Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-03-22 | Page 3 | Accuse Governor in Pardon Issue

ACCUSE GOVERNOR IN PARDON ISSUE By Universal Service. DES MOINES. Iowa, March 21. The greatest political sensation in Iowa's history his-tory came today when, at the Iowa house judiciary committee's investigation investiga-tion of the Rathbun pardon case, it was charged that $5000 was paid an attorney to buy the pardon o Ernest Rathbun from Governor W. L. Harding. William Rathbun, Ida county farmer, swore in an affidavit that he gave his attorney. George Clark, the money for the expressed purpose of delivering It to the governor for the pardon of his son. The affidavit was presented as evidence evi-dence by Attorney General H. M. Have-nir Have-nir and was dated February 25, 1S19, and dictated in the presence of five other members of the Rathbun family. The Rathbun pardon had. previous to today's charge, brought threats of impeachment im-peachment against the Iowa executive, and. though no evidence had been presented pre-sented to show that the SdOOO was ever paid to the governor, it was reported tonight to-night action to unseat him would now be brought. Governor Harding tonight branded as "utterly preposterous" any Intimations that tie had acted corruptly in granting the pardon.