The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-24

don't you prosecute Trapp ia the courts
OF that county"
LNdick called attention to the charge
that In Seminole county the alleged
conspiracy included the former county
attorney, who was a Democrat. In Adair
county he said, the proceedings We're
similar. but the county attorney was
not charged with being implicated the
county attorney in Adair county was
Republican. And I'm speaking OF the
accusation that Trapp. when acting as
governor mad been guilty Of wilful
neglect Of duty in failing to institute
proceedings against county officials in
these counties who were alleged to have
violated the law, the counsel for the
defense asked why the investigating
committee has not attempted TO remove
the county attorneys of those counties,
who also have failed to institute pro-
oeedings The present county attorney
OF Seminole county is also a Republl-
can.
In closing, Lydick warned the mouse
members that there may come a time
when there will be Republican officers
in the state house and a Democratic
legislature. And then he cried. be
ware! Your chickens may come home
to roost."
w. a. Scofield member of the board
OF, managers for the prosecution. said
neither the Democratic nor Dhe Repub-
Lean party was on trial. He said II
was difficult TO get prosecution start
ed in Aiair county; that the judge had
not called grand jury, although pc
tition for such action had been pre-.
sented.
r. II. Matthews, chairman of the
board of managers, said that under the
respondents theory, state officer
could be guilty Of murder and still be
immune from Impeachment until he
was convicted He said Lydck's argu-
ment reminded him of the law-school
advice, When you don't have u case
jump on the attorneys for the other
side"
Porter Newman, yice-chairman of the
board, insisted the respondents motion
was demurrer, and the effect of it
If sustained, would be 10 dispose of the
case. He denied any personal feeling
against Trapp or mis- attorneys. The
Impeachment provision in the con
stitutlon, he asserted was inserted
for the protection of society. If con
strued as tine defense wished, the vilest
criminal who ever walked the state. he
said, could sit in mis- office and be safe
from impeachment. He called this con
struction of the constitution narrow
All courts that have passed on em.
bezzlement and perjury have held they
involve moral turpitude. he insisted. and
added he considered perjury the most
heinous crime OF which a person could
be guilty. In reply TO the question as
to why there was no prosecution In
Seminole county he belittled the ability
OF the county attorney there, and also
said they couldn't get the judge to cal
q grand jury He declared that the mo
ton Of the defense, in mis- judgment
was a confession Of the charges.
At this point as Newman finished
| Tom Angin moved the court ad djourn
but the motion lost. Lydick then SPOKE
briefly in rebuttal. IL don't deny" he
said, they charge Trapp with offenses
involving moral turpitude. but the Of
lenses charged are not within the jur.
isdiction of this court. The question II
not: Shall Trapp go untried?' but.
Where shall he be tried If Trap
is convicted In u court which has jur
isdiction. then he can be- impeached be
cause the conviction would affect hil
competency 10 fiji the office VI lieu
tenant governor" He asserted all tn,
charges against Trapp were highly tech
nical, and declared the accused man haC
paid the counties every cent that wa,
coming to them. He reviewed the au
thoritles he had cited, and said his op
ponents had cited none. lie asked tn,