The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-02-12

mo 30 Instructions in the matter.
Dut merely told mo his opinion
/ which bore our my convictions. when
I was In oklahoma Ciiy last Tues
. day ~ attend "a meeting OF the HIS
togicll society.
My enthusiasm In the effort 10
obtain the best grand Jury possible
/ Tor this work." the Judge continued.
made me select tho L.Bt Twelve
men, In my opinion out Of the 4s
which had been summUned All Of
tlogo were good mon OF tho COM
muuIty and had qualified 10 serve
UuI { had the Ratiafaction OF know
IuE thnt / was obtaining a strong
Jury llut according TO the law. I
Huuuld have picked the first ~ who
qualified Instead Of selecting those
who iu my opinion we're best suited
ip Horyc.
Got can From Freezing.
When ] discovered my mistake
! lald tho entire matter before
County Attorney Hepburn and nftor-
ward called Frccling over long dis
tnucc, telling him Of my Intentions.
Monday afternoon Freezing. called
me and asked when waH coming
10 Oklahoma city, evidently think
Ing that ! wished further ~ discurs
the matter with him.
II replied that ! wna golyF 20 ok.
lnhomn GUY Tue dny to attend the
meeting of the historical society and
would no doubt prc him iftorWnrd
but thnt ] was firm In tho b,licf
mat ] should admit my mistrkc and
cudcavor 10 rcotlfy A..
'Iicforc leaving Tor the meeting
Monday nlRht talked with The
count" attorney again. rnI'Hrltiug
my position Aftor the meeting 81
IN" historical HuClcty I .culhd Ht
FrcolnEs hotel and we later drove
ont 10 the capitol n wtI then that
hc rave mo his opinion md IN
formed him that we both roucurrcd
In tho belief that i should discharge
the gr0nd jury.
Il regret that many luginultlous
have been made against my chlrdc-
ter since the unfortunp,o scene In
the courtroom after | dismissed the
JUICY and | believe after the people
think IL over seriously they viii see
that they jumped too haluly e con-
clualons. Most cmphaucnlly do |
deny the charges that 1 have boen
dictated to by state officials or any
one else IN my actions ana 20 prove
that | still am loyal 10 the people, |
am willing to go against my strong
crt convictions, reverse my order
dismisslng the grand jury n" \ allow
II To continue Its invosticn ~.
Hepburn an Old Erii u.
II have nothing against Hepburn,
he has been n lifelong friend of
mine" said Judge Chrf'topher. "lsIt
believe he IN n bit ambitious for
that he took issue with my action.
thinking his opportunity for Rd-
vanccmcnt In the public eye had
come and that he would make the
best Of Il. Certainly there was no
cause for his verbal attack upon me
which has been quoted in news
papers.
II know nothing as TO the results
OF the grand jury's deliberations, cX-
cent that they had Issued two or
three subpoeuaa for witnesses whose
testimony they wanted. And ! had
absolutely no knowledge of the fact
that several state officials we're to
be indicted, as has been intlmnted.
IL was not In the courtroom when
County Attorney Hepburn de.
nounccd my action and ! had no
idea that public sentiment was 20
strongly against me until last night
when | read the newspapers, was
dumfounded at the charges made
against me ana heartbroken that
my efforts TO uphold the law at all
times had been misconstrucd"
Informed that HIS sudden depart
ure from Okmulgcc was being in
terprcted generally rs belng "A de-
airc to escape whatever criticism
might be directed against him, Judge
Christopher replied:
"You tell them that ! was allowed
few days leave OF absence from
as both my wife and little son were
In III health, | brought them here
for n few days sojourn. with friends,
| have done no wrong and will he
back at my bench In Okmulgee Mon
day, when my leave terminates.
Before lcft. there | ordered the
empanolment of new grand jury.
and this will be selected ~Tuesddy
morning as | intended before this
unfortunate incident, unless the
people still wish me 10 withdraw my
decision and allow the old Jury to
renew its deliberations"
He characterized as foolish the
calling OF another grand jury In dis
trict court to investigate affairs OF
the defunct bank, growing out of a
petition drawn up and signed at
mass meeting of citizens OF Okmul-
gee.
Can't Set Aside Order.
Commenting on Judge Christie
piers action In notifying County
Attorney Hepburn that he was will
ing TO set aside his order dsmlssinE
the grand jury, Attorney General
Short said Judge Christopher had
no power TO restore the grand Jury.
Short. who was sent 10 Okmulgee
by the governor to conduct an In
vcstigation, returned to the capitol
today. y, l.. Freezing, the retiring
attorney general, declared that Judge
christopher had told him how he
had selected the members OF tho
grand jury, and that he (F'reellngl
declared the Jury was Illegal. He
said he suggested to the Judge that
he hear the evidence and the law
on tho motion to quash the jury,
and either sustain or overrule the
motion as his judicial Judgment die
tated.
But I would not FOR one moment
offer any suggestion upon a matter
upon which he had 10 pass judicial
ly," added Mr. Freezing, "hut that
In view OF the doubt OF the Legality
Of the jury IL should not function
further, certainly not until higher
courts passed upon IT, There was
no effort to shield anyone.
MY idea was that neither state
nor any individual has any vested
right In any particular citizens or
or Jurors"