Henryetta Daily Free-Lance – 1922 (George Riley Hall, Editor & Publisher)

ROBERTSON IS PAYING  FEES OF WITNESSES

W. J. Peterson, armed with a checkbook, will go to each witness subpoenaed who demanded when served that he be paid his fees and expenses in advance, and write a check for the amount due.

Mr. Peterson who is connected with Governor J. B. A. Robertson’s council, asked the sheriff to take the names of every witness who wanted his expense money in advance so that it might be furnished.

Expenses will be paid at the rate of ten cents a mile, with $1.50 a day for witness fees, statutory amounts. Some of the witnesses are expected to leave tonight or in the morning, while others will not go until Sunday night.

About half of the 65 subpoenas have been served and the others will be served today, where the witnesses are in Okmulgee, but many of the men summoned to court have not yet returned from their vacations. Twenty of the subpoenas are for out of town men.

The hearing on the alternative mandamus writ, which is to determine whether or not the order disqualifying Judge Mark L. Bozarth in the indictments against the Governor will be issued, is expected to take more than the one day indicated. The list of witnesses includes a number of men reported to be members and officers of the Okmulgee Ku Klux Klan officers, newspaper men, and defeated candidates for nomination. Court reports and newspaper files also are to be brought into court.

While Secretary Eastin was on his vacation he visited the big poultry plants at Springfield, Rolla and St. James, Missouri, with a view of getting a line on the business to be used in a campaign among the farmers and others of Henryetta district. In brief, the secretary was assured by a representative of one of the largest poultry buyers in Chicago, who have plants at Springfield and Rolla that his firm would establish a poultry plant in Henryetta providing a sufficient interest in the business would be evinced by the people.

Mr. Eastin also investigated the growing of peanuts, and was assured that if the farmers of this vicinity would grow the Spanish peanut, a market and probably a factory would be established in Henryetta.

Upon his return the secretary gave publicity to the matter through the columns of the Free-Lance, and also presented the proposition to the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce, and again at the luncheon held last Thursday evening, with the result that much interest has been aroused in both projects.

The merchants and professional man have become interested, and are talking poultry and peanuts to their farmer customers and a movement is now on foot to place a competent committee in the field to see every farmer in the Henryetta trade territory, and have them engaged in raising more poultry and the growing of peanuts.

In truth, the project met with such favor among certain ones that they have informed the secretary that a company of local business men were contemplating the organization of a poultry plant, and that if the deal went over this local company would be in as good position to handle every chicken, egg or feather that came to this market as would any foreign concern buying any quantity from a single chicken to a car load.

Mrs. P. A. Phariss, too, in order to encourage the industry writes the secretary that her family is succeeding nicely with a flock of chickens, and invites the public to visit their plant which is now being enlarged. In this letter, Mrs. Phariss states that she has a flock of 177 white longhorn pullets which began laying at four months and fourteen days of age, and that she has brought to maturity 380 head of poultry out of a total of 406 baby chicks, and that she will engage extensively in the business from a point of revenue in supplying the local market, or to furnish her quota to any firm establishing a poultry plant in Henryetta.

Numerous others have called at the Chamber of Commerce for information and say they will then give the matter serious consideration, while President Morgan now has four calls for forty acre poultry tracts.

So much for Secretary Eastin’s vacation visit to the big poultry centers. Now if the people will get squarely behind the idea, there is no question, but that a large and money producing industry can he had right here in Henryetta.

In the matter of peanuts, a number of farmers have already called at the secretary’s office to say they will give this industry as well as poultry liberal attention.

T. J. Stover, of Lamar, was in Friday, and stated that he was now growing five acres of peanuts purely as hog feed, but that he would devote sufficient acreage to this crop next year, and also do his level best to induce his neighbors to go into the crop on a commercial basis. Mr. Stover gave quite a list of farmers of his vicinity whom the secretary has written in interest of the crop. Promising them a Henryetta market for any amount from a single bushel to a car lot shipment, and expects to induce planting of a large acreage.

The matter of putting a special man in the field to work up an interest in these two crops will be worked out at the Tuesday meeting of the board of directors.

Statements by opposing counsel as to the part the Ku Klux Klan played in influencing the indictment of Governor Robertson in Okmulgee County on bribery charges, featured the opening hearing before the state supreme court today of a mandamus action brought by the chief executive for disqualification of Judge Bozarth.

Counsel for governor charged that Judge Bozarth was intimidated by public demonstrations of the Klan at the time the indictment was returned and has ever since been in fear of the organization.

The Ku Klux Klan in Okmulgee County, whatever its faults may be has been helped to the officers of the county in discharging their duties, County Attorney Hepburn, counsel for the governor referred specifically to a parade of the Klan in which it was said 172 robed figures took part and to an airplane which flew over the city at night with the illuminated letters “K. K. K.” on the lower side of its wings, distributing hand bills on which were printed the warning: “officers do your duty or leave the city.”

Governor Robertson renewed his fight in the state supreme court to disqualify District Judge Bozarth of Okmulgee as trial judge in the case in which the governor is charged with accepting a bribe in connection with alleged irregular transactions in state banks of Okmulgee county.

Some eighty witnesses have been subpoenaed by the governor and a mass of documentary evidence is at hand to be offered in support of his contention that the Supreme Court should issue a mandamus writ, disqualifying Judge Bozarth and appoint another jurist to hear the proceedings. An alternative writ was granted when the mandamus petition was filed last week ordering Judge Bozarth to show cause why he should not be disqualified as trial judge.

Judge Bozarth will present his argument to the court next Mondy.

A meeting with the best spirit of any ever held by the Chamber of Commerce is believed by many of the members to be that at the “revival” luncheon at Community Hall last night. The attendance was good. There was a splendid program followed by a general discussion.

