Daily national Democrat., 1859-08-10

(oe"''y . statement concerning the Supreme
court Bribery case. From this card we Sc.
iect the statements made to Mr.. Beatty bv
different gentlemen of we'll known veracitv
We ask for these statements careful nern-
sal
JUDGE TEREYs STATEMENT.
came to Sacramento to be sworn in abopt
the 18th day of November, 1865. Either Nm.
on that day or within few davs tberooGnr
Judges Heydenfeldt and Murray consulted
me about the legality and proprietv of expell
ing Mr.. Latham from the Bar. Both those
gentlemen being present, one of them q
thlnk Judge Heydenleldt was principal
| spokesman stated that Mr.. Latham had Got
into Conversation with Mr.. Beard. made
some inquiries about Boards friendship with
the members of the Court, etc. then smoke
OF the case of Davidson VS.. Gorham told
Beard the authorities were about equally di-
vided the case might well he decided either
way without any violation of principle. and
that he would be willing to pay 5000 for II
favorable decision to his client Beard re-
ported this conversation to Murray. Hev.
denteldt called on Latham for an explanation.
Latham did not deny having offered the
money to Beard, but said it was oifered-not
to influence the decision of the Court, but as
an lndueement to Beard to procure an early
decision and give him information of the
character of that decision in advance Of its
being made public. Upon this statement of
lieydenfeldt the three Judges loere undai
mo"Sly Of the opinion that on Lathaa's own
statement he deserved erpulsion from the bar
But statute had been passed in 1851 (Judye
T. spoke of it as the "Field Statute0 attempt
ing to restrain the Courts in their power of
expulsion. The only question among the
Judges was as to how far the inherent power
OF the Court to protect itself would enable
them to go hey ond the letter of that Act
1t was further stated in the same eonver-
sation that the Court had not acted on the
matter when Beard first reported the con-
versation between him and Latham TO Muir.
ray, because it was thought advisable not to
agitate the question pending the Fall cleo.
ton, but wait until the newly elected Judge
should come upon the Bench
Judge Terry further stated, that up to the
day of Judge Murray's death-intimate as he
was with him-he never heard Judge Muir
ray retract the charge against Latham, or ex-
press any doubt of his guilt
STATEMENT OF JUDGE ROBINSON.
Stockton, Aug. 4, 1859.
ii. q. BEATTY, EsQ.-DEAR SIN: La replv
to your note of yesterday | will give nv rec.
objections of what have been informed con.
cerning the charge of bribery preferred
against Mr.. Latham.
Some time after the alleged transaction
took place, Judge Murray, being then very
indignant at Mr.. Latham for addressing him
W NIT in, bo Z
that the cause of his anger was that Mr.. La
than lad attempted to bribe him. In the
further course of his statement of the matter
he said that the bribe was not rendered TO
him directly, but that proposition to that
effect had been made through Mr.. Beard, of
which Mr.. BeaId d had informed him Gudge
Murray. In reply to the very natural in
quirles why some public notice had not been
taken OF this grave offense, he stated that he
was persuaded to postpone the matter at the
time because of the pending election that
after the election some move was made in
the matter by the Judges, and Judge Hey.
denfeldt spoke to Mr. Latham upon the sub.
ject, and informed him of Judge Murrav's
charge against him. Mr. Latham denied that
he had rendered bribe or meant to offer
one, and asserted that Mr.. Beard had entire
~ misapprehended the substance and purport
of his conversation with him. That all that
he (Letham) desired Of him Beard was to
act or use the facilities of his position as Clerk
to cure a speeder decision than could be
obtained in the ordinary course of business in
his Office Some doubt was also mentioned
concerning the power of the Court to act eff
fectually in the premises because of some
statutory restrictions on its power
The subject was frequently referred to and
/ spoken of 10y Murray to me, and particularly
during the dark and gloomy hour of the
domlnltiOn of the Vigilance Cana,nittea
Yours, etc, TOP ROBINSON.