nal been
violated. He gave his views on the
',sal and constitutional 3pects of the
affair and also reminded the house
of Trapp's letter asking for speedy
trial
Edwin Dabney Of Altus, Democratic
floor leader, was the first speaker in
defense Of the lieutenant governor. He
protested against the lack of testi-
mony to support the committees find
lngs. He declared emphatically that
no one had been beaten out OF a
dime by any of the transactions
charged against Trapp. He quoted
Judge Bolen as saying that Seminole
county had received all the money
coming to 1t. IL there was a conspir-
Ccy to defraud the county and vio-
late the law, the judge who approved
the bonds was tine arch-c0nspirator.
Dabney asserted. And he called at
1ention TO the fact, that the investl-
eating committee had made no effort,
st,ln
peached. He insisted there was no
conspiracy TO defraud anybody. The
Adar county dead was open, he as
serted. The commissioners, he said
called Trapp over. asked him to put
up t3o money for their bonds SO they
could get federal and state aid, am
he did put up the money, and any
body who knew about II agreed to il.
lie read a communication from the
prcs, cutting attornew OF Adair county
who was reelected last year and who
Is a Republican, in which 1t was
stated the transaction was open and
above board. Dabney accused the Re-
rublicans Of trying to convict Trapp
Tor technical violation OF the consti-
tuition when many Of them had also
violated 1t by voting 10 increase the
pay and number of house employees.
whioA he claimed could only be done
consttutionally by a general statute.
lie maintained there was evidence in
support of article s. And he contended
one could admit the truthfulness of
article 3 and not have ground for inn |
parchment, as II did not constitute a
cause VI action.
Trapps coming TO Oklahoma In 1889, |
and In his early struggles and sue
cessos here. lie told of his hauling |
woos in Guthrie. OF his teaching |
school, and of his entry into politics
a. county clerk of Logan county. Mil |
Ter asked why can't we see all the |
testimony" And he urged the mem
bcrs to vote asNthcy believed, NOT as
they had been told to vote.
Dave Stovll OF Choctaw county
tcck up the various bond transac-
lions In detail and tried 20 show ihat
rrapp had Gtfrapdcd the counties out
Of nothing, giving Goll9r-and-cent fig
ufcs.
Charles Whitaker Cf Mcintosh coun-
ly discussed the difficulty vi kecnng
within the strict letter Of the law
In making impeachments IN new CON.
ratnities. lie sad tnat members OF
the legislature had accepted more
gtaufpg while hera than tihov co,it