The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1923-10-27
USED
OF |Ne
e CHARGES INCLUDl
PORT LAUNCHED IN
TESTIMONY WILL BE
Governor Accused Of Using office for
His Personal Gain-Martial Law
Episode Forms Large Part Of
Plea for impeachment.

OhldHomd Clty, Okld-A ueldy xin
the impeachment program of the state
legislature was seen when the lower
house voted to have read all the tes-
timony received by its committee of
Investigation and impeachment be-
fore voting. ON the acceptance of the
committees report. 1t was estimated
that several hundred Thousand words
were included in the voluminous tram
scripts from which the testimony will
be read. ,.N
The report charging Gov. Walton
with wilful 7eglect of duty. incom-
potency, corruption in office, and Of
fenses involving moral turpitude, was
submitted today to the lower house
by it's committee on investigation ana
Impeachment.
The reports sets out % specific
charges in support of the general ac-
cusation. Among the more important
are:
That the governor used the authori-
ty of his office for his personal finan-
cial gain.
That he abused the pardon and pa
role powers vested in him in order
that his friends might collect "lucra-
tive fees" for obtaining the release Of
persons in the state penitentiary.
That he collected sum of money
by threatening to veto an appropria-
tion for a state school passed by the
legislature.
That he submitted false report OF
his expenses in the eleekion campaign,
That he had his personal chauffeur
placed ON the payroll of the state
health department.
That he dispersed by use of military
forces, grand jury legally called to
inquire into his official acts.
That he placed portions of the
state. and later the whole state under
martial law, when no need existed,
and that during the period of martial
law he suspended the privilege of the
writ of habeas corpus and placed a
censorship on the press.
That he has caused large number
of persons" to be placed on the state
pay roll although such persons "ren-
dered little or no service" to the
state.
That he issued two deficiencies GER
tificates totaling $4,000 in violation
of law.
That he appointed many special Of
fioers and attempted to authorize
such persons to carry arms" without
legal right to do so.
That he had refused to permit the
death penalty for crimes committed
within the state
A bill of impeachment, attached to
the report, set out in detail the va
rious charges against the executive.
The impeachment bill charged Gov.
Walton with having entered into an
agreement and arrangement with e.
W. Marland, president of the Marland
Oil & Refining Company, by which
Marland purchased 100000 in notes
given by the executive on residence
he purchased here in May. This trans
action was declared "wilfully corrupt
in that, as chairman of the state board
of equalization, the governor was
placed under "great financial obliga-
ton" to Marland, who was described
as "having taxable wealth to the ex-
tent of several million dollars"
The bill charged that the governor,
after the legislature appropriated
funds for the Oklahoma Preparatory
School at Tonkawa, entered into
conspiracy with one Val Gardner and
other persons to compel citizens OF
Tonkawa, who were interested in the
maintenance of the school, to raise
and pay over $4,000 to obtain the ex'
ecutive's approval for the appropria'
tion bill
Two deficiency certificates were is
sued by the executive, the impeach-
ment bill charged, with no difficulty
existing, and there was, on that ac-
count. no legal grounds for the issu-
ance of the certificates. These GER
tificates were declared to have been
for $40 900 in favor of the state health
department and $4,000 for negro or
nbans' home at Taft