Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1895-01-26
WILL NOT lMPEaCH JUDGE RicKs.
House Commit Censures lIi:n and
Condemns His Methods

! Condemns His Methods.
! Washington, Jan. 22.-The attempt Il
inpeach Judge Augustus j. Kicks o
! Cleveland. Ohio, failed today i'll The
! house judiciary committee BY a vivs
voce vote Of to I, and instead OF the
resolution for impeachment which Mr.
Bailey Of Texas had prepared to repor1
| to the house, one will be presented de
| nouncing the fee system, which, in the
| opinion Of the members, has made the
| proceedings possible. Judge Ricks gave
q personal explanation Of the accounts
in the Birdsell case. which he had
handled as clerk Of court and which fur
nished the ground for the investigation
| and testimony was given against him
by Martin w. Sanders, who had been
his deputy clerk and succeeded to the
clerkship when Judge Kicks was pro-
noted to the bench. The case was
mace largely party question, although
RichS had -four democratic votes and
as the next congress is strongly repub-
Iican, there is no probability that it will
be revived.
The committee had an open meeting
today to consider the charges against
judge Kicks, who was present with his
attorney, Y. p. Kline. The Central La
Dor Union Of Cleveland was represented
by Arnold Green and General Edward
5. Meyers. At the suggestion Of Chair
man Culberson. Judge Kicks made a
statement. The cases in which i'm
proper receipt ot fees was charged, h
said. We're anomalous, OF he would not
have undertaken complete records. He
said II claim | had q right to COM
,le1a the records as ] did, | claim that
I accounted satisfactorily to the gov
4lninent for all the money. Ny sue
ee&sor as clerk lost nothing b. the
transaction and | acted strictly accord
ing to the custom followed ~ the courts
N such cases"
He stated that he had atIidayits from
the clerks of several courts to show that
he practice Of he clerk to charge him
ELI with the completed records in ad-
vance Of their completion was a uni
Fers5l one. Charges for work had been
made Is months before he was appoint
"a Judge and before he had any idea that
he would be appointed.
Chairman Culberson inquired why he
mad not returned the accounts to the
attorney generals office in one report
instead Of scattering them through sew
raj years. The judge replied: 1T was
not my duty to complete all the records.
but it is my option or privilege, SO 1
chal ged myself with those in which the
parties We're solvent. Had l charged
those in which the parties We're in
solvent, and J well know some of them
We're, ] would have become a guaran-
teer for the government for the cost of
the work. ] hold that the clerk is not
obliged to make returns until the work
is done. Had he done otherwise than
ne did it would have been necessary for
aim to advance some TOO
Mr.. Stone of Pennsylvania asked if it
gEer@ not a fact that in all the Birdsall
eases the fees We're estimated In adj
sance by himself, and MS successor as
clerk, and collected before the work
vas actually done. The judge said it
vas q question of right Estimates of
work without knowing the exactamount
10 be done was discussed. and the judge
said the general average was about COR
rect, as in some cases the work slight
Iy exceeded the estimates, and in others
fell below.
After a long discussion. the committee
ttIl iitlb Sbcl - StSSIbii Dll lilt case anu
adopted the following resolution:
''IeesolNed, That while the committee
IS satisfied that Judge Kicks is not
guilty Of any wrong committed while
Judge that will Justify it in reporting q
resolution of impeachment, yet the COM
nittee can not too strongly cenSare the
practice under which he made up his
accounts
IT was offered by Mr. Harrison Of
Ala bama, all who voted for impeach-
merit q the last meeting. voting against
he resolution, while those who voted
ganst impeachment, with the addi-
ton Of Messrs. Wolverton and Layton,
favored the resolution. The vote was:
yeS-G0odnigh democrat of Ken
yuChyt, Layton democrat Of Ohio, VOL |
.elton democrat Of Pennsylvania, Har- i
.isun democrat of Alabama), Day re
publican Of New York;, Powers Gepub- |
Jean Of Vermont, Broderick Gepub- /!
lean Of Kansas, Stone Oepublican of
oennsylvania), and Childs Tepublican
IF Illinois)-9. Noes-Stockdale (demo- |
:rai Of MissOur), Boatner democrat Of |
Lane democrat OF Illinois,, |
Bailey democrat of Texas, Dearmond |
democrat Of Missouri), Jpdegraff (re- |
of Iowa), and Culberson dem |
ocrat Of TeNas)-7.
Mir Bailey Will make a minority re |
1Ort