Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-20
TRIAL WAS FARCE,
SAYS GOV. WALTON,
IN bOLT|NC COURT
Executive to Appeal to Fed
eraI Tribunal Senate Vote
on Impeachment Proceed
ings Likely Monday

day, when the executive, ufOpplnS
bombshell into the senate court, an
nounced that he could no longer
bear up under the humiliation of an
unfair trial." and walked out with
his counsel from the court room.
The executives departure came
few hours before the time set for
the prosecution to rest and on the
eve of his expected presentation OF
evidence in defense of charges OF
moral turpitude, neglect of duty,
corruption in office and incompe'
tency.
The withdrawal gave strong evil
dence that a final vote of acQulttai
or conviction would be obtained late
Monday.
The governors unexpected leave
taking precipitated a scene unprece-
dented since the trial opened. Fin
ishing a short statement, in which
he announced his intention, the ex.
ecutive turned and with his wife on
his arm, walked the length of the
senate chamber to the door, the
members of his counsel following.
Court members, amazed at the
move, watched the departure in
silence, while the prosecution stared
at the empty chairs around the de-
Tense table.
The governors party had almost
reached the door when Senator
Charles Z. Mcpherson, of Durant,
moved that the trial proceed.
The silence which had gripped the
chamber suddenly became a tumult.
TIL cry, go ahead!' went up on
all sides.
But before the prosecution could
continue it's Interrogation Of Aldrich
Blake, the governors former conf
Dental adviser, who was on the
stand, a motion was made to en-
power the court to appoint counsel
for the executive, but was voted
. down after numerous senators had
declared that his departure gave evil
lence that he did not wish repre-
SEP tation.
Near Fight Brings UprOar
., ring this argument Senator
ON Anglin, of Holdenville, presi-
eat pro tempore, declared that Tom
Neal member of the governors
counsel, had asked that. all defense
.'~DpOanas for witnesses be dis
missed.
4. L. Sprague, enc Of the govern
OF attorneys who had tarried at
door, declared he did not believe
lat Neal had made such request.
Anglin Sprang from his seat and
dashed madly at Sprague. Observ'
ers OF the !. cident declared Anglln
hurled some object at the attorney
that fell to the floor with a crash
like breaking glass, but Dick Lou
tEan, chairman of the senate, and
several members of the court, assert
Fat Anglin, in his haste, had merely
knocked the object from desk.
Senators and sergeants-at-arms
sprang between Anglin and Sprague
: and the session broke up in hasty
recess, amid pandemonium.
Senators gathered in excited
groups or milled about the chamber,
and second threatened clash was
narrowly averted when friends in
terposed in an argument between
Senators A. E. Darnell, of Clinton.
and John Golobie, of Guthrie.
The governors withdrawal came
soon after his counsel had failed in
a determined effort to introduce
what appeared to be a Ku Klux
angle into the testimony dealing with
the charge that, the executive had
Illegally appointed a large number
of known criminals and irresponsible
persons as special state police.
Blake, under crOSS-eXamination,
was asked why the governor had
found it necessary to increase the
number of special officers just be-
fore martial law was declared as q
part of his fight on the khan. Prose-
cution objected and was sustained.
The defense then attempted to
read into the record of what it in
tended to reveal by the question,
but court members objected and
were also sustained.
Senator McPherren then moved
that all testimony taken in support
of the charge be quashed. He based
his suggestion on the statement that
. the appointment of special state po-
lice was in violation of law and that
since the defense had admitted this
all other testimony was unnecessary.
His motion, he explained. was in
tended to save time.
Both the defense and prosecution
objected, but the court voted to ex.
punge the testimony and to pass to
the next charge.
AS the vote was announced, Gov
ernor Walton arose and in an even
voice told the court he had decided
to leave.
II have been sitting here fighting
for my rights, for my honor and for
my home for ten days." the execu-
tive said.
81 don't here wish to criticize any
of these honorable members. Some
Of them no doubt want me to have
fair trial, but I have reached the
conclusion that | cannot have a fair
trial in this court. knowing that.
am withdrawing from this room.
don't care to stand this humilia.
ton any longer for myself, my fam
lily or my honorable attorneys. You
may proceed as you see best"
All of the remedies afforded by
federal courts 'for a fair and i'm.
partial trial under the. law of the
land" wiz be resorted to by Gov.
ernor Walton, statement author
lied later by the executive and his
counsel declared
mo actual trial was in progress
the statement asserted. 1.-The i'm
parchment proceedings" of the last
III days were characterized as "only
a thinly yelled form of a trial in
which he was denied of all of his
legal rights"
Brief testimony was introduced to-
day in support of the charge that
the governor had attempted to block
the special state election, October 2,
In brief statement issued after
Governor Walton had bolted the
trial, w. E. Disney, chief of the
prosecution counsel, declared the
executive had run true to form"
: He got in tight place and
ducked," Disney said. ''This was
expected. He has made similar
moves in every crisis in his his
torAa1