Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1921-08-11
SMALL SUBMITS TO
ARRESTBY MESTER
AFTER LONG SEICE
Governor Is Taken Only After
County Sheriff Has Depu.
ties Surround the Capitol
Building - Large Crowd
Witnesses Arrest.

ltOrney Mortimer today proposed con-
ditions under which he will agree to
grant Governor Small a change Of
venue outside Of SangamOn county
for Il trial on charges Of embezzle-
mcnt of state funds for which the
governor was arrested by Sheriff
Mester yesterday.
The states attorneys proposition
are as follows:
! That the governors counsel .ile
a petition for a change OF venue ana
confer with Mortimer in an effort
1c reach an agreement on some "onn-
ty acceptable to both the prosecution
and the defense.
That both sides agree TO a speedy
trial.
Springfield H.. Aug. 9.-Gover-
nor Len Small of Illinois. after re-
sisting arrest on indictments charg-
ing embezZlement and conspiracy,
for three weeks on the plea or ex-
ecutive immunity or that the King
can do no wrong" as stated by MS
counsel, today finally submitted to
Sheriff Mester after the latter had
fbeseiged the state capitol with dep
uties for several hours.
Tho the governor protested his
arrest until the last. charging perse-
cution and asserting his innocence
the sheriff Of Sangamon county was
adamant and insisted on taking the
governor from the executive mansion
to the court house where Abraham
Lincoln used to practice law, before
accepting the bar. The governor gave
surety for $4,000 and went his way
to await trial on the charge OF de-
frauding the people Of the state or
iisome S2,OOO,O00 while state treasur-
er thru alleged failure to turn over
to the state the proper interest on
state funds. ..
Whole City Interested ~
1t was a dramatic day IN the cap
itOl of Illinois and the whole city
was at the house for the climax for
the long contest between the gov
ernor and county officers drew near
After the governor had refused yes
terday to yield to service of the
three warrants held by the sheriff,
the latter had told him he would
serve the papers today or as soon
thereafter as possible, either Quietly
or with any necessary effort.
When the sheriff went to the cap
ital to perform his duties as directed
by Judge Smith of the county court,
Gov. Small, attended by several ad-
visors was in his office and refused
to come out at the sheriff's request.
The sheriff then place deputies
around the building to block unde-
tered egress OF the governor and sat
down in the lobby to smoke until
the chief officer of the common
wealth should decide to emerge.
Governor Goes Hungry
He announced that he had the ad-
vantage of the beseiged man, because
he had taken precautions to eat his
luncheon before investing the capitol
and laughingly remarked that he had
little else except the arrest Of the
lgovernor to occupy his time.
The governor finally sent out word
several hours after the luncheon
hour. that the sheriff might come in
to his office and serve the warrant
but the sheriff declined. saying that
he was in no hurry and would pre-
fer to make the arrest outside to
avoid any technicalities or charges of
linterrupting executive business.
This act of the sheriff was in pur-
suance of the attitude adopted from
the time the indictments were re-
turned in July 20. -~.
Crowds Gather
Crowds gathered around the state
house as the afternoon wore on and
there was holiday appearance with
in the structure as flashlights BOOM
ed and the high rotunda filled with
smoke. But the governor kept at
work in his office, sending out two
lists Of appointments during the
seige.
AS the shadow Of Lincoln's monu-
ment In the capital yard grew long
under the declining sun, the chief
Executive finally sent out word that
he would surrender to the county Of
ffcer at the executive mansion at
O'Clock if it could be arranged to
give bond at once. The capitulation
was accepted by Sheriff Mester, who
withdrew under the truce with his
troop of deputies.
At, 5 o'clock, the sheriff with his
warrants, somewhat thumbwOrn with
long handling, drove to the govern
or's house.
Charged With Eml,ezzlement
Governor Small was indicted BY
the SangamOn county Grand Jury on
July 20 OH charges of embezzlement
l9f 100000 of state funds and con-
spiracy to embezzle $2,OOO,OOO. The
acts of which he was accused took
place while he was state treasurer
and before his election as governor
Indictments also were returned at
the same time against Lieutenant
lGoxernor Sterling and Vernon Curtis
ka, Grant Park banker. Both OF the
latter submitted. to arrest and gave
bonds, but Governor Small, thru HIS
nttorneys. contended that he was i'm
mpne from arrest because Of his pos
fition A. the states chief executive
II. Vibrations Z q halibut ana ga VIII