Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-07
CONFIRMATION OF KEATON.
EFFORTS TO BRING 1T ABOUT ARE
MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS.
Appointment still Reposes With the
Senate judiciary Committee-Ad-
ministration Said to Be In
different in the Matter.

Washington, Feb. 6.-(Special.) Colonel
| Edward Dunn, clerk of Judge Keaton's S
| court in Oklahoma, is making no headway
| toward getting the appointment of the
| judge confirmed, although he has been
taking on dreadful with the members of
the senate judiciary committee for more
than a week, and announces that he will
make another desperate effort to secure a
favorable report from the committee at it's
| next meeting, which will be Monday. The
| members of the committee have severally
| informed Colonel Dunn that they are not
| holding up the confirmation, and the
| colonel, after giving careful analysis to
their statements, has reached the con-
clusion that, while they may be technically
correct, in the light of pure English some
body in the committee is probably holding
the appointment down." At any rate, its
repose IN the archives of the committee has
not been disturbed since it reached those
preserves. Judge Keaton was appointed,
during The recess, to succeed Judge Scott,
and he promptly assumed the duties OF the
otnce, one Oh the most pleasant OF which
was 10 appoint Colonel Dunn to the clerk
ship of the court. 1t was thought at the
time the appointment was made that con-
frmation would shortly follow the reas-
sembling of congress; but this was not
done, and now TO the disappointment OF
delay is added the horrible lear that con-
hrmation may fail altogether, in which
with this session of congress, and PreSi-
dent Mckinley will have the naming of
new man. When Colonel Dunn arrived he
was informed that Senator Platt, to whom
as subcommittee the appointment had
been referred, was hostile, and he has di-
rected his energies largely toward satisfy
ing Senator PIatt that the judiciary of
Oklahoma will suffer an irreparable loss If
Judge Keaton Is permitted to return to
private life. To this end he secured let
ter from Attorney General Harmon to the
senator, in which, with many assurances of
distinguished consideration, Mr.. Harmon
hoped that Senator Platt would see the
necessity of Mr.. Keaton's confirmation. 1t
is quietly limited in administration circles,
however that the administration would
prefer not to see the appointment con-
hrmed, and some of Colonel Dunn's friends
suggest that HarmonS letter has not inter-
fered with the telephone connection be-
tween the attorney generals Office and the
senate. There is doubtless some truth in
the story of the lukewarmness of the ad-
ministration, since the president was in
formed several weeks ago that he had been
buncoed into appointing silver man in the
person of Keaton. The enemies of the lat
ter in Oklahoma have informed the preSi-
dent and attorney general that Keaton was
not only silver man prior to his nominal
ton, but that he was very abusive of the
president as we'll 1t has been related with
much detail, for instance, that Keaton was
making rampant Bryan speech, and had
just turned from a criticism of Mr.. Cleve-
land to elucidation of the "crime of '13.
and was fairly launched thereon, when he
was handed telegram advising him of his
appointment as a justice of the supreme
court of the territory. The non-action of
the committee, however, is based to great
extent on the personal charges against
Keaton which have been filed within the
last few weeks. Such charges as have
been brought to the judges attention he
has attempted to answer. AS to the charge
that Keaton had attempted to assault a
brother attorney with a knife in open
court, Colonel Dunn. it is understood, is
attempting to convince the committee that
the charge is frivolous from the fact that
the knife was small one-of which i'm
portant fact an Oklahoma justice of the
peace stands ready to make official oath.