Omaha daily bee., 1892-10-16
WILL INVESTIGATE SCOTT
Douglas County Lawyers Take Up the Burt
County Fight.
FULL DISCUSSION OF The SITUATION
Resolutions Asking for an Inquiry Adopted
After a Long Confederation of the Pro-
prlety of the Proceedings-The
Committee Named.

this, the Fourth judicial district, will inves-
tiRate tho right and the wrong of the trou-
bles that exist between Judge Cunnin CHAM
II. Scott and the lawyers of Burt county. A
committee has been appointed for the pur-
pose and the members thereof will report
their findings. after taking all the available
testimony that bears upon the case.
Tho meeting held to decide upon the ap-
poiatment OF this committee was called in
the large court room of the court house yes
terday afternoon.
At 2 o'clock the attorneys began to
gather and in few minutes later fully 200
lawyers had seats in the room.
Ed w. Simeral proposed that Judge Greg
ory act chairman. He was elected with
out any opposition. Upon taking mis- seat he
said that whatever was done he hoped would
bedono with dignity
Charles OfTutt was the first man TO break
the silence that hung about the room. He
stated that the information had been con-
veyed to tho members of the bar that serious
charges had boon made against a member of
he district bench ana that the people should
know whether they were true or false; that
for the purpose of determining an investiga-
tion should bo had. To bring tho matter be-
fore the meeting Mr.. Offutt offered the fol-
lowing resolutions:
Whereas, Grave charges are current affect
ing the official integrity and the personal
character and fitness of Hon. c. II. Scott one
of the judges of the Fourth judicial district;
and in relation to the conduct of the bar OF
Burt county in their roations to said judrei
and thereby the dignity of the judicial office
has been drawn Into contempt and derlson,
Whercns, AS officers of the court the mem.
bers Of the bar are by their several oaths OF
office charged with the duty OF sustaining the
dignity aud honor of the judicial office; now,
therefore, be IL
Resolved. by the members OF tho bar of the
Fourth judicial district of the state of Ne
braska in meeting assembled, as follows:
point committee of five members o: the bar
of this district, whose duty it shall be to pro-
ceed with ali convenient speed to inquire into
ana investigate the truth or falsity of all
matters which shall come to the + knowl edge,
affecting In any way :he judicial integrity,
personal character and fitness of said Scott
for said Office of judge of the district court.
and tho conduct of the members of the bar in
their relations to said Judge.
2. Said committee will report its findings OF
meeting to be called by said committee for
that purpose by notice published at least two
of Omaha aad in their report said committee
will specifically state whether or not they
been such as TO entitle him to the confidence
and respect Of the public in the the exercise of the
and whether or not and If so. wherein the
members of said bar are censurable.
of three Who Who's shi " be charged with 1 uhe duty
OF raising by subscription sufficient funds to
Qefray tho necessary expenses or Sucn IN yeSti-
cation, and said committee will also be
Charged with the duty OF making the proper
disbursements of such funds.
Some Difference of Opinion.
Judge Ambrose said that he would
oppose tine adoption Of the resolutions unless
they provided for committee
TO investigate the conduct of
the attorneys OF the Burt county
bar. There were rdmors that they haa not
conducted themselves in o manner becoming
attorneys. The committee should investl
gate both sides. If the rumors were true,
both sides should be investigated. T.. w.
Peterson of Burt county said that ne and
his associates were willing TO be investi
gated.
w. j. Connell wanted to know what the
rumors against the members of the Burt
county bar were.
Judge Gillis of Burt county said that he
was anxious that the committee should in
vestigate the charges against him. If he had
taken the course alleged in the Burt county
divorce case as true heshould be diSbarred,
but ir he had not then Judge Scout should
be censured.
Henry Estabrook said that the members Of
tho Burt county bar were not the only gen
tlemen who had been ut outs with Judge
Scott He said that the Investigation should
reach to every point iu the district visited
by "the cyclone" which title he gave to
Judge Scott
&. e. Montgomery favored Increasing the
scope of the committee
Judge Estclle said that it had been re-
ported that the attorneys OF Burt county
had cons pired to defeat the ends OF Justice in
that county. If that was true, they should
be the subject Of an Investigation
Mr.. Montgomery moved that tho resolution
be given 10 Messrs. Ofutt and Ambrose to
be amended that the Investigation cover
Judge Scott and the members OF the Burt
county bar.
H. II. Powers of Burt county said that he
felt that he had right to rebel against
Judge Scott.
A. &. Troup sadlt was unfair to investigate
the rumors against Judge Scott and not in
quire into the conduct of the Burt county
LAWYERS.
Mr. Mcintosh said that he understood
that Judge Scotrs trouble arose upon q con-
spiracy among the Burt county lawyers to
continue their cases. If it was true that
they did couspire he would like to know
their reasons.
Some Vigorous Opinions.
Judge Macomber SAID there was no trouble
In Douglas and Sarpy counties, but there
was in Burt county. Lawyers would quar-
rel as long as there were courts. What hau
occurred in Douglas county was not
s9 such n,ors,. as would sno Justify the fling
TO cover the entire district it would be a
buresque. His idea was to look after Burt
county and lot the other counties alone. lie
did not believe an Investigation would do
any good by committee that had no juris-
Hiction to proceed.
John /. Reddlck had heard OF the trouble
ne ma prictlced law Tor thlrty-hVe years,
but never before had he been called into q
meeting TO investigate Judge Every good
lawyer could not make good judge. A good
Judge should be patient something Judge
Scott was not. From the time that Judge
Scott struck the state he mad tried TO run
things with high hand. The investigation
should not be handled by the Douglas
county lawyers. lt was trouble tina,
originated in Burt county, and should be
taken care of by the lawyers who resided
there. judge who wanted TO make friends
could do so il he would. There was some
thing wrong with Judge Scott, or else those
Bnrt county lawyers would not have pre-
ferred insanity charges against him: he hat
no business on the nench as ne was TOO muct
OF an aulocrat for the position. The way u
treat him was for the 400 members of III,
bar 10 put themselves in black aud white
and then he would have te submit or resign
j, L. Wharton replied that Reddick was
capitalist aud not a practitioner at the bar
anu he did not suppose that he would COM
IN aud tell the lawyers what they should do
III II had not been for parties who had mo
uves for so doing, the meeting would no
have been called
house.