The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-05
N~ONPARTISAN BENCH
MARION COUNTY BAR's JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE REPORTS ON 1T.
Recommendations Concerning Nomi-
nations-PubIic Bar Meeting Soon
Attorney Hobbs on the Subject.

The judiciary committee of the Marion
County bar made its report yesterday upon
the question of electing a nonpartisan judi
ciary in the Superior Court. The commit
tee was intrusted with the matter at the
January meeting. The report was not dis
cussed, but was unanimously approved. 1t
was as follows:
To the President and Members of the Bar
The committee on the judiciary, to whom
was referred the question of devising a
plan TO secure the nomination of a nom
partisan judiciary for the Superior Court
bench, beg leave to report and recon-
mend as follows, namely:
/. That one candidate shall be selected
from the Republican and one from the
Democratic party, both of whose names
shall be placed upon each ticket as a can
didate to be voted for. That, in addition,
one candidate shall be selected from the
Republican party to be placed upon the
Republican ticket, and one from the Dem
ocratic party to be placed upon the DEM
ocratic ticket, as opposing candidates.
2. That a meeting of the bar of Marion
county generally shall be called at an early
of the bar of this county shall be invited
to be present by the secretary of this asso-
citation.
3. That the persons proposing to be cam
didates for nomination for places on the
bench be requested by the secretary of
this association to either signify in writing
ing, to acquiesce in whatever action in
that behalf may be taken by the meeting
Of the bar so to be called.
A. That such meeting Of the bar take
place for the purpose of approving the ac-
ton recommended by this association, or TO
devise some other plan satisfactory to the
bar for the selection of candidates, but
that candidates should not be nominated at
the first meeting of the bar held pursuant
to the notice given by the secretary of this
association.
5. That r. o. Hawkins, the president of
tA,. an.4.sa&s&- .~1 IAhr w - 10
appointed a committee to confer with the
respective chairmen and committees of the
several political parties of the county, and
ascertain If said party organizations VIII
accuiesce in and carry out the proposed
plan OF nominations.
Respectfully submitted.
A. C. HARRIS, for Committee.
A public meeting of the members of the
bar will be held a week from next Satur-
day when the question will be taken up for
discussion. Commenting upon the move to
inaugurate a nonpartisan bench, attorney
W.. II. Hobbs said last night: when the
three judges Of the Superior Court were
first elected it was understood or tacitly
agreed to by both the Republican and Dem
ocratfc parties that they should be selected
from both political parties. and that their
selection should be divorced from political
influence. The Democratic party was the
first TO violate this agreement. A few
years ago the question came up before the
Republican county convention whether We
should adhere to the agreement any longer,
and Mr.. w. A. Ketcham made a strong
speech in favor of our not deviating from
1t. The convention decided by a large ma
jority that the action of the Democratic
party in the matter forced us to set aside
the agreement for self-protection. 1 am
heartily in favor of a nonpartisan bench,
but as a Republican 1 will not consent to
any such an agreement unless we have a
definite understanding and agreement that
will bind the Democratic party in future
conventions"
That l.. e. & w. Bridge Suit.
Judge Baker, in chambers, yesterday
afternoon, heard argument upon a suit
brought by the Lake Erie & Western rail-
road to enjoin the commissioners of Henry
county from removing a section of the rail-
road company's bridge in that county in
the construction of a ditch. The ditch,
which is being constructed for drainage
purposes, must cross the company's tracks
under a bridge, and in order to- Use the
steam machinery. in making the ditch it
was found that II would be necessary to
remove a section Of the bridges support.
The commissioners wanted the railroad
company to do this at it's w expense and
repair the bridge afterward, which the COM
pany refused TO do, and brought suit to en-
join them from interfering with the bridge.
a line of settlement OF the dispute, and the
case will be disposed of on Thursday.
Judge Baker said he would not permit the
bridge TO be changed In any way unless
precautions were taken not to weaken il
and endanger the life Of persons travelling
over it on trains. The railroad company
had been assessed 500.
A Mail Clerks Bad Break.
Zina c. Greenan, formerly night mailing
clerk in the postoffice at South Bend, plead
ed guilty in the federal court, yesterday,
to violation Of the postal laws. While
Greenan was mailing clerk a large number
Of letters were missed from the office. The
loss first became known through COM
plants received from the postofice author
tiles. When the investigation was begun
Greenan admitted that he had taken the
letters, and showed the authorities where
he had hidden them in a basket on top
OF some shelving. He said he was drunk
at the time and did not want TO work, so
he hid a basketful Of letters to keep from
having TO mail them. He was a young man
of previous good character, and said he
had intended to mail the letters after hav-
ing hid them, but hadn't time on account
of his other work keeping him busy until
IL was too late to do so. He was fined $50
and allowed four months within which to
pay the fine.
Secured n $4,000 Verdict.
The jury in the Circuit Court, after
| wrestling with 120 interrogatories over
Sunday, returned a verdict for the plaintiff