The sun., 1873-04-25
SELLING A JUDICIAL SEAT.
THE BARGATN MADE BY A UNITRD
STATES JUSTICE

62,SOO Notc-A Nice Lot.
torre.pondence OF The sun.
SALT LAKE CRY, April l6.-An interest
ing example OF the practices which have ru,aa
among Federal officials In Utah is given in .
suit which was instituted in the United STAT.
District Court yesterday by the Hon. II. j. DraL.
OF Pontiac, Mich, formerly Associate Justice "a
this Territory, against the Hon. Obed =. str,ck-
land also an ex-Associate Judge, to recover nav
ment on note for $500 given by the latter as a
consideration to Judge Drake for the seat ON thu
bench which he at that time heidi
| This transaction took place In March ste.
According to Judge brakes declaration, tbs
plaintiff at that time being an Associate Justice
Of the Supreme Court OF Utah, with an unex.
pired term Of about year to serve, the salary
for this unexplred term being s2,sOo, met str,ck.
land In Washington In destitute circumstances.
and
| IN SEARCH or A FEDERAL OFFICE.
Strickland had unsuccessfully applied for ap-
pontments in Montana and In Wyoming, was
discouraged with the prospects for preferment,
and finally made a bargain with Drake tor his
unexpired term Of Office giving tho following
note which was produced in evidence:
pec ror WasnisoTCs Va. ,I, GiTY. D. C. March "a lses
: Drake or his order twcniy.cfshi hundred dollars IS
9isr l.9 ssycn hundred d2'rs the fst lay q
Juy $50 and the fTher s n sych w 1"S Snnstsa
lars on the hrst day u January. s5 In case OF iny
payments az are not due SHALL not be c9.iected
q. 7. STRICKLAND.
NOTHING STRANGE.
A. the salary for Drnkos unexpired term
would only amount TO tho sum named In the
note, II will strike the unsophistcatcd reader az
exceedingly singular that destitute and dsap-
pointed Oflice-seeker In Washington should un-
dertake to retrieve his fortunes by agreeing to
perform the duties Of Judge In distant Ter
rtory during year for nothing. IL the reads
had lived in Utah long enough 1t would ne
have seemed at all strange, however, even sup
posing that the upright Judge intended 10 pa}
his note. In fact, II proved q profitable transac-
ton for Strickland, who managed TO retain his
onice longer than the uncxpired term he bought
and finally resigned, II Is understood, because he
had made money enough.
The artless manner in which Judge Drake
gives his version of the transaction is note
worthy. Here II his account OF 1t In letter 20 his
attorney which is appended to the declaration
JUDGE DRhKE's VERSION.
Gtor0s C. BATES. ~
Ny dear friend your Of Dec. 30, nit, and teie:
was Indeed pleased to hear from you; hercwiel for
have endorsed it IL 6anK as l. is payable e or my
Tor not wanted you can il out DO the best you
can f1T yourself .s s Ts a. for ne IL, :a e ssd you
nDS SrSs 'sa a SSn vaS SHs S in may , R s9t n
on b. part. bot on nine lie vas in WASHING seeking az
H. was deu II and & h SsTh dared S S sss
to Utah: He sqd and 90 20 much TO expose The Nor
ofse hid 9gt one year iiNle loss than year, 70
one day nc into The room which Judg, Titus now
Chnf Justice 4 Arizona, sni occupied. lie appeared
General lioir had told him that he would gSe him an
ver.stIon he ,sidh w"aid live me s NV tlasy sS
amount TO II wOlld rcsii1.
THE JUDGE CONSENTS.
That and the next day Judge Titus and talked the
matter over ana thfn thought would INTO
tio' "a Washington OF Iaiadt lputa, and wucn next
The amount he was to give was nxed ard the
he sSaiy becat pa aDc aud I've ana seht ny resis.
nation 70 te President to tase effect upon the aPpoin
couhrned. Then be came to our room, AZ he SAID 10
mote aad been written ut aud he took tie pen Sign
mens nj e os S e ,r4 ng a S9ad m p, sS natal,
n ieS ana ose's m e sbs aso & c Gyer ad %
lhat she would 9e distressed then took tue ptn aud
sG s G to nue. Sshs 40 ,f Gs & aqf e ea & he
hye c'ch ins'allmcnt should be paid When due. You
tnsy are pa; S6e ia Washington. whSa the Dc, Va.
OF going % Washington 1~Totc to him kind letter
2f lc plrpose ~ mains some arrangement 40 e. tue
SiaSrSi;e, Agsi iani I'm, soi ls iegy' wGich do:
IiioN,s J. DR.Es.
NIcE STATE or AFFAiRs
The institution If this suit Is likely H. attract
widespread attention on account Of Ia novelty.
and II may have an important eject in drousing
attention 10 thc corruption which pervades tho
Federal Ring in Utah. The fact Il that nearly
all the United states officials in the Territory
are incompetent or corrupt, and many OF them
are both. II is well known that in September
last the then District Attorney, George G. Bates,
was compelled to discharge from imprisonment
persons held for various crimes, such aH robbing
the mails, enticing soldiers to desert, and tue
like, simply because he found IL utterly impos-
sible to induce other United states officers IN
the Territory to cooperate with him In bringing
the offenders to trial.
AN ECCENTRIC JUSTICE.
Judge Mexican, Chief Justice OF the Terrific
rial supreme Court, has recently been distiu-
gushing himself py a renewed exhibition of his
cccentricites, which have reached a point verg-
Ing upon absolute lunacy. lie has Oycrruled a
decision Of the Supreme Court Of the United
States, AID manifests a disposition % transact
the business of his Court without regard either
to law or the dictates of common sense This
led to an animated wrdngle lately between the
Judge and the lawy ers, who refused To proceed
/ with trials which could amount To- nothing un-
der the conflicting decisions Of Mexican and the
supreme tribunal Of the whole country. II is
! evident that Mexican Is actually more q; sub
icct for a lunatc asylum than for seat the
I benCn, but ne is pet Of Parson Newman, and
whatever Newman says is law a. we'll a. goapel
with President Grant.