The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-29
The Verdict and Vote.

AT $50 Friday evening, the final
vote was taken in the Botkin impeach-
ment trial before the state senate, re-
sulting in acquittal on all the articles.
There were some surprises during the
taking OF the vote, both to the state and
the respondent. There were thirty
five senators present out OF a total Of
thirty-nine, the average attendance
during the trial having been thirty
three.
On the first, second and third articles,
charging drunkenness, the votes were
unanimous for acquittal. These votes
included the two alliance senators and
the one democratic senator. The plea
FOR demurrer having been sustained
on the fourth, fifth and sixth articles,
no evidence had been offered, and no
vote was taken on them.
The seventh article charged Judge
Botkin with being addicted to the
habitual use of intoxicating liquors to
such an extent as to incapacitate him
from the fair performance OF his duties
This was general in its nature and diff
fered from the preceding charges,
which alleged drunkenness. The vote
resulted in seven for conviction and
twenty-eight for acquittal.
= The eighth article charging profan-
lty and blasphemy, had practically the
same vote. The ninth and tenth arti-
cles charged misconduct in office. The
ninth article, charging Judge Botkin
with arbitrarily and unlawfully caLs-
ing the arrest of four citizens for con-
tempt OF court and holding them pris-
Qpers several days, had a vote of
Is to 10, as follows:
Voting guilty-Senators Carroll, of
Maimi; EllistOn, Forney, Hardness,
Hays, Howard, Kimball, King, Long,
McTaggert, Osborn, Rankin, Rush,
Senior, Smith, Tucker, Wheeler and
Woodward.
Voting not guilty-Senators Bentley,
Berry, Emory, Gillett, Kelley of Craw-
ford; Kelly of Mcpherson; Lockard,
Mechem, Mohler, Moody, Murdoch,
Norton. Richter, Roe, Schilling and
Wright. Senator Carroll of Leaven-
worth, was excused from voting, and
Senators Buchan, Johnson, kirkpatrick,
and Martin were absent
The tenth article charged Judge Bot
kin with oppression and malfeasance in
office, using his position and power to
assist in robbing Springfield in the sum
of s. 900, by lending his influence to aid
members of the city council and attor-
neys in securing that much mon
ey. Judge Botkin was not himself
charged with having received any Of
that money. The vote stood eighteen
for conviction and seventeen for acquit-
tai. The vote was the same as on the
ninth article given above, except that
Gillett voted for conviction and Osborn
voted for acquittal. These being the
only changes, Senator Carroll of Leaven
worth, voted for acquittal in addition
to those given.
As twenty-seven votes were required
to convict, Judge Botkin returns to his
district acquitted, and unanimously
acquitted of the charges OF drunkenness.
The division of the senate was upon the
legal propositions contained in the
ninth and tenth articles.
The board of managers for the house
expressed themselves satisfied with the
results. Judge Botkin feels gratified
over the result and says he will here
after so conduct himself as to make
every senator satisfied with having
voted in his favor and removing from
him the disgraceful charges OF being q
drunken Judge. He has used liquor,
but he will change that habit, which
was likely to become a dangerous one.