The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-03
HEARING WILL BE SECR.E T
SENATORIAL COURTESY WILL
NOT BE INVOKED.
pRIrCHARD CONFIDENT EwART WILL WIN
Large Array Of Prominent Wiinesses--Gcv'
Russell is Among the Number.-The
Case Will Be Heard Before
Committee Saturday.

Commlt.eee Saturday,
Washington, ID. c., March 2.-(Spe-
cial. )-Senator Butler said to-day that
he was not invoking Senatorial courtesy
to defeat Judge Ewart's confirmation,
but was relying upon the merits in the
case. The charges that have been pre-
ferrcd against Judge Ewart, he said,
were numerous and in his opinion, they
were sufficient to cause the rejection of
the nomination. The News and Obser-
ver's correspondent is informed that 1t
is alleged against Judge Ewart that while
in Congress he sold his patronage; that
he sold public documents to which his
constituents were entitled; that he coll
lected money for clients and failed to
account for the same; that he violated
the State law by riding on railroad
passes and collected from the State the
$3.50 allowed judicial officers for rail
road transportation. That he held spe-
| cial terms of court which ran over for
one hour on the fonowing Monday, and
| drew one hundred dollars for the extra
week although the court had adjourned
and many more other charges which are
not given out.
| Senator Butler .0es not father these
| charges, but Calls the attention of the
| Judiciary Committee to them and furn-
| ishes the committee with the names of
| tine following witnesses who have been
| subpoenaed to substantiate the truth
| Of the charges Gov. Russell and Judge
1 \ NT,,,..
JOnes,an J. s. Adams who made the run
for Congress against Pearson, and D.
| +. Kerr, editor of the Citizen, all Of
| Asheville: eX-Congressman Crawford
and =. Y. picliens, of Hendersonville.
Senator Pritchard, who is confident that
| Judge Ewart will come out all right has
furnished the names of the following
| witnesses who have been subpOenaed
to refIte the charges: EX-MayOr Patton,
of Asheville; Attorney Cobb, of Ashe-
ville; NJ \. Chandley, clerk Of the
court of Madison county; Sheriff VIII
| liams Clerk of the Court, G.. w. Pace,
w. J. Davis. ]. q. Grant, ex-Sherifr
of HenderSonville and ]. w. Bowman, OF
Bakervilc. The friends of Judge EwaFt
are not alarmed but feel confident that
every charge can be successfully met.
The hearing will take place before the
Judiciary Committee on Saturday morn
ing at 10 o'clock. 1t will be Il secret
hearing.
EWART INVESTIGATION.
Washington. March about twenty
witnesses have been summoned from
North Carolina by the Senate committee
on the judiciary to testify in regard to
the charges filed by Senator Butler
against Hon. Hamilton q. Ewart, re-
nominated to he Judge of the Western
District of North Carolina. The first
of them will be heard by the sub-com-
mittea having the investigation in
charge next Saturday. In his charges
against Mr. Ewart, Senator Butler says
| that he has neither the native ability
nor the legal requirements to qualify him
| for judicial position and adds, that
| even if he had sufficient ability and legal
| learning he is wanting in the equipOise
of temperament to qualify him to fill this
| important life position" He says that
| Mr. Ewart is without experience as a
| lawyer, and in his specifications declares
that he never argued Il case before the
Supreme court of his State, nor before
any court of appellate jurisdiction, Fed
cral or State. He also alleges other
ldisqualifcatiOns, and attacks Mr.. Ewart's
reputation as u public official and also
as n private individual Among the
other accusations is one that while Il
member of Congress Mr.. Ewart sold his
public documents and that while on the
bench of the State courts of North Caro-
lina he rode on railroad passes, notwith-
standing there was a State law to the
contrary. and at the same time accept
ed the $3.50 annually appropriated by
the State to pay his expenses of travel.
Similar charges have also been filed by
other persons. The subcommittee in
charge of the investigation is composed
of Senators Spooner, Thurston and Gray.