Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-29
WRITER ANALYZES
FRACTIONAL LEADERS
IN OKLAHOMA ROW
BY j. p. YODER
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal)
Copyright, 1929

NO"PJAAShSi 1O~O'J
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, Sept.
27.-The battle of Oklahoma has de-
veIoped into a matter Of person
alities and procedure.
1t Is evident that Wednesdays
action was merely the first skirmish
in a series that are really working
up to the deciding engagement, and
after a week of actual preparation
for this first test, two points are per-
fectly plain:
The first is that Walton retains
the balance of power by virtue of
his organization and authority. The
second is that the real issues remain
to be brought to a final decision.
Personalities and procedure will
decide these issues. The latter is
contingent on the first and Cover
nor Walton has all the color, at
least, on his side. 1t remains to be
seen whether the persons advising
and close to Walton can win out for
him. His personal cabinet" pre-
sents an interesting variety.
WaIton's Cabinet
First should come Aldrich Blake,
counselor to the governor, and
Judges r. M. Ruth and Joel 3.
Estes, who are on the state supreme
court commission. Blake was with
Walton when the latter was mayor
of Oklahoma City. He always has
been an ardent Walton man. His
wife, a woman of ability, is a mem
Der of the commission which buys
all supplies for the state. Blake is
a lawyer, middle-aged, typical of the
Oklahoma attorney who knows his
state. Ruth and Estes admittedly
are able men but anti-Waltonites
say they are too deeply obligated
to Walton, being his appointees, to
be unbiased. Thcn there is Pat Ma
gle, who was a Cleveland appointee
as sheriff, man of unquestioned
mental ability, a lawyer, who began
as a Democrat, was later a socialist
and is now a Waltonite. He is cred
tied with being Walton's chief strate-
gist. He is about fifty-five and was
u IllCllIOCI VI LILO SLclLC = CO4lSI4INA-
tional convention.
Next come the governors most
vigorous and active supporters.
Charley McCloud, born a Mis-
sourian, A years old, who has lived
here for rs years and who. is proud
of the fact that he has Confidential
ly represented" every governor OF
the state. He is a protestant. He is
head of private detective agency
here.
~ Bad Man for Governor
Buck Garrett, and the men under
him, are the last of Oklahoma's bad
men, with dad" meaning hard
Buck is over 6 feet tall, wears a
packs a Colt on his right hip "for
single work" and an automatic on
his left for it's greater efficiency in
g. gang fight" He was acquitted
once of a charge of murder. He says
he is a detective now and president
of the Southwestern anti-car theft
association, a modernization of the
anti-horse thief organization. He was
eighth sheriff of Carter county.
Colonel Zach Mulhall, whose
daughter is a rodeo girl who can
lasso and hog tie steer in 40 sec
onds, has been a show man, rancher
and live stock agent. He is very
much the calm type of swaggerer
and perhaps even more than any OF
the others-and it is true in more or
less degree of every one of them on
both sides-has been glorying in the
spotlight which the country has
turned this way.
Anti-WaItOn Leaders
or the anti-Waltonites Jess j.
PulIen, of Sulphur, is prominent be-
cause on July Is he started the &C
ton against Walton. Pullen is ~
and he served a year in France in
the eighty-ninth division. He is
earnest, slow talking and an able
Young man who will be heard from
later. He graduated from state uni
versity with an A. B. and LII. b
w. D. McBee has been the guild
ing hand of the meetings here. He
| is,about 45, small Of stature, burned
a ripe brown and quick in action. He
is an attorney of Duncan, and was
once president pro tenn Of the New
Mexico senate.
G B. Stuart is the legal adviser
of the legislators. He is about %, was
| for about Is years federal district
i1dge and has handled some of the
biggest state and federal cases II
the state since resigning. Stuart i
being aided by James r. Tolbert
former state judge, who is about D.
and a member of the legislature.
Tolbert was one Of the first judge!
Of the state and served about ii
years. He is said to be the best con
| stitutional lawyer in the common
wealth. He is strongly anti-Klan.
Banker With Ants
w s. Vernon is a banker o
Coweta. He was born a Virglnla1
about SIS years ago and is an econo
mist YRe is one of the most prominen
men in the state, slow to form opin
ions but a sticker after he has made
up his mind.
w. 1. Cunningham is known a.
one of the hot heads Of the leglsla
ture. He was a violent Walton MAI
until he thought Walton was dis
rupting the state educational sys
tenn" He was born in Illinois, raised
in Kansas and came here ten years
ago.
These men are typical Of Walton''
so-called unlawful mob. They have
suffered so far from lack OF organi
cation and Capitalization Of com
| mand.
Ax,,,v Phvsiical Test