The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-07
RICKS A SCOUNDREL
According to Sensational Statements Filed
at Washington Today.

sensational nature against United States
District Judge Augustus Kicks. of Cleve-
land, O., are contained in a memorial to
the house of representatives today.
Representative johnson. of Ohio. Sc
cured immediate Consideration for res
olution instructing the judiciary commit
tee to investigate the charges and with
out debate the resolution was adopted
The charges are made under oath by
Mr.. 5. j. Ritchie of Akron, o., wealthy
citizen and capitalist of that section.
While directed mainly at Judge Kicks,
they indirectly effect Judge Burke aud
ex- United States Senator Payne of Cleve-
land
Mr.. Ritchie gives the names of
formidable array of counsel in Wash
ington. Cleveland and Akron, who have
been retained in his behalf. These in
clude Messrs. Hemphill, Shellabarger
s. Wilson and Butterworth of Washing
ton, Keruch & Co. of Cleveland, and
Judge Upson and Messrs. Green, Grant
and Lieber of Akron.
The memorial covers twelve type writ
ten pages and tells of the discovery of
valuable copper and nickel deposits at
Sunbury Junction. in Canada. by the
memorialist in 1885 which have become
of world wide fame and have supplied
all the nickel for armor plates used in
the United States navy and by European
governments.
In order to develop them, to organize
corporations and to build a connecting
railway, he says he associated himself
with Stevenson Burke, Henry B. Payne
and Thomas W. Cornell, who were at
that time believed to be trustworthy and
honorable
The corporations were known as the
Canadian Copper company and Anglo
AmarIR9n with rerinPinal OffirAl
at Cleveland.
Mr.. Ritchie AYERS that in 1899, he ne
gotiated in England for the sale of the
property for 5,0OO,000, when, his petition
alleges, his associates commenced to
put into execution thoroughly planned
and infamous scheme to rob himself and
his wife who had the largest interests
To assist them in their designs, it is
charged that Judge Ricks prostituted
his office and became their suhserviens
and plant tool.
The charges involve losses reaching
$6.000,000 Mr.. Richie claims to have
suffered in decisions made by Judge
Kicks affecting Canadian copper and
nickel mines.
Mr.. Ritchie SAYS that while he was
confined to his bed in 1888 and unable to
attend to his business, James B. and
George w. McMuilin of Ontario secured
judgment in Canada on a contract by
which he was to purchase from them
cortain railroad bonds, and brought suit
in the circuit court of the northern dis
trict of Ohio and secured judgment.
According to the memorial, it was after
wards discovered that large part of the
coupons which the McMullins had agreed
to odeliver had been stolen by them from
the Central Ontario railway
Stevenson Burke acted as his attorney,
he recites, and he says Burke pro-
fessed to defend the case. but
called meeting of Payne and
Cornell, whom Ritchie terms conspira-
tors, at which they agreed to appropri-
ate to themselves securities worth So
100000 belonging to Mr.. Ritchie and
deposited with them in connection
with their mutual Canadian in-
terests, appropriating them, ostensi-
bly,, to prevent them from being seized
under the McMullin judgment and then
entered into an agreement with the Nc
Mullins. that the later should file cred
itor's bill in the court over which Judge
Kicks presided and which they boasted
would sustain their inter rests.
In furtherance of this plan, it is al
legged, his partners defeated the sale for
100000 arranged, planned the de-
struction of the market value of the
properties and fraudulently transferring
TO themselves the stocks owned by
him, elected Burke president of
the company. The books of the COM
pany which contained an accurate state
ment of his standing. he charges Judge
Ricks with withholding, refusing per-
mission to his attorneys to inspect them,
acting from corrupt motives and in the
face of the fact that for eight years no
| statement of the condition of the COM
pany had been made as required.
Every other marty fO the Si1if it IA
clared, had free access to them.
Harry P. Mcintosh and Samuel E Will
Hanson were interested also as attorneys
in the suit.
"In the interest of these parties as in.
dividuals and attorneys this vicious rul-
ing of Judge Kicks was made" the
| memorial continues, 'and when the
charges preferred by the Central Labor
union of Cleveland against Judge
Kicks were recently on hearing
before the committee appointed by the
| honse of representatives, we find every
one of these attorneys flying to the res
cue of Judge Ricks.
1--WE find them also writing to men,
bers Of congress and laboring with them
to prevent any report being made which
would be a truthful statement of Judge
Kicks conduct as shown by his own
books"
"This conduct shows too plainly the
relations which exist between Judge
Ricks and the corrupt parties whom he
had protected from being convicted by
their own books and records. as he him
self has been shown to be guilty and cor
rupt by the methods of his Office
Other specifications are that all the
! books of the corporation were shipped
from Ontario to the United States to get
them within the jurisdiction of Judge
Ricks' court SO that he made the ruling
refusing Ritchie access to the books
without notice, or opportunity for hear
| ing and without notice to his attorneys
dismissed Mrs. Ritchie as party to the
case.
| Calls the Charges Ridiculous.
CLEVELAND O., Jan. 7.-Ex- Senator
| Payne, when shown the Associated press
! dispatch from Washington today in ref