Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-15

The affidavit was made at Portland,
Jan. Z. 1t was not read before the
prison board. with which it was filed
by Colonel Nolan.
Rankin Absent. Nothing Done
Absence of Attorney General W. D.
Rankin from the capitol during the
time set for a meeting of the board of
prison commissioners Saturday morn
ing prevented the taking of any action
relating to the prison investigation.
When the board met at 10 a. m..
with only Governor Dixon and Secre-
tary of State C. T. Stewart present,
in addition to stenographers. newspa-
per men and counsel for Mr.. Conley,
the governor stated the purposes of
the meeting, but stated that until the
arrival of Mr. Rankin no business
would be taken up.
Postponed Till Monday
1t was explained by Secretary of
State Stewart that Mr.. Rankin had
been compelled to present himself in
the federal court to argue demurrer
in the case of several oil companies
against The state treasurer. involving
the gasoline license tax, and had re-
quested that the meeting be postponed
until he could get back to the capi-
tol. The meeting was accordingly ad-
journed until 10 a. N. of Monday.
Jan 16
Colonel Nolan thereupon asked if
he could be heard. but the governor re-
fused to hear him in the absence of
Mr.. Rankin Thereupon Colonel No
land said he did not wish to make any
statement but merely desired to file a
paper with the commission. he was
granted that permission and. with in
dicating its purport, fled with Clerk
Swarthout the new Roy Martin affi-
davit.
In his affidavit, which is of consid
cradle length Martin admits having
made the affidavit which was used in
the prison report and said They of
fered to give me my release and they
said they would take care of me if |
did it and that l need not worry be-
cause it would not cause me any
trouble.
As to being paid for furnishing the
affidavit Martin AYERS that:
Given s25 He Says
'They gave ME $40 once, that is Mr.
Potter gave me that and Governor
Dixon gave me So twice and then he
gave me s. at another time"
Martin admitted that he was user
of narcotics. that he smoked opium,
that he was under the influence of mar
cotics at the time he made the first
affidavit and that they" had given
him money with which to buy these
narcotics.
He made affidavit that his original
statement was taken before Governor
NJ II
aid and his stenographer and that the
only answers he made TO questions was
Eyes" or mo"
In long period of questioning. as
contained in his latest affidavit. Mar
tin denied the bulk of the statements
attributed to him in the original expose
affidavit. particularly those relating to
the removal of goods from the prison
store and from the prison garage by
himself and other convicts at the tine
Mr.. Conley relinquished control of the
prison.
He denied, in general, that the things
which were removed We're property
of the state and testified that they be-
longed to Mr.. Conley. He Nerred that
he had not made nlany of the charges
contained in the original affidavit and
that he knew nothing about them.
Full of "Hop," He Says
He said that when the affidavit was
made he signed one sheet of paper and
that the affidavit was not read over to
him prior to his signing. When ssked:
AS a matter of fact You were so
full of hop you didn't understand what
was happening he replied:
Yes. | was--that is true: l will
swear before the Almighty God; | laid
back in the chair; / couldn't hold up
my head; hadn't had any for a little
while and | went strong for It: it
anyone had taken my pulse they would
have found I had an awful pulse. and
also my heart was humping d.
In his affidavit. Martin said he smok-
ed opium every day and when asked