The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-08
ONE! MARBLES THE nOUSE;
TWO! CHORTLES REPuBII-
CANS rs TRAPP AND LEE
CRAFT ARE ELIMINATED
lContinued from page D

(Conunued from page u
mittee that such solicitation was
form Of hlackmail; that bankers would
fear To disregard the invitation to
contribute to the Democratic campaign
fund. Leecraft, acting with governor
and attornoy-general, both Democrats,
has power to designate bank as
state depository or strike il from
the list Of state repositories, it is as
serted Or he can place state funds
in certain repositories and withdraw
them from others, il is Contended
At the time the kilograms were sent.
the state had several million dollars
in repositories over the state. accord
ing to the report, and the disposition
or apportionment OF this money
among the repositories was in the
hands of the treasurer. AS the com
mittee viewed the matter, many bank
crs may have regarded a campaign
contribution as the price of the treas
urcr's favor
In the testimony submitted with
the report was included the examina.
ton of Leecraft by the committee. In
the record of this examination oc-
ours the following bit of dialogue
between the examiner for the COM
mittec and Leecraft:
Question Do you really think you
ought TO do business that way?
Answer: | don't like that kind Of
business at all,
Question; What impelled you to do
that At that time?
Answer Well, there was just
campaign on, and they say that is
the custom of getting up campaign
funds"
According TO record of the testi-
mony, Leecraft admitted the tele-
grams had been sent with his consent,
although he did not send them him
self He stated, however, that in
case a bank did not respond to the
request for a contribution it made
no difference in the deposit-that he.
did not remove any deposits.
II seems that procedure similar to
that charge against Treasurer Lee
craft has been customary in this
state and probably in many other
states. The investigating committed,
however. recommends that Leecraft
be impeached on the grounds of cor
ruption in office, neglect of official
duty and acts involving moral turpi-
ture while in office
The articles Of impeachment against
Trapp were presented To the house
yesterday. They will not be acted
upon until they have been printed
for the use Of house membera There
are nine articles, all dealing with bond
transactions, as set forth in the orig
inal charges brought by the investi-
eating committee. Most Of the arti-
cles deal with transactions in Semi
mole county bonds Mention is made,
however, OF a Greek county deal;
Trapp is charged with having bought
the bonds Of this county issued for
construction work and taken secret
profits from contractors engaged to
do the work. The first article of i'm
peachment might be taken as an
example of the document II charges,
in substance. that on or about August
4, 1919, Trapp entered into corrupt
and illegal arrangement and contract
with the board of county commission
ers of Seminole county to cause the
county to become indebted and issue
negotiable bonds in the amount of
$50 ,000--to become indebted in excess
of the revenue and income for the
fiscal year. and of the year 1919 and
the year 1920 without the consent
of three-fifths of the voters of the
county: that in so doing Trapp vio-
lated the constitution Of the state and
his constitutional oath, committed a
felony and aided the county commits
sioners of Seminole county to cause
the county to become indebted and
issue negotiable bonds in the amount
of s50,000-to become indebted in ex-
cess Of the revenue and income for
the fiscal year, and Of the year 1919
and the year 1920, without the CON
sent of three-fifths of the voters of
the county; that in so doing Trapp
violated the constitution of the state
and his constitutional oath. commit
ted a felony and aided the county
commissioners in the commission OF
n felony; that these acts were wilful
neglect of duty; that they were acts
of incompetency and constituted a
public offense. In another section,
the acknowledgements is charged
with having conspired with the county
commissioners and county attorney
of Seminole county in connection with
the filing OF IA suit by him against
the county; the article calls this moral
turpitude and corruption in office,
In the testimony accompanying the
Trapp articles, occurs the record of
the examination Of the present county
attorney OF Seminole county, Re
publican, who was quoted in local
newspaper shortly after the charges
were first brought against Trapp TO
the effect that he could find no
grounds for criminal prosecution Of
the lieutenant governor. Some Of
the questions asked the attorney in a
subsequent examination by the inVes-
tigating committee, as shown in the
record, conveyed distinct reprimand
for the county attorney for making
the reported statement indicating 1t
would have an undesircd effect on
public sentiment
II Is possible the house will vote
today on the question of officially
filing the articles OF Impeachment with
the senate. II is understood the print
ed copies will be on the desks Of
members members when the house
cunvones today. There is some un-
certainty rs to what policy the Demo-
Gratis of the house will follow. 1t
is believed they will oppose the i'm
parchment. but will not reveal Trapp's
defense to the house.
In reporting on the state highway
department yesterday, the nvestigat-
ing committee conveyed not very
suitable threat to Governor Robertson.
II recommends number Of things,
including the removal of Henry Wood,
highway commissioner and two EN-"