New Britain herald., 1929-01-24
IMPEACHMENT OF
 GOVERNOR GOES ON
Proceedines h &lahani 1urn
 to Staak Room

terest in Oklahoma's involved legis- lation investigations. which already have led to impeachment charges against Governor Henry s. Johnston and hts suspension. today turned to the senate Investigating committee room where there appeared the pros- pect that . mystery witness would reveal the source of newspaper rs- ports and rumors of corruption in connection with the sudden dispersal of an attempted impeachment ses- sion of the legislature last winter.
 The name of the witness. which has been carefully guarded. was given the committee by H. Tom KiGht. Carter county representative and leader of the anti-administra- tive forces. He indicated the man might be able to give the committee some tangible clue upon which to base its inquiry. ...
 The committee. in this investiga- tion. is inquiring into the conduct of its parent body. as 1t was the senate that terminated the December. 1927 session when 1t held that the house had acted unlawfully in convening itself. The senate refused then to support six purported impeachment charges against the governor, the subject of bitter attacks almost since he took office in 1927.
 Determination to call the mystery witness to testify came at the close of day which saw the house and another article of impeachment to the six already voted against Cover nor Johnston, and promise to use greater speed in consideration of three additional charges reported but by it's Investigating committee. : The senate has accepted five of the seven charges.
 Seventh Article
 H., seventh impeachment article charges Johnston with illegal use of the national guard in suppressing the December. 1927 attempted impeach- ment session. Troops were called out to keep the legislators from meeting in the state capitol. but members of { the house later succeeded in meeting in & downtown hotel room.
 This article passed after one of the most determined battles of the pres ent session. Several members con- tended the governor had the power | to call out the national guard, while others held there was no riot or disturbance, and that he exceeded his authority. The measure finally carried 69 to 3s. .
 Because of the lengthy debate which slowed up house business, 1t was decided to limit debate on the articles yet to be conbidered. 2 Evidencs purporting to show that road contractors rallied to the sup port of Johnston when impsach- ment threatened him in 1927. was presented by E. J. Franklin. Tulsa insurance man, who told the senate 7 investigators that he gave . check for $500 ito somebody" to 70 into a fund being made up by road con- tractors to help Governor Johnston in his defense in supreme court case to test the validity of of the ses- sion. The money had been solicited. he said. by two road contractors. whose names he could not recall.
 Franklin's company makes bonds for contractors on many highway construction projects.
 Slack Outstanding
 Q. F. Slack. vice chairman of the State Fish and Game commission. was probably the outstanding wit ness of tho day before the house in- vestigating committee. which h delving into the conduct of numer- ous state departments and officers. He brought the name of Mrs. O. O. Hammonds. confidential secretary to the governor. into the forefront again. testifying she had asked him to ret Tom Johnson. Pushmataha county legislator drunk and obtain from him information which was sought by the administration.
 'I told her didn't want to do it," Ao continued, that ! might get