Austin, Texas, Oct. 19. - (AP) - With the November election regarded as a routine matter as far as major state offices are concerned, Democratic party leaders today centered their attention on the investigation of charges by a legislative committee that James E. Ferguson, husband of Governor Miriam A. Ferguson, received money in connection with the awarding of highway contracts during his wife's administration.

Charges of irregularities in highway affairs, a major issue in Texas politics since Ferguson was ousted as governor several years ago, furnished the basis of one of the hardest fought campaigns in the state's history when Mrs. Ferguson was defeated for re-nomination for governor by Attorney General Dan Moody in a run-off primary.

With the Democratic nomination considered equivalent to election, party leaders carried the highway fight into the special legislative session called last month by Mrs. Ferguson to validate $100,000,000 of state road bonds declared invalid by the United States supreme court. In her proclamation calling the special session, Governor Ferguson invited the legislators "to investigate any state departments they might desire." The legislature adopted a new road bond measure, and before adjournment last week appointed the committee which yesterday began its hearing of the charges of acceptance of bribes by former Governor Ferguson. Winder Testifies Testifying before the committee yesterday, J. D. Winder, road contractor of Bellville, Texas, declared Ferguson told him he could have maintenance contracts in five counties if Winder would pay him $7,500.

"Highway contractors generally understood," Winder testified, "that it would cost them 10 per cent of the contract to get a county-maintenance contract." The witness then detailed his alleged dealings with Ferguson in which he said he refused to pay $7,500 in return for a $75,118 contract.

Ferguson, in a statement last night, declared he did not know Winder. He characterized the allegations as a "political falsehood," and claimed that "every member of the committee is a bitter partisan against me personally, as well as against the administration." Another Is Pardoned As the highway investigation started yesterday, Governor Ferguson pardoned Murray Jackson, one of several men convicted by Moody in a Ku Klux Klan flogging case three years ago. It was Moody's vigorous prosecutionn of the case that brought him statewide attention. Moody, then a county attorney, was elected attorney general two years ago.

Jackson had served one year of a five-year term in connection with an attack on R. W. Burleson, kinsman of formør Postmaster General Albert Sidney Burleson. The victim of the attack was flogged and tarred and feathered by masked men. Governor Ferguson, who declared the klan was responsible for her defeat, said she wanted to "see justice done," regardless of what organization Jackson was affiliated with.

Austin, Texas, Oct. 19. - (AP) - With the November election regarded as a routine matter as far as major state offices are concerned, Democratic party leaders today centered their attention on the investigation of charges by a legislative committee that James E. Ferguson, husband of Governor Miriam A. Ferguson, received money in connection with the awarding of highway contracts during his wife's administration.

Charges of irregularities in highway affairs, a major issue in Texas politics since Ferguson was ousted as governor several years ago, furnished the basis of one of the hardest fought campaigns in the state's history when Mrs. Ferguson was defeated for re-nomination for governor by Attorney General Dan Moody in a run-off primary.

With the Democratic nomination considered equivalent to election, party leaders carried the highway fight into the special legislative session called last month by Mrs. Ferguson to validate $100,000,000 of state road bonds declared invalid by the United States supreme court. In her proclamation calling the special session, Governor Ferguson invited the legislators "to investigate any state departments they might desire." The legislature adopted a new road bond measure, and before adjournment last week appointed the committee which yesterday began its hearing of the charges of acceptance of bribes by former Governor Ferguson. Winder Testifies Testifying before the committee yesterday, J. D. Winder, road contractor of Bellville, Texas, declared Ferguson told him he could have maintenance contracts in five counties if Winder would pay him $7,500.

"Highway contractors generally understood," Winder testified, "that it would cost them 10 per cent of the contract to get a county-maintenance contract." The witness then detailed his alleged dealings with Ferguson in which he said he refused to pay $7,500 in return for a $75,118 contract.

