St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-16
LEVEL HEADED FULLER.
The Presidents Choice for Chief JUS
tice Ignores Anonymous Charges.
He KNOWS HIS BUSINESS.
Charges That Have No Foundation
Have Induced the Senate to
Withhold Action.
Special to the Globe

DpSCldl ~ tIle 0lODe.
CHICAGO, June 15.-The following
correspondence. which is self-explana-
tory, is made public at the request of
Hon. Melville w. Fuller:
Senate Chamber, Washington, D.
c., June IL, 1SSS-Dear Sir: In
considering your nomination as
chief justice, it has been thought prop
er to inform you that it has been very
recently alleged i'll communication to
US (the name of writer of which the
senate rules forbid US to disclose)
that you concerted and carried
out a scheme to take from
the funds dsoS Of TT the West Chicago park
boards 100000, when 100000 would
have been ample compensation for the
owner of the land taken for boulevard
in connection with the West Side park.
This land is fifteen acres in the
south one-half of section 25,
town 80, range IS, Cook county, Ill.
George w. Lay was the owner, and
only wanted $4,000 per acre for it,
but was induced about April OF May,
1885, to let it be put into the West
Chicago park at 100000. Mr.. Lay
did not get more than half of the
100000 for his own use; $1,000 or S10,-
600 of that sum went either to Mr..
Fuller or one of the clerks in
was paid out through the Chicago
national bank and then treasurer of the
West Chicago park bOad, whose name l
do not know. l think it was Mason
who paid out the money!" 1t is also al
legged in the case of Herr VS.. South park
commissioners that by reason of his
(yOur positiOD and
INFLUENCE AS JURY COMMISSIONER
of the United States he (yoU managed
to get that jury put in charge of Bailitf
j. j. Douglas, who never before nor
since has had charge of jury in the
United States court. That jury was
to visit the grounds and that
while viewing the grounds he caused
the jury to be separated for Mr.. Fuller
and six of the jurors were placed where
man employed by Fuller had charge
of them. and who used his infiu-
ence with the six jurors so separated to
induce them to-
BRING IN AN IMPROPER VERDICT.
1t has also been alleged that when the
record in the case of Doolittle VS.. For
syth was being made up in the circuit
court for transmission to the supreme
court you asked W. Ii. King, the attor-
record the fact that you were acting as
jury commissioner at the time the Jury
was drawn, some of whom it is alleged
were jurors in the Doolittle case. Any
statement you may think it proper to
make in reference to these subjects the
committee will be glad to receive. Very
respectfully yours,
GEO F. EDEUNDs,
Chairman of Committee Oh Judiciary,
United States Senate.
Hon. W. M. Fuller, Chicago.
Chicago, June 3.-GeOrge F. EdmundS,
Chairman Judiciary Committee, Wash
ington: While assuring the committee
that | intend no disrespect to them, l
cannot consent to an anonymous, as
persons of the character referred to in
yours of the 18th. With your permits
sion, will publish your letter with this
reply. Please answer by telegraph.
MELVILLE W. FULLER.
Washington, June 4, 1SSS.-Melville
W. Fuller: Unable to consult commit
tee, but think you can, so far as the
comittee is concerned, do what you
think is proper.
GUoRGE F. EDMUNDs.
Judge Mason l. Loomis, who pre-
sided at the county court during the
condemnation proceedings referred to
above, says: There is
NOT A HARTICLE OF TRUTH
in the changes. 1t was not purch ased
by the board, but WIS acquired by con-
demnatiOn proceedings under the emf
nent domain law. Every step in the
proceedings was closely and ably
contested, and the amount allowed
to Mr.. Lay for his property was the YER
dict OF the jury latter hearing all the tes-
timony On both sides. Mr.. Fuller did
not appear in the case, and [ am not
aware that he had anything whatever to
do with it. L consider it fair and
proper verdict under the testimony, so
much so that l refused to set aside and
rendered final Judgment upon it."
William E. King, the principal attor-
ney for the Forsythe heirs in the Doc
little case when asked concerning the
charge tibet Mr.. Fuller requested him to
omit from the record of that case the
fact that Mr.. Fuller was United States
jury commissioner, said it was utterly
false