The Washington herald., 1921-07-22
Illinois Adjutant General
And Guards Protect
Chiefs Person.
|. GOVERNOR CLAIMS
SUPREME POWERS
State Troops May Pre-
vent Serving of War
rants by Sheriff.

Len Small. Illinois governor TO-
night dehed the power OF State
courts to force him to appear befor-
the bar in answer to charges of en-
bezzlement of millions Of dollars OF
State funds.
The chief executive. acting on the
advice of his attorneys. took the at
titude of come and get me" when
warrants for his arrest were issued
in the sangamon Circuit Court
Attorneys Tor Small prepared to
20 into the court of Judge E. s.
Smith tomorrow and argue that the
governor does not have to submit 70
arrest or trial BY a state court
They will hold that he, as the chief
executive, and as commander of the
States military authorities, pos
sesses power which transcends any
which might be granted to State
courts.
Points to Preeedents-
They will point to two precedents
set by former Illinois governors,
who when facing charges of a mi
nor nature, tore up the warrants
and refused to go to court for trial.
The counsel will go back to the
time of Nero in their attempt to
show the chief executive of any
State or nation is immune from ar
rest.
The opinion Of Gov. Smairs
friends was that no matter what
action the court may take on the
validity of the arguments, Small
will not submit peacefully to ar
rest.
May Call Troops.
The governor. as commander-in-
chief of the militia. may summon
the troops to protect him from ef-
forts Of the court attaches and dep
uty sheriffs to serve a warrant. In
dicatioRs of the governors attitude
were seen when Adjt. Gen. Dickson.
in full uniform, and several otner
guards, attended the executive to-
day wherever he went.
The defiance on the part of the
governor has created a sensation
All the forces in the Republican
party aligned with the faction
L n.
were prepared to carry on SmaIi.s
tight They were out to get every
official now holding office who was
elected on the anti-Thompson slate.
Reprisals were common talk. The
lid was of and the sky was the
limit in the political fight. Threats
were heard everywhere.
Factions Line Up.
The powerful cliques who have
opposed Thompson's rise to supreme
political power in Illinois were ar
rayed to push the fight against the
mayor OF Chicago and his cohorts,
They will back to the limit Attor-
ney General Edward Brundaps
whose investigation resulted in the
indictments. The stand taken bv
small in opposing the power of the
state courts. does not affect Lieut..
GOV. Stirling and Vernon Curtis
banker, who were indicted with the
governor.
curtis appeared in court TODAY
ana posted $4,000 bond guarantee
Ing his appearance for trial, SIR
ing is expected to show up tomor-
row.
Men.
The indicted men are accused Of
having appropriated to their own
use the s2.OO0.0O0 mentioned in the
hulctment-interest money earned
by the State treasurer's office on
s1te money loaned out during the
terms OF Small and Sterling as State
treasurers. The Grant Park paper"
bank. which was owned by Curtis
and a brother. features in sesesaI
counts, although other acts are also
charged
The grand jury was composed of
twenty-three members, seventeen of
whom were farmers. Seventeen
were Democrats. 1t was reported
today that eighteen Of the grand
jurors voted for the indictments.
Jury Chosen I'm April.
The grand jury was chosen in
April, long before the State inyesti-
cation was considered nv the SAN
canon County authorities. That
fact and the number of Democrats
on the jury are pointed out as an
sWers to charges that the indict-
ments were framed" by politicaI
foes of the governor.
what Is considered a hight lieh, |
IN the report OF the grand turv ia
the suggestion that the leEislature
gives its attention to the State treas
urers office with two purposes in |
uev-hrst, to investigate any ir-
regularities that may have occurred |
IN the past and, second, to see N /
leg1slation cannot be shaped that
VIII prevent these conditions from
arising again.
No Limits Set.
The suggestion that irregularities
OF the ONCE be investigated by the
legislature has a deep me4ning. for /.
should the next Legislature vote to 1
Investigate there is no statute OF
limitations to the number of wears
back the investigation can take.
Such an Investigation, no doubt.
would reach back for wear. .nd
cause many a former State treas
urer uneasiness, for Ills an omen
secret that the office has been tbs
most profitable of all state of.cas
in the past
Choice Of Governor.
The next governor. shou,d botb
Gov Small and Lieut.. Gov. Sterling
be ousted. will be one. of three men
Which one. opinions of LAWYERS dif.
fer. The Supreme Court. Of the
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