, 1923-10-02
OKLAHOMA TO
DEFY GOVERNOR
CONTINUED from Page on.)

NSSAAAALA11
enth hour efforts to block the cleo.
ton. will have nc effect. But five
of tho scventy-sevcn counties com
prising Oklahoma have s'grified that
they will obey the governors com.
mand to prevent the election. by
force of arms IL necessary. on
grounds that It will be Illegal.
Arrayed against the executive are
rulings OF the state supreme court.
tho attorney generals department
and the state election board
These held in effect that once
4 called. no mar has the power to
prevent nm election.
Upon this authority. the attorney
general based his orders which were
| telcgraphed all county officials. In.
| s~tructing them TO use every means
10 protect the voters.
To officials IN the five counties,
| and others, W. A. McAlister. secre-
tary of the state election board dis
patched a warning early today that
any persons who interiors with an
election is subject to imprisonment.
Those who attempt to obstruct tho
election will be vigorously prose-
cuted. he declared
NO man. not even tho governor.
ran prevent an election" secretary
McAlister asserted.
Despite the warning. however,
George d. Key. chairman of the
Oklahoma county election board. re-
ported that numerous election off,
Gals have been threatened IN an
nonymous telephone calls and mes
sages
In Oklahoma city. where 1000 cit
liens with special commissions wait
ed on call to aid election officers. a
woman. In whose home the ballot
box for n township is placed. was
warned by an unsigned letter to get
that box out of your house by morn
Ing or something Will happen" In
no case. II wns said. have the threats
been noticed.
A clash narrowly was avoided at
Tecumseh late last night when sher.
If Butter of Pottawatomis county,
with 1875 deputies went TO the court
house TO obtain the ballot boxes for
delivery to election officials. He
was met at the entrance by sixty
armed men said TO have been acting
under orders OF tho county attorney.
structed to shoot 10 kill any ona who
attempted to touch the election sup.
plies.
The sheriff went Immediately be
fore district Judge Hal johnson at
Chandler and obtained an Injunction
restraining any Interference with the
election. Early today authorities
there reported that the election
would be held.
Similar restraining orders were
granted on the petition of citizens
and election officials at Tulsa, Ok.
lahomA City. Enid. Ardmore. Nc.
Alester. Atoka. B~artlesvills and
MadilI.
In these. ana other cities where
special deputies have been commits.
stoned tn protect tho election, It is
estimated that moro than 10000
men arc guarding the polls.
Numbers of special officers direct
ed by Governor Walton appeared Mt
different points In the state yester.
day and attempted TO gain control
OF election supplies. but with ono OK.
ception they dispersed peacably
when ordered away by the civil au.
thorities.
Six men who claimed they were
operatives from tho governors Of.
flee were arrested at Madii for
threatening tho secretary OF the 10.
cal election board. They are to be
heard in court today.
The attitude OF authorities I'm the
five counties where apparently there
Will b. no voting. seems 20 10 sum.
med up in the following statement
from n OF the officials;
Il have two messages concerning
tho holding OF an election IN this
county. one from Governor Walton.
demanding that It not he held and
ono from tho attorney general that
II b. held. I prefer to obey tho or.
ders Of thc governor IN this case"
Governor Wnlton's final attempt ~
stop the election mafhlncry wa