The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-03
KLAN HELPING CHARGE
Judge, Disqualified, Says In
visible Empire Is Organizing
Jury for Bribe Trial
CRiTlCizES CHIEF JUSTICE
Harrison Overstepped Au-
thority in Naming Edwards
by Illegal Means, Claims

iiy the Associated Press.
ADA, Dec. Judge ]. w. Bolen
of the Pontocoo county district
court IN which is docked the
bribery case against Gov. ]. B. A.
Robertson of oklahoma. issued
statement tonight declaring that his
observations convinced him that
n republican county attorney out of
n spirit OF PERSONAL ambition and
heediessIy driven along by nn ardent
prejudice, was being industrioualy
assisted by tho ku-Klux Khan 10
deHpoil the good name and character
of n democratic governor"
Judge Bolen outlined his reasons
for adJournlng his court until next
April. despite the fact that the gov-
ernor's trial Is set for December IL,
and declared he had conaiderabie
evidence that convinced him that the
Ku-KluX Khan was organizing a
jury to try the governor.
Edwards Falls To Arrive.
Special Judge Thomas A. Edwards
of Cordell. who has been assigned
by Chief Justice John B. Harrison
Of tho state suprems court TO hear
the governors case, failed TO arrive
here during the day 10 cal! Hpe-
court, AZ IL had boon thought would
be necessary. IL developed today
but Judge Edwards was assigned
by Chief Justice Harrison TO sit at
special term of thos distrlc. court
ana that when the last hearing In
the case was ended here last Mon
dny, Judge Edwards special term
was adjourned until December ~.
II adjourned ths term OF district
aatpl Ntgtt thntif nhHntflflnp mr. In fnt
ing either side and the defendant or
his attorneys had no more TO do with
IL than the states attorney" Judge
Bolen's statement said.
II had no intimation that the case
was coming here until the order WAS
made sending It here and tho irnpu-
tation of the order of the chief JUS
tice was very unfair and unauthor-
lied In this regard.
Harrison Exceeded Power.
Chief Justice Harrison issued
temporary writ OF prohibition, O
writ unknown TO law, without tho
Jurisdiction or the court bo\g in
voked by any kind OK a written
motion or affidavit. filed n motion
TO dissolve this and apparently IL
was plgeonholed and then an order
made assigning Judge Edwards
here. cioth!Gs him with exclusive
Jurisdiction TO try the Robertson
case. Such an order Is absOiutelY
Unauthorized under law and is
something new in judicial pro-
cedure in Oklahoma.
III the chief justice has a right
TO confer exclusive jurisdiction In
the Robertson case on some assigned
Judge. then he has the right 70 con-
fer exclusive Jurisdiction 70 SONS
Judge In every ease on the dpck ket,
ana II this pretended power was ex-
ercised II would operate as prac-
teal removal OF all district judges
who were affected.
Fortunately the law gives ths
people the right Of local self-goverp-
ment and 70 select the Judge who
shall try the case and this authority
Il not given 20 the chief justice OF
the supreme court, but to the peo-
pie. Therefore, IN my opinion this
order waB an invasion OF tho SOW
crcignty OF the court Cf this judi
Cial district and destructive TO local
government and lnasmuch az
he people had assigned me 20 try
their cuRea on the Ada docket.
felt that ] would not be an American
II did not resent this invasion Of
their sovereignty, and primarily
this spirit OF resentment and pro-
tectlon OF the right OF local self
CONTINUED on PAGE FDuH