Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-01-21

were thrown oui-corrupon and maconduc were openly
charged-hreats Of personal violence and impeachment
made, and nothing left undone to excite preu-
dice and ofesall public opinion against me- At length
committee appointed to investigate the lransaction,
and report subsequent meeting Of the citizens, the
suit Of their Inquiries. which effected by examina-
ton Of witnesses under OATH aud collection and compar
son OF all the facts touching ae case-and the chairman
Of that committee of the stetest integrity and
moral honey-nOt subject the dominion Of low preu
dice and animal exctemenl-a who is universally adj
mired for the possession Of those high qualities of mind,
discrimination and penetrating sagacity after pre-
sentlng The report Of the committee. stated 10 the meeting
that there evidence Of corruption and no ground
Of lmpeachmeni,-but all to purpose. My personal
enemies, still intent upon esciing my ruin. by driving me
to expense which my limited means but lily enable me
to sustain still insisted upon the prosecution Of i'm
parchment, winch has been attempted, and after nves
gaton Of all the facts, has terminated conscious
must in my entire exOneration from the guilt of all the
accusations alleged against me, will be by Perussl
Of the report Of the committee the subject presented by
the Hon. Th0mas S. Sfanfel9-concurrel in by the
House of Representatives, aud which is follows
The committee on the judiciary TO whom referred
the memorial of William G. Ewing and others praying.
that articles of impeachment might be preferred against
George Johnson, Probate Judge of the Allen county Pro-
bate court have had the under consideration and d.
reotod me to make the following report
That they have aenvsly heard the evidence in sup
port OF the charges in said memorial The FIRST [chargel
as follows; At the last term of the Allen circuit court
one Charles Engeman, then being the county Jail under
commitment from a Justice of the Peace was indicted
for stealing h!yeur dollars worth of county orders that
after the circuit court had fixed the amount Of bail at
sl5OO, Judge Johnson the 4th day of November on
the petition OF Engleman ordered writ of habeas corpus
10 be issued for Engieman, upon which he eht
before Judge Johnson between nine and ten O'Clock AZ
night and the amount of bail required by the circuit
reduced to $500, and Eng'eman let to bail recog-
nizance Of one Coniad N that time VIGOROUSLY in
solvent
1t Is true, that Judge Johnson did reduce the bail
IRON $1,000 TO $500, but the committee cannot perceive
mat he was actuaed by corrupt motives. The usual
amount OF oaIl required by the circuit that circuit
Tor such offences has ranged from $3.50 to $500 The
testimony leaves good deal of uncertainty not only as
to the notorety Of Nils insolvency bat as to the fact of
MS insolvency: this uncertainty arise from two
scis the that Mil had been worth considerable pro-
perry but had, some six eight months ago, made
fraudulent conveyance Of his estate 10 his fathern-
law, TO prevent the creditors of a mercantile house in
Fort Wayne. with which he was involved Masking his
property subject to the payment of their claims; the
other that was generally understood about the time
Nh became Engemans bail that he had been discharged
from ALL or nearly all Of his debts without much loss and
Ia that event would be worth about $4,000 that Judge
Johnsons conduct was mprudent and careless of the
public good, there be no doubt he should have
sworn Mil aud examined him upon his oath as TO his
ability TO pay the amount Of his ecOgnizance before he
accepted him as the bail of Engeman The committee,
however, have not been able perceive that he was &C.
tuaed by improper corrupt motives.
The second charge is that Of bribery and i as follows:
some time IN the latter part of February Is45 one
George W. Collar DESTROYS of being appointed adj
minstTator of the estate Of Ebenezer Collar deceased
and 10 induce Judge johnson to give the appointment he
agreed 10 pay him one hundred dollars and did afterwards
give Judge Johnson his promssory notes of $50 each
ms charge supported by other evidence Col
lars. From his in teslifyng; the contradictions
IN his testimony and the very apparent of principle
IN the Witness have induced the committee 10 place but
little reliance upon his testimony
The committee are therefore of opinion that articles
OF impeachment ought be preferred against said
George Johnson apd pray TO be discharged from further
consideration Of the subject"
viii here say few words in relation TO the charge of
bbery-the second charge mentioned in said report and
very few words think will suffice /; was well known
to the persons most prominent prosecuting impeach
ment against me- that had only witnesses the
first charge, Or there was no charge of bribery in the
memorial first presented to the Legsature) and hoping
TO take me unprpared they preferred the said second
charge against me- after of the witnesses had arrived
at the Capitol from Fort Wayne, and this the first
ntmaiion had of the charge and to sustain the same
6ri6sd witness wac produced. who berjured himself in
swearing to the falsehoods mentioned in said report for
IN addition to his manner in testfyng the contradictions
IN his testimony. and the very apparent Of principle
IN the witness, proved before the committee that the
two fifty dollar notes given for another and leg-
mate matter The very charge itself carries its own asiy
on its face, and is too ridiculous 10 merit further COM
ment.
have thus attempted to lay this with all its at
enua circumstances before the pubic, have purpOsely
avoided personaies-a the time that have aimed
to sketch with truth and candor characters If the
descriptions are Inappcabe and msconceived none can
take umbTage-f the contrary the pictures true to
nature, 1t is we'll for such characters should be pointed
out and branded with the mark Of the beast in order
that they may be avoided one would avoid al embodied
pestilence.
And now in conclusion let me say if man must be-
crushed for daring TO discharge his duties earessy and
without regard to feeling favor if must be inn
moa'ed TO satisfy he resentment of arrogant and dom
neenng few, If there merit in Independent thought
and unrammeled action; if honesty of purpose is no
security IN the discharge of official duty, then
Jailed to secure that protection which il has ever been nv
object to merit, and my right to expect and however
ardenty may desire the APPRECIATION Of the public what
ever their verdict may be in the present case whether
be for or whether It be against me- shall nevertheless
have the internal satisfaction of knowing that motives
the Purest nature have uniformly been the moving spring
OF all my official acts. IF at any time may have erred
and who has not 1t of the Judgment and
not connected with the heart but of this do aster
myself shall be able to convince my enemies-they are
resolved have done wrong. and though evidence to the
contrary piled up high heaven, their opinions
would remain unalieIaby the same
Before closing this communication cannot refrain from
rendering to those of my friends whose fidelity and kind
with in the endorsements and difficulties
grateful heart and them that under all crcum-
stances, shall remember with pride and satisfaction the
services they have rendered me- aud con-
nue to cherish therefor sentiments Of the most profound
gratitude GEORGE JOHNSON.
Indianapolis, Jan lsA Is47.
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