The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-16
by n Vote of : to o the House Judi
in Favor of Impeachment.
GRESHAM's WANTS IGNORED
NO PROVISION MADE FOR PAYING HIS
GITT TO CANADIAN sEALERs.
Favorable Report by MIR. Wilson's
Committee on "A Bill to Knock OF
the DinerentiaI Duty ON Sugar.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-Congress was
given a decided surprise to-day by the
House on judiciary, which decid-
ed by a vote of 7 to s to report a resolution
for the impeachment of Judge Augustus J.
Kicks, of Cleveland, for malfeasance in Of
fee. Not for many years has a United
States judge been called before the bar of
the Senate to defend his right to wear the
ermine of office against criminal charges,
and only three or four times in the history
of the government has an impeachment
trial of 2 member of the federal Judiciary
been conducted. Few members had looked
into the charges preferred by the Central
Labor Union of Cleveland, the accuser of
Judge Kicks. that while sitting on the
bench he paid to himself fees which he
claimed he had previously earned as clerk
of the court, and to which 1t is now as
serted he was not entitled. The number of
years which have elapsed since the trans
action. and the contention of the Judges
friends that the proceedings were inspired
by a ruling prejudicial to the interests of
labor unions. which he made recently.
tended to lessen the interest which or
dinarfly would have been taken in the
case. Now that the judiciary committee
has deemed the matter of sufficient gravity
to warrant Impeachment it has become sud-
denly a decided sensation.
The friends of Judge Kicks declare that
there are large possibilities that the i'm
parchment may not be undertaken. They
depend on members who were absent from
the stormy committee meeting to-day to
join with them Friday in voting to substi-
tute a minority report for the one which
Mr.. Bailey will prepare, and which will be
a strong a~rraignment of the Judge, If
couched in the tenor of his speeches to-
day. There is doubt of the parliamentary
possibility of such a stroke, but the short
time remaining to Congress inspired the be-
lief that the case will go over until the next
Congress. In that case the Impeachment
probably will not be undertaken, as the di-
vision to-day was practically on party
lines, with the Republicans supporting
Judge Kicks.
The function of the House is that of
grand jury in such cases. 1t decides wheth-
err sufficient cause is shown to justify a
trial, and appoints managers, who act as
prosecuting attorneys. The Senators sit in
the capacity of judges and Jurors, with the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presid-
ing. The Senate has nothing to say about
whether an impeachment is to be conduct
ed. but4if it does not see fit to finish this
trial before the 4th of March all the pro-
ceedings taken will be void.
The resolution will be reported to the
House Friday as privileged business, taking
precedence over everything else. If the
House adopts it the managers on the part
of the House will be appointed to notify
the Senate of the action and institute the
proceedings. The vote in the committee
to-day stood: For Observation-Disclosures
of Texas, Stockdale of Mississippi, Boatner
of Louisiana, Lane of Illinois, Bailey of
Texas, Dearmond of Missouri, Democrats,
and Updegraff of Iowa, Republican.
Against impeachment-Ray of New York,
Powers of Vermont, Broderick of Kansas,
w. A. Stone of Pennsylvania, Childs of Il
Mhc!s, Republicans, and Goodnight, Dem
ocrat. Harrison. a Democrat, of Alabama,
who was present, refrained from voting.
The absentees were Layton of Ohio, VOL
verton of Pennsylvania, and Terry of Ar
kansas. Democrats. 1t Is thought that both
Layton and Wolverton are opposed to- i'm
parchment, and although Terry is thought
to favor 1t Fridays meeting may change the
result. The discussion lasted for three
hours after the members of the subcom-
mlttee had submitted their views, and was
rather informal. Mr.. Bailey spoke several
times very warmly, and Mr.. Boatner was
very ardent in his advocacy of impeach-
ment. while Mr.. Broderick was the most
actively opposed to the movement. The Re-
publicans accused the Democrats of hold
ing prejudice against federal judges and of
losing no ODportunities To Sfrike ar Thorn