The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-08
And that the Judge PrOstituted ITIs
Office at the Behest of burke,
Cornell and Ex-senator Payne.
AN INVESTIGATION ORDERED
STATEMENT FROM JUDGE RyCKS
sDENYING ALL THE CHARGES.
Denounced as Ridiculous and SLAM.
dcrous by Mr.. Payne, Who Says
Ritchie Owes Him Big sum.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7.-Charges of a
sensational character against United States
District Judge Augustus Kicks, of Cleve-
land, O., contained in memorial pres
sented to the House of Representatives to-
day. Representative Johnson, of Ohio se-
cured immediate consideration for resolu-
ton instructing the judiciary committee to
investigate the charges and, without de-
bate, the resolution was adopted. The
charges are made under oath by s. j.
Ritchie, of Akron, o., a wealthy capitalist
of that section. While directed mainly at
Judge Kicks, they indirectly affect Judge
Burke and ex-United States Senator Payne
of Cleveland. Mr.. Ritchie gives the names
of formidable array of counsel in Wash
ington, Cleveland and Akron, who have
been retained in his behalf These include
Messrs. HemphilI, Shellabarger & Wilson
and Putterworth, of Washington Keruch
& Co., of Cleveland; Judge Epson and
Messrs. Green, Grant & Lieber, of Akron
The charges involve losses reaching $1,000
coo. Mr.. Ritchie claims to have suffered in
decisions made by Judge Kicks affecting
Canadian copper and nickel mines
The memorial covers twelve typewritten
pages and tells of the discovery of valu-
able copper and nickel deposits at Sudbury
Junction in Canada by the memorialist in
1885, which have become of worldwide
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 corpora
tons and TO build a connecting railroad, he
says he associated with himself Steven
son Burke, Henry Il. Payne and Thomas
W. Cornell, who We're at that time be-
lieved to be honorable and trustworthy
men, The corporations were known as
American Iron Company. WIN principal Of
fees at Cleveland. Mr.. Richie AYERS that
in 1889 he negotiated in England for the
sale of the property for $15,oO0,090 when,
his petition alleges, his associates com
menced to put into execution a 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, Judge Ricks prostituted his
office and became their subservient and
plant tool.
Mr.. Ritchie says that while he was con-
fined to his bed in 1888 and unable to at
tend to his business James b. and George
w. McMullen, of Ontario, secured judg-
ment in Canada a contract. by which
he was to purchase from them certain
railroad bonds. and brought suit in the
Circuit Court of the Northern district OF
Ohio and secured judgment. According to
the memorial it afterward discovered
that a large part of Sthe coupons which
the McMullens had agreed to deliver had
been stolen by them from the Central
Ontario road Stevenson Burke acted as
his attorney, he recites, and says Burke
professed to defend the case. but called
meeting of Payfe and Cornell, whom
Richie terms conspirators, at which they
agreed to appropriate to themselves Sc
curities worth s2,5Oo,OOO belonging to Mr..
Ritchie and deposited with them in connec-
ton with their mutual Canadian interests,
appropriate them ostensbly to prevent
them from being seized under the Nc
Mullen judgment and then entered into
an agreement with the McMullens that
the latter should file creditors bill in
the court over which Judge Kicks presided
and which, they boasted, would sustain
their interests. 1t is alleged to have been
a part of the agreement that Burke, Payne
and Cornell were to be made parties
to the bill and the securities in their pos
session brought into court. In further
ance of this plan. it is alleged, his partners
defeated the sale for sl5,00e.OO0 arranged.
planned the destruction of the market value
of the properties and, fraudulently trans
ferring to themselves the stocks owned
by him, elected Burke president of the
company. The books of the company, which
contained correct statement or his stand
ing, he charges Judge Kicks with with
holding from him and refusing permission
to his attorneys to inspect them, acting
from corrupt motives and in the face OF
the fact that for eight years no state
ment of the condition of he companies
had been made as required by law. Every
other party TO the suit ii is declared had
free access TO them. Harry p. Mcintosh
and Samuel Il. Williamson were Interested
also as attorneys in the suit
'In the interest of these parties as in
dividuals and attorneys this vicious ruling
of Judge Kicks was made" the memorial
continues, "and when the charges pre-
ferred by the Central Labor Union OF
Cleveland against Judge Kicks were re-
Gently hearing before the committee
appointed by the House of Representatives.
we find every one OF the attorneys ffyinr
to the rescue of Judge Kicks We find
them also writing TO members of Congress
and laborlng with them 10 prevent any
report being made which would be a truth
fu statement OF Judge Ricks's conduct as
shown by his own books The conduct shows
too plainly the relations existing between
Ricks and the corrupt parties whom he
had protected from being convicted by
their own books and records and he him
self has been shown to guilty ana
corrupt by the records of his .ofIices'
Other specification are that all the books
Of the corpora ton were shipped from On
tario TO the United States to get them
within the jurisdiction of Judge Ricks,s
court. court that ne made the railing refusing
or opportunity for hearing and Without
notice to, her attorneys. dismissed Mrs.
Richie as party 70 the case.
WHAT JUDGE KICKS SAYS.