Many subjects were talked about in a regular give and take manner. There was lots of good natured raillery, flashes of wit and many happy thrust, but underneath all this gaiety there was a stratum of intention of real hard work in the near future.

Among many other things to be undertaken, as a result of this excellent meeting, is a big campaign for peanuts and poultry.

The advantages and possibilities of both these industries in this immediate vicinity were fully discussed and a determination reached for the organization to get right in behind it and push it to a successful conclusion when Henryetta shall become noted for its vast product in these two lines.

More interest centers in the congressional campaign in the second district of Oklahoma than in any other one district in the United States, according to Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, vice chairman of the republican national executive committee.

“All republicans are interested in the return of Miss Alice Robertson,” said Mrs. Upton. “She has made a place for herself in congress. Her colleagues respect her for her conscientious, independent action. Her district is normally democratic. She has a democratic majority to overcome and to make her task harder, she has for her democratic opponent’s men of Indian decent, and who formerly represented the district in congress. Because of Miss Robertson’s work with and for the Indians she has always been popular with them. She relies on their support.

“Those of us interested in the success of the party see an added reason for desiring Miss Robertson’s election. The party which has done so much for women would not like to see the sixty-eight congress without a republican woman member,” a supporter said. “Personally, I am for Miss Robertson and I expect to work with her and for her in the campaign.”

Street paving and sidewalk construction are both epidemic in Henryetta. Everybody appears to want to live off paved streets and just so do they desire sidewalks built and the fact that the people directly benefitted pay for all this improvement, shows their progressiveness. At a regular meeting of the city council last night there were a number of petitions for both street paving and sidewalks. The most pretentious of these, considering the low price of many lots bordering along the thoroughfare to be paved, was that of the people residing south who petitioned for the paving of South Fourth Street from the south line of Broadway to the north line of South Broadway. The question arose as to the sale of the bonds, owing to the possible limit of the valuation along this thoroughfare and before passing on the petition it was referred to the mayor and city attorney to fully investigate it and to report back to the next meeting.

There was even a greater demand for sidewalks and a number of petitions were presented. One was for the construction of a walk of the north side of East Main Street from the K. O. and G. tracks to the corner of block six. Another was for a large amount of sidewalk in the vicinity of Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Merrick and Cummings, covering a large territory in this section of the city. All these petitions were held up until the mayor can confer with parties who are willing to construct the walks and carry the warrants issued for payment therefore. This will probably be arranged and work on these walks begin soon.

Improvements of all kinds are constantly being considered by the council or brought to it by the people. At the close of the meeting last night Councilman Wells sprung something new and it was informally discussed. He is in favor of a bond issue for the securing and improvement of an athletic park. He argues the many advantages to accrue to the city by the possession of such a park. He showed how it is now that football teams from small places are becoming the champions instead of the teams from the big cities. He wants the Henryetta boys to have every advantage in this direction. Then, too, Henryetta will probably always have a team in a baseball league their success this year indicating still bigger company for Henryetta in the near future. No action was taken but the subject will be well considered by the mayor and the members of the council.

Petitioners for paving a part of West Division Street were again before the council last night insisting on hurry-up action. The mayor said he wanted to talk with more of the property owners along that street and would hold the matter up until he had an opportunity to do this. The only drawback now is the danger of having the street torn up through bad weather.

A number of estimates on the public work now in progress were allowed and a board of appraisers was appointed to apportion the cost of the Main Street paving.

The mayor appointed Mrs. W. B. Hudson and C. J. Pinkston as members of the library board. The nominations were confirmed by the council.

The mayor reported that the water mains have been extended to the West Lawn cemetery and a hydrant will be placed inside. It was the opinion of the mayor and the councilmen that no charge for water should be made the lot owners in the cemetery.

We shall be done with the parking in the center of Broadway was a question raised by the mayor last night. It was finally determined to sow the parking’s down in Beruinda grass and place a row of trees through the center.

Tom Sanders and other property owners residing near the cemetery, in addition, asked for a roadway through a part of the recently acquired additional ground for cemetery purposes. The matter went over for further consideration but the prayer of the petition will probably be granted.

The reports of all the city officers were received, approved and filed. That of the mayor, acting as police judge, showed fines collected for the month of August to be $1,163.95, the month of the city’s existence.

Mayor Hawes called attention to the fact that the 

city has been paying $4.75 for each light on the white way while the company is charging $3.25 for street lights. The mayor was of the opinion that this price should be reduced now. During the life of the five-year contract that difference of $1.50 between that charged for the white way lights and the ordinary street lights has amounted to $3,700 or $3,800 which the mayor believes has fully paid for the equipment and the company now having received this the price should be lowered as the equipment is all paid for. The council adjourned to Monday night, Sept. 11. At which time the contract for the paving of Gentry Street will be let.

Otto Ballenger, a miner aged about 30 years, was severely hurt late Friday afternoon at the Warden mine by a fall of rock. He is at the Henryetta hospital suffering a fracture of the lumbar vertebra.

Dr. Breese, the attending physician, said last night that hope of recovery is slight. The man was married about a year ago.

FRISCO TRAIN HITS FORD

About 6:00 o’clock yesterday evening Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Sims residing in the Gilliam addition were crossing the Frisco tracks on South Fourth Street when their car was struck by a northbound freight train. Both of them, together with a young man named Noland, were thrown from the car but, other than a bad shake up followed by a bit of nervousness, all escaped injury. The car was a wreck. Dr. Breese was called but they were soon able to go on to their home.

EDITOR'S NOTES

G. G. Bates of Tulsa, is in the Henryetta on business.

C. C. Church, of Tulsa is in the city on business.

Roy Brown is ill at his home, 808 W. Trudgeon.