The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-09-17
Oklahoma
in Grip of
Militia
Little Evidence of Martial
Rule, However, and Cities
Remain Quiet-3OO
Troops Modified.
Police Heads Deposed

Oklahoma City, Okl.. Sept. 16.-Im-
position of martial law over Okla
homa moved slowly through the pre-
liminary steps today.
With the exception of Oklahoma
City, the entire state awaited the first
evidences of the coming military rule
proclaimed by Gov. J. c. Walton last
night, as the climax to his fight on
tho Ku Klux Klan.
Troops were modified here, police
authority taken over by the National
guard and q set of regulations gov
erning the city was being prepared
by Lieut.. Col. William H. Keys Of
Wewoka, commanding local troops.
Ray Frazier, chief of police. and
Ed Snelseon. assistant chief, were de-
posed by an order of Lieutenant
Colonel Keys, and Capt. Nelson j..
Moore of the One Hundred Sixtieth
supply company Of Tulsa was placed
in charge Of the department.
Captain Moore Is a police captain
at Tulsa.
800 Troops Under Arms.
Approximately 400 troops are un-
der arms here tonight. At an early
hour none had left the armory ex-
cept two men detailed to patrol duty
at the central police station.
In Sapulpa, county seat of Creek
county, which, with Oklahoma coun-
ty. was placed under absolute mar
tial law" In the proclamation issued
last night by Governor Walton, no
evidence of martial rule had been
seen after day of waiting. Both the
sheriff's office and the police depart
ment were functioning normally and
no troops had been modified.
In Muskogee, recently a center OF
Governor Walton anti-Ku Klux klan
campaign, the condition was the same.
The Naional guard armory was de-
serted and the city was following its
usual Sunday routine.
King Fisher and Caddo counties. in
both of which the governor recently
pushed investigations into the alleged
mob outrages, likewise reported no
evidence of the coming of the milf
. tary.
District Judge George w. Clark OF
Oklahoma City, in whose court
grand jury is scheduled to meet to-
morrow. declared today that the i'm
position of military rule would not
cause him to cancel the call. Judge
Clark asserted that he did not oe-
lieve the grand jury would be pro-
hibited by the military and that he
would convene 1t without asking spe-
cial permission from military authori-
ties.
Illegal Action Claimed.
Special interest has attached to the
grand jury in view of the fact that 1t
was called in response to petitions
charging Governor Walton with using
state employees to check signatures Of
an initiated petition for an election
on constitutional amendment to
grant the state legislature specific
authority to convene without call
by the governor. Sush use Of state
employees, it was charged in the grand
jury petition, is in violation OF the
law.
The question of a special session Of
the legislature has been vexing admin
istration leaders several months. Sew
eral members of the legislature have
declared their belief that the body
has authority to convene itself pro-
vided business other than law making
is considered.
When the agitation became more pro-
nounced last week Governor Walton
issued a warning to members OF the
legislature not to attempt to hold an
. extra session and, threatened ligisla-
tors with Jail for the remainder OF
his term" il they ignored his orders.
Efforts today to communicate with
leaders of the Ku Klux klan failed.
Not one of them could be located.