Imperial Valley press., 1925-08-25
Threats Fly And
Feeling Is Tense
As Storm Breaks

Following months Of repression,
the political storm rhat has been
brewing beneath the surface in I'M
perial County, broke with fury late
yesterday afternoon, when the grand
Jury summoned numerous citizens
who have been active in obtaining
signatures to the recall petitions
against Judge M. w. Conkling and
District Attorney E. r. Utley, de
manded and obtained original copies
Of two of the petitions and is today
holding the petitions for an investi-
cation regarding the manner in
which some Of them were obtained.
Irvine Not In Jail
Excitement is running high with
threats being made by the recall adj
vocates. The recall petition
against District Attorney UtIey was
to be filed today, according to ~
statement made Yesterday to the
Press by Mark Rose, director of the
Imperial Irrigation district However
the action of the grand jury in seiz-
ing the original petitions, has pre-
vented this action being taken.
Contrary to a rumor current in
Holtville, Irvine is not in Jail, has
not been in Jail. and apparently is
not to be in Jail, as he informed
Press representative thi s morning
that he had produced and turned
over to the grand jury two of the
original petitions.
Charges Are Made
The first intimation that HsOme-
thing was up came Yesterday aft
ernoon when the grand jury assem-
bleG at the county courthouse The
purpose of the meeting was unknown
but well founded rumor stated that
the meeting was called to invests
gate the signatures being obtained
on the recall petitions, Charges
that subterfuge and misrepresentae
ton have been used in obtaining
signatures, have been openly made
by those opposed to the recall and
the presumption is that these charges
were being investigated by the
grand jury.
Shortly after the meeting got
under way, Il batch of subpoenas
drawn against various citizens who
have been active in the recall, I'M
Guiding John West. B. d. Irvine. d.
T. HARRISON, Mark Rose and Ira
Aten, were turned over to the sher-
if S office for service.
DEMAND ORIGINALS
. In q statement made to the Press
this morning, partly by HARRISON
and partly by Irvine, it was charged
that the grand jury demanded that
the original Signatures for the recall
against the district attorney be
turned over to them. HARRISON and
Irvine refused to do so, offering to
turn over duplicates of the sigma
lures. This was not satisfactory to
the grand jury, which demanded the
originals
Irvine, accompanied by deputy
sheriff. left the grand jury room,
presumably to go to the headguar-
ters of the American Conservation
club i'll Imperial, to obtain the orig
inal petitions. When he arrived
there the petitions could not be
found, Irvine returned to Ell Centre
and reported the facts to the grand
jury. He was then informed that
unless he produced the originals he
would have to go to jail. (That is
the statement made to the Press
this morning by Mr.. Irvine.) .a
In Session Late
The grand jury was in session un-
til late last evening and thea adj
i0urned until 10 o'clock this morn
ing mt which time Irvine was to
produce the originals of the petitions
That he did produce two is evident
from the statement he made to the
Press representative.
Sheriff Gillett, Judge Conlsling
ana District Attorney Utley all We're
Continued oG page six