Ewe Lamb Rebellion

Governor Henry Simpson Johnston of Oklahoma, who used to lecture on the religious aspects of the Ku Klux Klan, is a profound student of ritualism, spiritualism, occultism, etc. One day he found a Mrs. 0. 0. Hammonds, who could plumb the depths of Rosicrucian* philosophy, with him. Together they plumbed (TIME, March 7, 1927).

Mrs. Hammonds became Governor Johnston's confidential secretary and a power in the state. Her high-handed tactics with lesser politicians caused the Oklahoma Senate to demand her dismissal. At that time, Governor Johnston described her as a "ewe lamb about to be delivered into the gaping mouths of political wolves." Mrs. Hammonds held her post, and the phrase stuck. Last week's trouble in Oklahoma was promptly labeled The Ewe Lamb Rebellion.

It was more serious than that. The Oklahoma House drew up ten articles of impeachment against Governor Johnston and quickly passed five of them. With the anti-Johnston forces holding the whip hand, it was practically certain that the remaining articles of impeachment would be passed. The next step would be the suspension of Governor Johnston from office and his trial before the Senate court on charges of general incompetence, official corruption and moral turpitude. The step was taken by a vote of 38 to 5. Automatically Lieutenant-Governor W. J. Halloway became Governor, pending trial of Governor-Suspend Johnston.

In detail, some of the charges against Governor Johnston were:

Unwarranted authorization of interference by state militia with a legislative session which started impeachment proceedings against him, last year.

Unlawful issuance of deficiency certificates for the Banking Department.

Issuance of a pardon for Dewey Crosthwaite, convicted murderer of School Teacher Thelma Lovejoy. Governor Johnston said that it was "the greatest mistake of my life."

Mrs. Hammonds, when asked about The Ewe Lamb Rebellion, last week, said: "I have not thought about it." But L. Howell Lewis, astrologer of Oklahoma City, revealed that Governor Johnston had consulted him frequently during the impeachment proceedings. Astrophysical phenomena can cause no end of things "from short skirts to foaming-at-the-mouth legislatures," said Mr. Lewis. Perhaps he was thinking of two Oklahoma legislators who paused in debate, last fortnight, to threaten each other with paper cutters.

Governor Johnston denounced the impeachment proceedings as "an example of Mexican politics by a legislature not quite brave enough to commit physical assassination to get me, but scarcely less reprehensible." He has been under fire ever since he took office in 1927.

Oklahoma is no stranger to impeachment matters. In 1921, Governor J. B. A. Robertson's impeachment case was dropped when the House came to a tie vote. In 1923, Governor Jack C. Walton was impeached and ousted from office.

*Secret sect which claims to understand the mysteries of Nature; founded in Europe, 1313.