Ferguson, in a statement last night, declared he did not know Winder. He characterized the allegations as a "political falsehood," and claimed that "every member of the committee is a bitter partisan against me personally, as well as against the administration." Another Is Pardoned As the highway investigation started yesterday, Governor Ferguson pardoned Murray Jackson, one of several men convicted by Moody in a Ku Klux Klan flogging case three years ago. It was Moody's vigorous prosecutionn of the case that brought him statewide attention. Moody, then a county attorney, was elected attorney general two years ago.

Jackson had served one year of a five-year term in connection with an attack on R. W. Burleson, kinsman of formør Postmaster General Albert Sidney Burleson. The victim of the attack was flogged and tarred and feathered by masked men. Governor Ferguson, who declared the klan was responsible for her defeat, said she wanted to "see justice done," regardless of what organization Jackson was affiliated with.

Austin, Texas, Oct. 19. - (AP) - With the November election regarded as a routine matter as far as major state offices are concerned, Democratic party leaders today centered their attention on the investigation of charges by a legislative committee that James E. Ferguson, husband of Governor Miriam A. Ferguson, received money in connection with the awarding of highway contracts during his wife's administration.

Charges of irregularities in highway affairs, a major issue in Texas politics since Ferguson was ousted as governor several years ago, furnished the basis of one of the hardest fought campaigns in the state's history when Mrs. Ferguson was defeated for re-nomination for governor by Attorney General Dan Moody in a run-off primary.

With the Democratic nomination considered equivalent to election, party leaders carried the highway fight into the special legislative session called last month by Mrs. Ferguson to validate $100,000,000 of state road bonds declared invalid by the United States supreme court. In her proclamation calling the special session, Governor Ferguson invited the legislators "to investigate any state departments they might desire." The legislature adopted a new road bond measure, and before adjournment last week appointed the committee which yesterday began its hearing of the charges of acceptance of bribes by former Governor Ferguson. Winder Testifies Testifying before the committee yesterday, J. D. Winder, road contractor of Bellville, Texas, declared Ferguson told him he could have maintenance contracts in five counties if Winder would pay him $7,500.

"Highway contractors generally understood," Winder testified, "that it would cost them 10 per cent of the contract to get a county-maintenance contract." The witness then detailed his alleged dealings with Ferguson in which he said he refused to pay $7,500 in return for a $75,118 contract.

Ferguson, in a statement last night, declared he did not know Winder. He characterized the allegations as a "political falsehood," and claimed that "every member of the committee is a bitter partisan against me personally, as well as against the administration." Another Is Pardoned As the highway investigation started yesterday, Governor Ferguson pardoned Murray Jackson, one of several men convicted by Moody in a Ku Klux Klan flogging case three years ago. It was Moody's vigorous prosecutionn of the case that brought him statewide attention. Moody, then a county attorney, was elected attorney general two years ago.

Jackson had served one year of a five-year term in connection with an attack on R. W. Burleson, kinsman of formør Postmaster General Albert Sidney Burleson. The victim of the attack was flogged and tarred and feathered by masked men. Governor Ferguson, who declared the klan was responsible for her defeat, said she wanted to "see justice done," regardless of what organization Jackson was affiliated with.

Austin, Texas, Oct. 19. - (AP) - With the November election regarded as a routine matter as far as major state offices are concerned, Democratic party leaders today centered their attention on the investigation of charges by a legislative committee that James E. Ferguson, husband of Governor Miriam A. Ferguson, received money in connection with the awarding of highway contracts during his wife's administration.

Charges of irregularities in highway affairs, a major issue in Texas politics since Ferguson was ousted as governor several years ago, furnished the basis of one of the hardest fought campaigns in the state's history when Mrs. Ferguson was defeated for re-nomination for governor by Attorney General Dan Moody in a run-off primary.

