Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-18
OKLAHOMA CAPITOL
GUARDED To KEEP
+ LAWMAKERS OUT
Capital City Mayors UIti-
matum Results in HaSty
Return of Police to Civil
Authorities

OhLAftOA1A OlI1 UNA, 0cpt
1-(By the Associated Press.)-The
Oklahoma City police department
taken over by the military late yes
terday, was returned to civil authori
ties today when Mayor o. A. Cacgil
served notice on Colonel w. S. Key
military commander in charge of the
rity, that unless Ray Frazier, chief
Of police, was reinStated at once, the
entire police force would be retiI ed
by the city and the task of policing
the city would be left in the hands
Of the military.
The mayors ultimatum fol owed q
called meeting of the city commits
sion. Orders were issued by the
mayor at the same time 20 the mem
bers of the police force 70 be prepar
ed to leave their posts at 2:30 p. M
unless the department had been re
Atored to the regular authorities. The
mayor declared that should The &C.
lion of Colonel Key in surtsnderlng
military control over the department
be rescinded by Adjutant General
Markham or Governor Walton M
would carry out his pans -: the
walkout and then pat the matter 10
a legal test.
Military Courts Busy
Military courts of inquiry into the
activities of the Ku KIux Khan were
in operation t-day in the two larg-
est cities in Oklahoma, Oklahoma
City and Tulsa.
The Oklahoma City court con-
vened today and summoned as the
first witness Campbell Russell, for
mer chairman of the state corpora
ton commission.
In no other city of the state was
there any indication that military
rule, in effect more than month
in Tulsa, had been extended to all
corners of the state.
Creek county, which, with Okla
homa county oklahoma City,, was
placed under absolute martial
law Saturday night by Governor
J. c. Walton, was still without any
vestiGe of military activity. No
troops had been modified and all
civil authority was undisturbed.
f1uJulttul Gcu6IdI ID. II. N1dTkIldI1l
arrived by airplane from Tulsa to-
day and went at once into confer
ence with Colonel w. S. Key, in
. command of troops here. The adj
jutant general declined to say
whether the state military head
quarters would be transferred here
from Tulsa.
The military court here is COM
posed of Colonel Paul Walker, Col.
E. n. Graves and Major L. H. Har-
rold. 1t has established headquar-
ters in downtown hotel. 1t was
indicated that Russell was called
Preliminary to the actual opening
of an investigation into alleged flog-
gingS executed or directed in Okla
homa county. Machinery of the
court is not yet completed, but the
full force of the investigation is ex-
pected to be in effect tomorrow.
Meanwhile courts throughout the
state, including Oklahoma City and
Tulsa are in session. No interrupt
ton of regular civil procedure in
the state occurred. With the ex-
ception that in Oklahoma City a
special grand jury summoned to
meet today was forbidden by mill
tary authorities.
No formal written order was
made, but military authorities last
night announced orally that efforts
to. convene the grand jury would be
thwarted.
Grand Jury Dismissed
Judge George w. Clark, therefore
called the grand jury but dismissed
It at once. holding the veniremen
for petit jury duty.
The grand jury was to have In
vestigated alleged misuse Of state
funds by the governor who was
charged in a petition circulated by
Russell with having used state en-
ployes. to check signatures on an
Initiated petition for an election on
a constitutional amendment to en-
able the state legislature to con.
vene without call by the governor
Capitol Is Guarded
Meanwhile at the state capitol q
detail of national guards with fixed
bayonets guarded entrances to both
house and senate chambers. No eX'
PLANTATION was made but it was re-
called that Governor Walton reply
ing to a threat of members of the
legislature to meet in extra session
warned them last week that if such
an attempt was made every mem
her who appeared would be thrown
in jail.
No troops were in evidence here
today except those manning ma
chine guns that were an object Of
interest to busy throngs that were
about their every day affairs in the
reighborhood of the city hall. police
station, county courthouse and city
and county jails.
All the remainder Of the approx
mately 800 guardsmen remained il
the armory where they have beer
without interruption since they
were modified late yesterday. NJ
officers except the regular police
force were on the streets last night
The only troop movement in thu
state was noted at Enid where al
artillery company was modified
with orders to proceed at once t.
Oklahoma City. Part Of the com
pany left just before noon and thu
remainder was to follow late today
Light field equipment was taken.
The military court at TulsS
worked today with only one guart
officer present. Captain Looney, act
ing Judge advocate of the state.
1t was said unofficially at militia
nv headquarters that only about 10t
troops were still in the city. Neither
Of the two Tulsa guard units ha!
been called into service.
Governor Walton today arrived
unexpectedly in Henryetta, wher
the state convention of labor is il
session. Statements emanating from
his residence here last night were
to the effect that he would remain
in Oklahoma City.
Few Troops Used
In absence of official statement
of Adjutant General Markham oh
servers here inclined today more
strongly to the belief that but &;
-, Do CnIur,,,, ~