St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-16
IT'S BLUE FOR IVES
House Judiciary Committee
Finding Much Of Serious
Import
In The TESTIMONY GIVEN.
Hints Of Impeachment Pro-
ceedings From the Com
mittee Room.
In THE TESTIMONY GIVEN.
RESPONDENTS WITNESSES
Have Been Subpoenaed and
Will Ee Given q Careful
Hearing.

Hearing.
Indications now point to the con-
clusion that Judge Frank Ives will
be called on to stand trial on arti-
cles of impeachment, based on the
charges heretofore printed in the
GLOBE.
Though a misunderstanding of in
formation, it was yesterday stated in
these columns that there was no evil
dence to show that Judge Ives is
incompetent. The fact is, however,
that the great bulk of the testi-
mony so far received is considered
to indicate incompetency for SO eX-
alted a position, if nothing worse.
A witness from Moorhead, when
asked on Thursday if he considered
Judge Ives competent, replied that
he had never heard him accused of
that virtue; and this reply epitomizes
the evidence so far heard A leading
member of the committee so stated
yesterday, apparently without re-
serve.
From the time the first witnesses
were heard the committeeman have
been as dumb as oysters, and as seri-
Gus as owls. If the character of the
testimony did not impress them seri-
ously, this would not be the case be-
cause in the very nature of things the
average man does not relish a disa-
greeable duty, and will be happy if he
can see a way to avoid it. Then, too,
the Impeachment of judge is so
Weighty an undertaking that if the evil
dence will not warrant it that fact will
be discovered early in the proceed
ings, and the jury will most surely
bear witness to their relief in their
bearing.
VIC ON THE STAND.
Clerk of Court Wig, of Crookston, was
on the stand all day yesterday, until
| temporarily excused late in the after
noon, and made a most admirable
witness. He had with him load of
court records and papers called for by
the committee. In his answers and ex-
plantations Mr.. Wig proved entirely un-
prejudiced, and the committee took ad-
vantage of his presence to learn
| every possible fact bearing on the vari-
| Gus charges.
| The legislative grand jurors are pro-
| ceeding slowly and with extreme eau
| ton, for the reason, as one member
hinted, that Judge Ives is a Populist
| and the legislature is strongly Republi-
can. 1t is also learned that the COM
| mittee has subpoenaed eight or ten wit
nesses for the judges side, in order to
be absolutely sure of their ground be-
fore making a report.
| Up to this time not one-half of the
witnesses have been examined The
questioning and ross-questioning is
being done by Messrs. Littleton, Johns
and ]. D. Jones, although every mem
ber of the committee is privileged to
ask any question he desires of the
witnesses. Yesterday only ten mem
bers out Of the seventeen-just one
more than quorum--were present, but
the indications are that these ten will
remain in town over Sunday, in order
that the witnesses, who have travelled
long distances, may be examined and
allowed to return home as soon as pos
| sible. In this connection it is only
| fair to state that it was not Treasurer
| Koerner who struck out the item of
hotel expense on a witness voucher
but the witness himself when he
| learned that the state simply pays the
witness fees and mileage allowed by
law.
IMPORTANT PAPERS.
AS the case proceeds some important
papers are being put in evidence, and
these are placed in the custody Of
Chief Clerk Bowling, of the house, to
be locked in his safe
| Judging from the number of wit
neSSeS yet to be heard, and the amount
of evidence that must be transcribed
when all the testimony is In, the state
| senate will not be able to begin the
trial of Judge Ives-if impeachment
proceedings are decided on-before the
end of the regular session, so that this
case will, in all probability, drag along
into the summer.
When the respondents witnesses are
heard, the possibility of an impeach-
ment trial may, of course, vanish; but
the grim silence of the committeeman
will indicate to any one who knows
them that the evidence already in is Of
a very serious character.
POLITICS IN IT.
Still the committee is being made to
supported by the people of his district
and they are also beginning to suspect
that there may be just a taste of poll
ties in the case. 1t is remembered that
there were three factions in the con-
vention which nominated Ives. Many
of the delegates desired to indorse the
Republican candidate, with the idea
of advancing the non-partisan judi
ciary idea. This faction were beaten to
a standstill, and in consequence were
exceedingly sore. Then they turned
in and helped to nominate Ives, in the
belief that he would be the weakest
man and the easiest for the Republican
: to beat Subsequent events proved
= their judgment at fault for he could
not be beaten. Friends of the Judge
. allege that ever since there has been
a systematic endeavor to hamper him
in his duties and to discredit his work
as a judge. Being a natural fighter
Ives has not evinced any disposition to
conciliate his enemies, and it is safe
to say that no possible ground for i'm
1 parchment has been left uncovered ir
the prosecution's case,
\ Two witnesses were heard after Clerk
. of Court Wig was excused yesterday
! afternoon, and two or three more II
the evening. This makes about hal
}. the number to be heard, so far as sub
l poenas have been issued. On accoun
u of Speaker Van SAINTS absence no sub
3 before Monday.
The GLOBE learned yesterday tha
two additional affidavits against Judg