The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-12-05
THE RICK'S HEARING.
Investigation by the Congressional
Committee.
He Makes Sweeping Denial of All the
Allegations Made In the Memorial
Placed on the Witness Stand and
CrOss-Examined by Chair
man Bailey.

CLEVELAND, Nov. 27.-Promptly at 10
o'clock Monday morning, Joseph w.
Bailey, of Texas, and Case Broderick,
of Kansas, members of the congress
sional investigating committee, ar
rived at the federal building to begin
the inquiry into the charges against
Judge A. J. Kicks
George Smart represented the SER
geant-at-arms of the house, and had
charge of the arrangements. Attorney
Arnold Green represented the Central
Labor union, and Judge Kicks was rep
resented by Judge Sanders, Andrew
Squire, Judge Stevenson Burke. Virgil
P. Kline and Judge s. e Williamson,
all of whom were present. 1t was 1918
when Judge Ricks entered the room,
and Mr.. Kline introduced him to the
two members of the committee. Con-
gresham johnson called before the il-
vestigation began, but he Withdrew al
most Immediately. Many Cleveland
attorneys and nearly every attache of
the United States court were present,
Chairman Bailey called the commit
tee to order and asked Mr.. Green to
read the memorial and charges, which
he did. The charges are substantially
as follows:
Flrst-That Judge Kicks between September
10, 1889, and December 27, 1891, did cheat and
defraud the government out of various sums Of
money from s12 TO A3 in each instance the
whole pOnn 20 hod
been paid into the United States circuit court
for the Northern district of Ohio.
Second-That Judge Kicks on January 10,
1870, corrupty Cancelled and advised NJ. w. San
ders, clerk Of the court to omit from his report
various fees and sums, aggregating 81, $3.50.
Third-That Judge Kicks on January TO- 1890,
corrupty certified to the corrections of Clerk
M. w. Sanders report of fees collected, know
ing there was omitted therefrom report ofSl,-
55S. 70 fees collected.
At the conclusion of the reading of
the memorial, Mr.. Kline read Judge
Kicks denial. The first paragraphs
were general denials OF the charges as
set forth. The answer then went spe-
citically into transactions that brought
about the controversy. 1t was volum-
inous document and took long time
in its reading. The fees set forth in
the charges were all paid into the
clerks Office of the circuit court, and
part of these fees wera received from
Judge Kicks successor as clerk. He
was entitled to all that he so received.
The balance OF such fees were received
as fund to be reported and accounted
for.
Judge Kicks was then called to the
witness stand and was examined by
the committee regarding the Birdsell
cases.
CLEVELAND, Nov. 2S.-Under q most
searching cross-examination by Chair
man Bailey, of the congressional SUBJ
committee, Judge A. j. Kicks, hesi-
tated, yesterday afternoon, and finally
pleaded ignorance of the law regulat-
ing the collection of fees, the misap-
priation of which he is charged. There
was CONSERVATION among the six cor
poration lawyers who are defending
the judge, and lively tilt between Mr.
Bailey and Judge Stevenson Burke fol-
lowed, in which the latter came out
second best.
The hearing was resumed at 2 p. m,
with the court room crowded to the
doors. Miss Minnie Lillis, who was
employed by Judge Kicks to make the
record in the Birdsell cases, was called
to the witness chair and examined by
Mr.. Bailey. She testified that she had
signed voucher for $500 for work done
by herself in making the records Of
the Birdsell cases, when, as matter
of fact, she had received but S153 for
the work. She was paid $50 per month
by Judge Kicks, and the work in the
Birdsell cases occupied about five
months. This was after Judge Kicks
had been elevated to the bench and af-
ter the time he was allowed by law to
collect fees as clerk.
Judge Kicks was again called to the
witness chair and testified as to his un-
derstanding of the law regulating his
compensation as clerk.
The evidence all being in at o'clock
the committee adjourned, after allow
ing Judge Ricks' attorneys fifteen days
in which to file explanations of the va
rious charges and briefs with the COM
mittee in Washington. Judge Burke
argued for thirty days, but Bailey
thought that it would be an unneces-
sary delay. The committee left. for
Washington last night.