The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-23
VIII. PECKHAM NAMED
An "Anti-Snap" Lawyer NOmi-
mated for Associate Justice.
Senator Hill Up in Arms Again and
Threatening to Defeat His En-
emy's Confirmation.
DIRTY WORK OF SPOILSMEN
Attempt Of Democrats to Dust
Professor Mendenhall.
Voorhees, Too Busy to Help Aspirants
for POstOffices-MOreO of Gresh-
ANS Vindictiveness.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.


WASHINGTON, jan Ex-senator Hill Is
up in arms against the President again.
He spent this afternoon cleaning his guns.
sharpening his knives, pointing the "ti-
gers claws and laying in stock Of am
munition. Last week Mr.. Hill won vic
tory after long fight with the adminis-
tration forces. The nomination of Horn
blower to the Supreme Bench was then
the bone of contention, and the boss of
the ''snappers secured it's rejection. To-
day President Cleveland sent to the Sem
ate the nomination of Wheeler II. Peck
ham, of New York, an 'anti-snapper' to
be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States. Mr.. Hill was sur
prised. He did not expect the President to
recover from his Hornbower defeat
quickly, and hardly thought the executive
would have the temerity to name one of
the Senator's enemies. When the
nomination Of Peckham was an
nounced Mr.. Hill hurried about the floor
holding consultations with members Of
the judiciary committee, who will be called
on to pass upon the nomination before 1t
Is reported to the Senate. Senators gener-
ally thought when the nomination became
known that Judge Peckham, Of the Court
of Appeals Of New York. was the man,
but Senator Hill explained that such was
not the case, but that the present nominee
was his brother. The indications are strong
that the nomination will be opposed on the
same grounds that Judge Hornblower was
Mr.. Peckham is an independent in politics,
and is said to have bolted the nomlna-
ton of Senator Hill for Governor, both
In 1885 and 1888. Neither of the New York
Senators was consulted by the President
in making the selection.
A dispatch from New York says: "Mr.
Wheeler H Peckham Is a member of the
law firm Of Miller, Peckham & Dixon. He
was informed of his nomination this after
noon and he was very much surprised, as
the honor was entirely unsolicited. He de-
clined to be interviewed in reference TO the
matter and would not say whether he
would accept the nomination or not. He
has never held any office except that Of
district attorney in this county, TO which
position he was appointed by then Governor
Grover Cleveland to fill the unexpired term
of John McKeon, who died in office. Mr..
Peckham only held this position for few
weeks, when he resigned and District At
torney Olney was appointed His rather,
Rufus Peckham, who Is now dead, was
judge of the Court of Appeals and his
brother, Rufus f; Peckham, is at present
Wheeler was born in Albany IN 1884 and
was educated at Union College. He gradu-
and went West to St, Paul and Minneapo-
lis, where he practiced law until 1862, when
he came East. He then became a member
of the firm of Miller, Stoutenbergh & Peck
ham, which afterwards changed to
Miller a. Peckham and since 1880 has been
known as Miller Peckham & Dixon. He
first became prominent during the Tweed
trial, when he was associate counsel on
behalf of the city. He is president of the
bar association and Is prominent anti
snapper"
Many itigants hope the Senate will not
delay confirmation of Peckhams appoint
ment. There are now twenty-five cases on
the docket of the Supreme Court, some of
which have been side-tracked since the be-
ginning OF the October term. waiting the
advent to the bench OF a successor to JUS
tice Blatchford. The list includes the most
important cases OF the term, In which the
hearings have been deferred at the sug
gestion of the court, or the request of at
torneys for the Judgment of a full bench.
Most Of them hinge On interpretations of
constitutional law, on which IL is essen
tial that he opinions of every justice should
be recorded. Railroad interests and the in
terState-commerce laws play an important
part Two patent cases, on the decision OF
which large money interests resting,
are those Of the Singer Manufacturing Com
pany, the sewing machine house, against
the June Manufacturing Company and
George L. Bent, parties sued for alleged in
fringements upon some of the Singer pat
ents Interesting questions pertaining to
railroad land grants are involved in suits
between the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany and Montana authorities, appealed
Montana, and one brought by the railroad
company against the auditor OF Kidder
county, North Dakota. Tie Interstate-com-
merce Commission has a suit against w.
l.. BrinSon, from the Northern district of
Illinois, which will be pushed by Attorney
general Olney and ex-senator Edmunds, of
Vermont The distribution of funds of "the
late corporation of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints" better known
as the Mormon Church, which are in the
hands of the government, awaits the de-
| cision of the Supreme Court on the legality
of the proceedings Eminent Texas attor-
neys among them Senator Coke and Rep
resentative Culberson, are employed in the
case of John r. Reagan ct al. against the
Farmers Loan and Trust Company of that
State. There are two suits pending of the
Pittsburg and Southern Coal Company
| against Louisiana; two suits of the Pitts
| burg, Cincinnati Chicago & st. Louis rail-
road against Victor NJ. BackuS ct al, and
one OF the Indianapolis & Vincennes rail-
| road against the same, known as the Indi-
ana tax cases; railroad case of the New
| York Lake Erie & Western Railroad Com
| pany against the Commonwealth of Penn
| sylvania, and several other important cases.
Because of these cases the justices Of the
| Supreme Court brought their influence to
| bear on the Senate to hasten action on the
| nomination of Mr.. Hornblower, and they
| are most anxious to see the vacancy in
| their tribunal filled.
|