With the Democratic nomination considered equivalent to election, party leaders carried the highway fight into the special legislative session called last month by Mrs. Ferguson to validate $100,000,000 of state road bonds declared invalid by the United States supreme court. In her proclamation calling the special session, Governor Ferguson invited the legislators "to investigate any state departments they might desire." The legislature adopted a new road bond measure, and before adjournment last week appointed the committee which yesterday began its hearing of the charges of acceptance of bribes by former Governor Ferguson. Winder Testifies Testifying before the committee yesterday, J. D. Winder, road contractor of Bellville, Texas, declared Ferguson told him he could have maintenance contracts in five counties if Winder would pay him $7,500.

"Highway contractors generally understood," Winder testified, "that it would cost them 10 per cent of the contract to get a county-maintenance contract." The witness then detailed his alleged dealings with Ferguson in which he said he refused to pay $7,500 in return for a $75,118 contract.

Ferguson, in a statement last night, declared he did not know Winder. He characterized the allegations as a "political falsehood," and claimed that "every member of the committee is a bitter partisan against me personally, as well as against the administration." Another Is Pardoned As the highway investigation started yesterday, Governor Ferguson pardoned Murray Jackson, one of several men convicted by Moody in a Ku Klux Klan flogging case three years ago. It was Moody's vigorous prosecutionn of the case that brought him statewide attention. Moody, then a county attorney, was elected attorney general two years ago.

Jackson had served one year of a five-year term in connection with an attack on R. W. Burleson, kinsman of formør Postmaster General Albert Sidney Burleson. The victim of the attack was flogged and tarred and feathered by masked men. Governor Ferguson, who declared the klan was responsible for her defeat, said she wanted to "see justice done," regardless of what organization Jackson was affiliated with.

Austin, Texas, Oct. 19. - (AP) - With the November election regarded as a routine matter as far as major state offices are concerned, Democratic party leaders today centered their attention on the investigation of charges by a legislative committee that James E. Ferguson, husband of Governor Miriam A. Ferguson, received money in connection with the awarding of highway contracts during his wife's administration.

Charges of irregularities in highway affairs, a major issue in Texas politics since Ferguson was ousted as governor several years ago, furnished the basis of one of the hardest fought campaigns in the state's history when Mrs. Ferguson was defeated for re-nomination for governor by Attorney General Dan Moody in a run-off primary.

With the Democratic nomination considered equivalent to election, party leaders carried the highway fight into the special legislative session called last month by Mrs. Ferguson to validate $100,000,000 of state road bonds declared invalid by the United States supreme court. In her proclamation calling the special session, Governor Ferguson invited the legislators "to investigate any state departments they might desire." The legislature adopted a new road bond measure, and before adjournment last week appointed the committee which yesterday began its hearing of the charges of acceptance of bribes by former Governor Ferguson. Winder Testifies Testifying before the committee yesterday, J. D. Winder, road contractor of Bellville, Texas, declared Ferguson told him he could have maintenance contracts in five counties if Winder would pay him $7,500.

"Highway contractors generally understood," Winder testified, "that it would cost them 10 per cent of the contract to get a county-maintenance contract." The witness then detailed his alleged dealings with Ferguson in which he said he refused to pay $7,500 in return for a $75,118 contract.

Ferguson, in a statement last night, declared he did not know Winder. He characterized the allegations as a "political falsehood," and claimed that "every member of the committee is a bitter partisan against me personally, as well as against the administration." Another Is Pardoned As the highway investigation started yesterday, Governor Ferguson pardoned Murray Jackson, one of several men convicted by Moody in a Ku Klux Klan flogging case three years ago. It was Moody's vigorous prosecutionn of the case that brought him statewide attention. Moody, then a county attorney, was elected attorney general two years ago.

Jackson had served one year of a five-year term in connection with an attack on R. W. Burleson, kinsman of formør Postmaster General Albert Sidney Burleson. The victim of the attack was flogged and tarred and feathered by masked men. Governor Ferguson, who declared the klan was responsible for her defeat, said she wanted to "see justice done," regardless of what organization Jackson was affiliated with.