The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1922-03-03
LEGISLATURE TO IN
VESTICATE SERIOUS
CHARGES AGAINST
GOV. |. M. RUSSELL
Girl Who Sues Governor for
Seduction Expected to Tes-
tify; Ally Theodore Bilbo
Others Will Be Heard.

The House of Representatives es.
tabished its determination to inves-
tigate Governor Russell's charges
against the fire insurance agents Mon
day when by a vote of II yeas to Al
nays the motion to reconsider was
tabled. Both factions were surprised
at the voting strength of the probe
advocates which had increased from
the 64 by which the Anderson-Fischel
resolution passed Friday. Speaker
Connor is expected to announce the
special committee of seven this morn
ing.
I will lselect the committee only
from those who voted for an investi-
CATION of the charges made by Gov
ernor RUSSELL" said Mr.. Conner last
night. 81 will appoint only men who
| am certain will conduct a fair and
impartial investigation, who will go
completely into both sides of all the
charges and learn the truth"
The Speaker announced that he
would request the special committee
which will investigate the charges of
pernicious insurance lobby" to al
low newspapers reporters to obtain
complete daily reports of its sessions
for publications, but to bar the at
tendance of the curious public.
The launching of the legislative
probe will bring Miss Birkhead up to
ter her story before the House CON-
mittee an das Governor Russell
against whom the girl has expressed
her wish to testify in substantiat;on
OF her allegation that he seduced her
will doubtless appear in person be-
fore the board of inquiry, the two
PRINCIPALS in the case may soon be
brought face to face. Ex-Governor
Babo may get his chance to "tell the
truth" and the scandal triangle will
be complete.
Considerable surprise was apparent
yesterday when no executive message
was sent out from the center to the
two wings of the capitol. The gov
ernor was heard to declare last week
that he would demand investigation
by the legislature as a whole and
manv confidently expected that he
would send in an Official document
yesterday condemning the committee
probe method.
The debate on the motion to recon-
slider the Anderson-Fischel resolution
was brief. Mr.. Russell, of Copiah
county, who entered the motion last
Friday, took the floor and appealed
to the House not "to fritter awav''
its time with an investigation which
would delay the legislative work a
month or more and be expensive in
manv ways. He asserted that the
legislature has absolutely ignored al
9 the recommendation contained in
Governor Russell's biennial message
and could well afford to disregard
this spce;al message. He added
Il do not approve Of the governors
message and / am willing to vote
to expange that message from the
records with al resolutions which are
related thereto"
Mr.. Alternately spoke in similar vein.
advising against the holding of a leg
islative investigation. The floor be-
gan ealing for vote on the motion
to table the reconsideration motion
or Mr.. Russell and the Speaker d.
rected Clerk Power to call the roll.
The galleries were packed with
eager listeners; these and members
Of the House, as we'll as senator's and
office holders who had crowded in to
get the results of the vote strained
forward intently and listened in i'm
pressive quiet as name after name
was called. 1t was soon apparent that
the probe advocates were far in the
lead and the announcement of the
speaker was needed only in order to
know the extent Of the probers VIC
tory.
The representatives voted as fol-
lows, those voting 'yea" voting
against reconsideration Of the reso-
luton and for the investigation.
Anderson of Madison, Anderson of
Washington, Bailey, Bazzell, Bledsoe,
Blewett, Boone, Burgin, Canizaro,
Capshaw,. Clancy, Clark, Cox Crum-
by, Currie, Curry, Davis. Dinsmore,
Dorrell, Downs, Elliott, Eubanks, Ev-
ans, Ferguson, Fischel, Foster, Garner
Glass of Oahoma, Glenn, Green, Har-
graves, Henderson, Hilzim, johnson
Of Jackson. Kennedy, Lane, Lewis.
Lumbley, Mitchell of Lee. Moran, N.Y.
ers, Ne'son, Nichols. Pate, Posey,
Sheldon, Sherrard, Sillers, Sojourner,
Stocket, Stone, Trammell, Valentine.
Vernon, Walker, Ward, Ware, Wat
kins of Marshall, Watson. Virgins,
Williams of Holmes, Williams of
Neshoba, Williams of Newton. Will
Hams Of Noxubee, Wilroy and Wynn.
For reconsideration: Alexander OF
Sharkey, Abernathy. Brown. Carr,
Coleman of Clay, Coleman of Monroe,
Collins, Cohn, Cowart, Rocker, DAVIS,
Eaton, Finch, Fleming, Gipson. Grf-
fin, House Lee, Loper, May, McMil-
Ian, Measells, Mitchell Of Alcorn,
Moak, Moreland. Murphree, O'Ban-
non, Owen, Pinlington, Rees, Riley.
Russell, Sewall, Smith, Warren,
Vw.AA. VxYsAk .,,.-kL Vo.Ioi1 - W.