Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-03-30


me 20 withhold il. Twill further state tina
ii has been suggested TO me that statement
5 have been made and become current i'm AL
pena that | was DESTROYS of taking the OF
, flee Of Judge of that Circuit. 10 this
emphatically say that there is no founda
ton for such rumor or thought. Unde
no circumstances would | have accepted
the Judgcship of that Circuit.
Yours truly,
A. MCDONNELL
BAY City, Mich, March Is, 1881
I Mr.. A. y. SPRATT, and others
GENTLEMEN A letter signed by vol
has been handed me- in which you request
me, among others, TO state what | know In
regard TO the condition and conduct o.
Judge futile when in Bay City about the
first week IN February. | had hoped
should not be called upon to say anything
in this matter, for my relations with Judge
| futile have always been OF the most friend
ly character, and | know, from converse
ton he has had with me, that he has earn
/ esty endeavored To overcome his propensity
to strong drink Being asked by you to
/ tell what | know, deem it my duty to do
| so.
When | learned that Judge futile was
coming to the city, l invited him to make
my house his headquarters while here he
declined giving the reason that he desired
to see various parties i'm relation 10 the
railroad project, and could see them better
at the hotel; after that | asked him every
time | saw him to come up and sec us; he
came 10 my house finally, by invitation, on
sunday. February 9th, arriving there mt
ll:lj In the forenoon as | met him at the
door | discovered much to my mortilca-
ton, that he had been drinking; he remain
oil until nfp1Ac1- x,-bo bo H.
going 10 the hotel and then to Mr.. Hatch's
10 dinner; during that time his talk was
that OF a man not really knowing or re-
sponsible for what he said, he said a great
many things he would not have said had he
been in his sober senses; after he left my
house | did not see him again. This is all
my personal knowledge in the matter.
Very truly yours,
a. NJ. HAYNES.
Bay City, March Is, 1881.
Here we have the evidence of four
respectable and well known citizens of
the Saginaw Valley, and if their evil
dence is true, and the reader can read
lily judge for himself, it seems to us that
the course to be followed by the con-
scientious voter is plain-he can not
vote for Judge futile for reelection to
the high and responsible office of Judge
IF the 23rd judicial Circuit for the
lcXt six years.
For our part, We supported Judge
futile four years ago, believing that
he would administer the duties of his
ofice in faithful, honest and consci-
ontious manner, and up to this issue we
have said nothing against him-merely |
printing what was said publicly, at |
open public meetings, by responsible
persons, and this, our duty as a journal
st compelled Us to do.
Judge futile is 4 public officer, his
act, and conduct are open to free criti-
,ism, and it Is the duty of newspaper
10 lay all facts before the public that
qualify, or disqualify, him for the Of
ice he holds. At the same time it is
no pleasure for newspaper to say UNI
pleasant things Of Il citizen Of the
county whore it is published-it GER
ainly is not to the ARGUS, as we would
ar rather speak well Of n man than
ell unpleasant facts about him.
We find the members of the bar
against him; We find a large number
II the business men opposed to him,
md we find grave charges preferred
against him, both iudicially, morally,
md personal, by responsible citizens,
md the only attempt at public denial
md disproval of the charges made, as
ar as we have learned, is the letter
rom the proprietor Of the Fraser
House.
At the Judicial convention held at
iarrisvillc, the following serious ac-
usations were made by responsible per-
ons, and were printed in the AuSable
md Oscoda News of March 10Th:
"HIe had withheld decisions that in
'olved tens Of thousands of dollars for
he purpose Of making political CAPT
al.
"He, to-day held two chancery cases
II his pocket and used these with others
o intimidate voters had lowered the
lightly of the bench by manipulating
he primaries Of his own city, and had
aid to men who had cases before him,
| want you at the caucus tonight"
These charges were made public
trough the newspapers that reported
he actions Of the conventions, and ,
must certainly have been seen by Judge
futile and his friends, and yet we know
# no public denial. Other accusa-
ions, just as grave, have been publicly
made, and have not, as far as we know,
,een denied, and in view of all the
that has been submitted by
he Judges opponents, we can not sup
bort him, or advise our readers to do
o, and we believe that, in so doing, we
rave honestly done our duty as ,
journalist and citizen, let the conse-
luences be what they may.
We have told, after a careful exam l
nation Of the evidence, what we hon {
silly believe to be the truth regarding
public man who is candidate for
collection to high Office. Every man
s deeply interested in this question. {
The office of Judge is of far more inn {
'ortance than mere political office,
IS upon the just administration of the 4,
avs, by those who sit upon the bench,