The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-21
A MOTION To SET.
ASIDE EARTICLESOF
MPEACHNENI Of
TRAPP IS MADE
MOTION READ BEFORE SENATE
THIS AFTERNOON; Traps
ATTORNEYS SET FORTH
GROUNDS FOR SAME

Oklahoma City, March Ia motion
to yacate and set aside the articles Of
Impeachment against Lieut-Governor
NJ. 4. Trapp, for alleged bond trans.
actions in Adair, Seminole and Creek
counties was read before the state
senate, sitting as u court Of impeach.
ment, this afternoon.
Grounds for dismissal Of the i'm
parchment articles were stated as fol-
lows by Traps attorneys:
"First-That there was no competent
evidence before the house, the judge
Of the impeachment court, to support
charges brought.
"Second-That the vote on the house
by which articles Of Impeachment
were adopted, was an Illegal, corrupt
and void election; that it was sustain.
ed only by Republican votes procured
through the machinery Of a Republi-
can party caucus at which Republican
members We're bribed by promises of
federal patronage and party political
spolls and We're coerced and intirni-
dated by thoughts of political ostra-
clsm and punishment into voting as a
unit; that thereby the free will and
conscientious judgment Of said mem
bers were destroyed and the vote and
election held were corrupted and viii.
aIeu; and that the whole proceeding
was only a malicious and groundless
effort Of Republican politicians to
lnJure and defame the Democratic
party Of the state.
'Third-That the offense charged,
being neither an official act nor of.
fical acts affecting the respondents
competency of official integrity, proves
no ground for Impeachment and there
fore IS not within the Jurisdiction Of
the court Of Impeachment"
The trial is presided over by John
Il. Harrison, chief OF justice of the
state supreme court. The prosecution
Will be conducted by board Of man
ayers, named by Speaker Schwabe Of
the house, consisting Of X. S. Mat.
thews OF McAlester. Harry Jennings Of
Claremore, w Il. Drake OF Wagner.
w. A. Schofield of Stilwell, and Por.
ter Newman OF Durant. All are al
torneys and with the exception Of
Newman are Republicans. Newman
Is Democrat The defense will b.
conducted by J. d. Lydick and F..
b. Hood of Oklahoma City and Ben
F. Williams of Norman. Lydick is
expected to take the lead in the de-
| fense.
The Lieut-Governor is accused Of
fraud in the purchase as private
broker of bonds from Seminole, Creek
and Adair counties. The impeach-
ment trial comes as a result of tho
adoption of a committee report con.
sisting of the foregoing charges.
AT the time the report was submit
ted Lieut.-Governor Trapp issued a
statement denying the charges against
hlm and asking speedy public trial.
His friends assert no effort will be
made by the defense to block the trial
by demurrer or otherwise ana that
tlch article Of the report will be fought
cut fully.
Under special rule, spectators were
admitted To the gallery only durinr
the trial, none being allowed on the
floor OF the senate.
The motion contained % pages
Chief Justice John h. Harrison,
( presiding Judge OF the court called
the senate into q court OF lmpeach-
mcnt at 1885 o'clock.
/ j. u. Lydick, attorney for the de-
fendant waived the reading OF the
articles Of impeachment immediately
| after they had been called for by
X. l.. Davidson, and offered to the
/ court the motion to quash. Porter
/ Newman. representing the managers.
/ moyed the court that the matter be
/ deferred as the motion had not been
/ filed previously with the court and
/ attorneys for the prosecution were
/ unacQuainted with IL. Lydick stat
| ed the motion had to be entered
| properly before 1t status could be de-
/ clded upon and was sustained by
/ CHIEF Justice Harrison.
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