Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-08-10
NEWS OF THE WORLD.
Investigating the Supreme
Court Justices Sanity.
READY TO TAKE THE FIELD.
wisconsin's Disastrous Forest
Fires Trouble With Mexico
Not ProbabIe--Tilden will.


bly Committee on Constitutional Amend
ments met to-day and decided to report
back French's bill No. |, slightly amend
ed with recommendation to pass; also,
French's amendment to Yule's bill in
relation to water rights. The sub-com-
mittee appointed to draft bill for the
re organization Of the Supreme Court
reported bill conforming in general to
the original Davis bill, providing for i've
Justices at an sunual salary Of 5000,
and with a term Of off ce of twelve years.
The department system is continued.
bur no case can be assigned In bank after
being heard In department, unless four
Jnsticss consent. II was decided to re-
mort tho bill to the House without re-
eommendation.
The investigation by the committee Of
the assembly appointed to report upon
the ftness Of Terrys charges against two
Of the Supreme Court Justices. was re-
sumed this afternoon. II. B Woolf,
Secretary OF the Supreme Court Com.
mission, was recalled. He stated that
ne and Thomas O'Counor. Secretary Of
the Supreme Court, had examined the,
court minutes aud the following was the
record Of Justices Morrison and Sharp
stein: From August, 1885. to August,
1885, the number Of days Chief Justice
sMorrison had sat upon the bench was
1888 The number Of opinions delivered
BY him was GA. The number
OF opiBions participated in by
him was ITS. The number Of days JUS
tIce sharpstein had sat upon the bench
was l42, aud the number Of cisious
rendered, AZ. The number of opinions
he hid participated IN was 3l4.
DR.. s.. Z. Taylor. the medical attend
ant Of Jutice Morrison for the first
three month Of this year, testified that
the Justices pind was perfectly clear.
8ixtesn prominent lawyers were ex-
sfnined. and wsh general unanimity all
testified that. while both parties had
suffered from physical illness. yet
their mental faculties bad in no
wsv been impaired. The committee then
tool I rsoess until 1880 P. NJ. On recon
yer,pp Jadee Terry was present. Ex-
soureins Justice Solomon Heydenfsldt
recalled by Terry. Terry asked;
"Whxt - the general opinion OF mem-
bers Of the bar regarding the oompe-
tency Of the Supreme Courty'
Apswsr-It is generally regarded as q
weak court.
Terry-Whst is the opinion regarding
the competency Of Chief Justice Morri-
sony
Answer-Tho bar generally regards
him ~ Z weak Judge.
Cross-questioned BY ex-J adge M znerhs
I'D b personally knew nothing oi Tue
Jpsticed condition. In reference 20 u's
ststgpsnf regarding tl4e weak ness OF the
Court, he saxd he did MOI iptsau 70 oe
por.onsN but meant the term to include
The whole tpurt.
+. r. Storey, Questioned py terry:
testified that IN bis opinion neither ot
the accused Justices had been aoie 70
reader vsfy efficient service during she
pust yerr.
Terry Have yon not been INFORMED
that 5uprems Justices other tnan JUS
tlsss Morrison and sharpstein nave con
teinplstsd presenting petit'on 20 me
Legislature asking Tor the removal oi
the Justices q present acen9edf
Mizner oplected on tne groeua
Of the insdmissibillty OF such
evidence. IL would not pe "a.
mitted IN court. Terry rephed tnAs
very little OF the testimony admitted
before the Committee would nave ooen
admitted IN court.
Chairman Morris allowed tne qnes'
ton.
Answer: II was told by some one
that nome such conversation had come