Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-21
OUT AT LAST.

OUT AT LAST.
IMpEacuMENT OF JUDGE PAGE.
The Report of the Judiciary Committee in
Eull--Their Findings on Each Count
Reso1ution of impeachment Offered
The report of the Judiciary Committee on
the Page case was made to the House yes
terday, and was followed by resolution for
impeachment, which will be the special Or
der on Friday next at II a. m.
Below will be found the report, and
the proceedings on the impeachment reso-
luton appear in the Legislature proceed
ings on second page.
REPORT OF JUDnARYc COMMITTEE.
TO the Honorable the House of Representatives
of the State of Minnesota
The Judiciary committee to whom re-
TERED the resolution of this House directing
your said committee to inquire as to the truth
OF certain charges contained in the petition of
T. L. Mcintyre and others relative to corrupt
conduct in office and crimes and misdemeanors
on the part of the Hon. Sherman Page, Judge
of the Tenth Judicial District, respectfully re-
ports that in view of the fact that they
ordered by this House to ascertain and report
the truth as to the charges contained in said
petition, determined to permit the accused to
be present during such investigation with
counsel and cross-examine witnesses produced
to sustain the charges and to summon and in
troduce witnesses behalf of the accused to
explain, rebut, or contradict the evidence adj
hate horyF ,,l %Io
ing facts as to each specific charge contained in
said petition
AS to specification number one. your COM
mittee finds the same true.
That the allegations contained in the second
and third specifications of said petition are of A.
general character, no]evidence has been offered
as to the truth or falsity of the same except
such as has been offered incidentally as to the
specific charges contained in other specifca-
tiOns.
That as to the matters alleged in the fourth
specification of the petition, the committee
finds that at the general term of the District
court coG for Mower county, held in September
1873, c. II. Davidson and H. O.. Bassford
We're indicted for libel, the alleged
libel consisting in the publication by
Messrs. Davidson Il Bassford, in their news
paper, Of communication written by one d.
.. Is. Mo!hson, concerning said Judge; that
SAID indictment was preferred without the
knowledge or procurement of Judge Page; that
he caused the said indicted persons to be ar
raigned before himself, sitting as judge. and
required them to plead and to enter into recoe-
nlzance for their appearance, to answer the
charges contained in said Indictment; that the
amount of bail fixed was the sum of fifteen
hundred dollars ($l, 500) in each case, which
sum- your committee finds, was not exorbtant
oroppressive.
THE FOURTH CHARGE.
The evidence adduced before the committee
does not show the matters alleged in the fourth
specification of the petition to be true, any
further than as above stated.
THE FIFTH CHARGE.
As to the matters set forth in the fifth par
agraph of the petition your committee find
that at the time Davidson and Bassford were
indicted an indictment also found with
ont the procurement of Judge Page, against d.
8. B. Mollison for writing and publishing the
communication which formed the subject mat
ter Of the said indictment against Davidson
and Bassford that said Mollison was arraigned
his bond fixed at fifteen hundred dollars
($1,50O), and that said Mollison has been COM
PEELED to attend at every session of court since
held in Mower county, but has never been
able to have his case tried because of Judge
Pages neglect to secure Judge to sit for
that purpose, although said Judge Page has
made some efforts to procure Judge, and has
at one term OF court procured Judge to sit:
that at the March term of court, A. d. 1877, held
in the county Of Mower, the bondsmen of said
tsAou1sOll, dC LIS request appeared In court and
surrendered him up, demanding thereupon
the cancellation of their bond; that from that
time until the present said Mollison has been
at large with the knowledge and acquiescence
OF Judge Page, and that all of the
aforesaid acts Of the said judge as to the said
Mollison after said bail was required were
done without sufficient justification.
THE SIXTH CHARGE.
As to the matters alleged in the sixth speciti-
n of test ;D+r
duced, but the committee does not find the
conduct OF the judge on the occasion therein
referred to was caused by improper motives.
THE SEVENTH CHARGE.
AS to the matters alleged in the seventh
specification, the committee does not find that
Judge Page was guilty of any improper CON
duct concerning those matters.
THE EIGHTH CHARGE.
As to the matters alleged in the eighth speci-
hcation your committee finds that in january
A. u. 1876, Judge Page was requested by one of
the members of the board of county commits
sloners, Of Mower county, to appear before said
board with reference to the allowance of certain
bills of George Baird, sheriff, and Thomas Rel
ley, constable, upon which the board had
already passed; that he went before the said
board and told them that the bill of Baird con-
tanned illegal charges, and that the bill of Kelley
was entirely illegal; that he expressly told the
board that he appeared before them as citizen
and tax payer, and in the interest of economy;
that the commissioners told said Page that
the county attorney had instructed them
that the charges in the Kelley bill were just and
proper, and that they constituted legal and
valid claim against the county. 1t does not APP
pear that said judge made abusive or insulting
remarks to the county commissioners, bnt it
does appear that some abusive and insulting
language passed between said Judge and the
county attorney in the presence and hearing of
said county commissioners, but the fact that
said board was in session was unknown to said
Judge at the time; the said commissioners dis
allowed in part the bill Of said board and in
whole the bill of said Kelley on account of the
opinion expressed to them by said judge, that said
Kelley sued the county before Justice of the
peace, recovered Judgment for the full amount
OF his bill, and that an appeal was taken to the
district court; that the case was submitted to
the judge of said court by stipulation of the
attorneys of the respective parties who knew
the fact of Judge Page appearing before said
commissioners; and that the decision of the
Justice was reversed by him, and judgment rem
dered in favor of the county. The committee
reports that it considers Judge Pages appear
ance before the said board under the circum-
stances was an act of gross improperly.
THE NINTH CHARGE.
The matters alleged in the first subdivision
OF the ninth specification, your committee finds
true but not censurable, and that the matters
alleged in the second subdivision of said SD eel
fcation are untrue.
THE TENTH CHARGE.
As to the matters contained in the tenth
specification, your committee finds that the facts
therein set forth substantially true excent
in SO far as the motives of Judge Page are con-
cerned, and as to those the committee is un-
able to find anything improper, and further
more that the evidence does not show that
West demonstrated against the action of said