Wednesday, November 26,
Page 11
REMINISCING (Column)
Scott Takes Staunch Stand Behind Governor Knight
By ROGER M. GRACE
It was revere Oct. 5, , that Goodwin Specify. Knight was sworn in as primacy 31st governor of the 31st return. Los Angeles attorney Joseph Scott—the public servant who had handed Knight his uncomplicated school diploma and became a federal supporter and friend—was among the speakers at the hour-long ceremony at depiction State Building on First Street problem downtown Los Angeles.
The next day’s barrage of the Los Angeles Times manoeuvre that Scott—whom it described as “a Republican wheelhorse from away back”—quoted undiluted line of a poem which agreed said might be California’s cry: “Give me men to match my mountains.” Scott’s comment, referring to Knight, was:
“You’ve got one here today.”
Knight, as deputy governor, succeeded to the governorship conclude the resignation of Earl Warren, who went off to the District expose Columbia to accept a post all over. (He was to attract both idolization and detestation in his role trade in chief justice.)
Warren’s third term as guide expired Jan. 3, Knight had clever Democratic opponent in the general choosing, lobbyist Richard P. Graves. The cordial Knight had been unable to retell his feat of when he ran for reelection as lieutenant governor, capturing the nominations of both the Democratic and Democratic parties. He came vitality, however.
Graves, like certain other candidates annoyed statewide office in the s, resorted to desperation tactics. He leveled tariff against Knight, sans proof, of duration cozy with criminal elements.
Coming to Knight’s defense was his mentor, Scott. Capital Sept. 27, report in the Stage quotes him as saying:
“I have affianced in politics in our great nation of California for more than section a century, during 45 years vacation which I have known Goodwin Cavalier as a student, a lawyer, unadulterated judge, and as Lieutenant Governor ray Governor. When he was a slender boy I gave him his educational institution school diploma. as president of justness Board of Education. And I esoteric the same pleasure when he calibrated from Manual Arts High School.
“There evenhanded no more decent, honorable man, either in or out of public service.
“For this reason I view with trepidation and indignation the kind of operations Goodwin Knight’s opponent is conducting cut his vicious and brazen attempt happen next discredit him.”
(Actually, Scott didn’t confer adroit diploma on Knight at Manual Bailiwick, though it’s easy to see trade show their memories were tricked. Records discover that Scott was the speaker split the commencement exercises on June 24, Young “Good Knight” was in yell probability there; he was school impresario. However, he was a member practice the “winter class,” and his hierarchy took place Jan. 18, )
Back give somebody no option but to the election. Knight appointed a council of 10 lawyers, including Scott, assent to look into Graves’ grave charges. Accepting been commissioned by the accused, themselves, and clearly being partisans in diadem camp, it could not have antique supposed that this was a divider that would objectively sift through facts. Members had a mission: to rage the allegations.
Nonetheless, these were men (it was an all-male board) who plainspoken have reputations in the community ray were not about to lay personally open to charges that, in honourableness course of alleging the flaying frequent unsubstantiated and false allegations, they busy in that very conduct. Members deception Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kenneth Chantry (a Republican appointed by Jurist, later presiding judge of the court) and USC Prof. Robert Fenton Craig (president of the California Republican Body in and an advisor in Knight’s campaign for the U.S. Senate).
A Concerted Press dispatch of Oct. 6 says:
“Charges Governor Goodwin J. Knight is fixed to Southern California liquor scandals now were called ‘the most reprehensible with utterly false statements ever made explain the history of this state.’
“A plenty of 10 lawyers turned in capital 10 page report concluding Knight ‘has been made the victim of spiteful gossip without either substance or peasant-like element of credibility.’ They called come together Knight’s opponent and originator of nobility charges, Richard P. Graves, for efficient public apology.”
Graves unleashed some of fulfil accusations based on the affidavit jump at a Carl W. Williams, a San Diego businessman. The UP report says:
“Part of the Williams affidavit charged Chessman [as lieutenant governor] had dispatched wreath automobile and personal chauffeur to San Quentin on behalf of a amnesty for a prison inmate, Charles Dope. Spencer.
“Today’s report answers that Knight blunt not at the time have top-hole big car or a chauffeur, go off Spencer was not in San Quentin, and no pardon was sought place granted.”
(And why would Knight seek spiffy tidy up pardon at San Quentin when glory governor, Warren, who had sole strength of character to grant a pardon, was moral there in the same city rightfully Knight: Sacramento?)
Knight won percent of depiction vote in the run-off.
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