The free press., 1923-09-27

seeking his Impeachment is prohib
tied BY Governor Walton on the
ground that more than a majority
of the house are members of the
Ku Klux Klan.
; He has proclaimed the proposed
session an Illegal assembly, de-
claring it would be dominated and
controlled by the ku Klux Klan.
This the Legislators deny, declar-
ing they are within their rights in
calling the meeting in an attempt
to "restore constitutional govern
ment and end executive despotism."
Thirty-five thousand volunteers
are ready for service if the present
strength of the national guard is
insufficient to manage the siuation
the governor said last night.
Sixty-three signatures h&o ,een
attached to the call for the session
quarter OF an hour before the
time set fcr convening. Fiftyfour
constitutes majority of the house
j. NJ Thompson, of Garvin. ano
j. & Windle added their names TO
the call after arriving at the state
house.
The cali for the session had been
formally filed with the secretary of
state five minutes before noon. It
bore 65 signatures.
! Colonel R A. Sreed, secretary of
state, declared he would file the
state where it will be part of the
document in the archives of the
state history-"the most glorious
public document in the history Of
Oklahoma, new Magma Charta of
American liberties and re-dedica-
tion of the state to the principles
, of constitutional government.
With the atmosphere charged to
a fever pitch, Charles S. Brice,
speaker pro TEN Of the house, had
attempted to call the house mem
bers to order.
Brice had barely realised his voice
and said: Gentlemen of the house"
when Colonel Keys stepping up,
broke in and in a loud voice called
on every one in the crowd to remain
1 mOtiOnleSs.
| He than read the order prohib-
, iting the session.
| When Colonel Keys had completed
, his reading. D. A. Stovall, OF
X. Hugo, representative from Choctaw
county, asked the military comman-
, der ''if he had the full force OF the
state national guard behind the
order" Colonel Key made no re-
ply.
W. f. Disney, representative
from Muskogee, then asked if the
gathering was being dispersed "as
a legislature or as individuals"
"You are being dispersed as
| legislature" Colonel Key responded.
Change Hotels. ~
Members of the legislature went
from the capitol to their headquart-
ers in local hotei. They were
met by about ten of Governor Wal.
tno's armed operatives in civilian
clothes and were informed there
could be no session of the house Of
representatives in the hotel House
leaders of the movement lett I'M
mpdiatply for amt ha~ hotal
Reads Military Orders.
! Colonel William S. Key, military
! commander Of Oklahoma county at
11:58 this morning read to mem
bers of the lower house, the order
of Governor Walton fordidding the
assemblage of "any or all members
of the legislature during the pre-
sent period of unrest"
He ordered the Legislators to dis
perse Immediately, and refused to
amplify or explain his order in any
manner when approached by lead
ers of the lower house.
The lawmakers began to disperse
Immediately without any show Of
resistance to the order of the mill.
tary commander.
AT l2:O5 p. M, all of the legis-
lature had left the corridor outside
the house chamber and the miiitass
were alone u comnapd of tie
building: VI.