The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-01-26
Refused to Investigate.

| HE LEADEk puUliSntS lOudl
the full text of the resolutions in
troduced i'm the House last weel
by Representative Glover, making
certain grave charges against
Judge w. X. McLaurin, of the
9th district, and contemplating 9
complete and thorough investiga
ton iuto the truth of these charges
The consideration of these resOlu
tions was made the special order
in the House last Thursday, ant
after a lively discussion of some
length, the proposition to investi
gate was lost by the following yea
and nay vote:
Yeas-Abby, Ainsworth, Anderson
of Lee and Itawamba; Bell, Blackwell
Blanchard, of Prentiss Buckley
Carroll, Chapman, Cox, Critz, Denton
of Quitman Dinsmore, Doss, Doty
East, Firth, Gum, Glover, Harrington
Holmes, House, Keith, Kennedy
Knox, Lamb, of Pamela; Lewis, Lilly
Mcmahon, Mays, Nelson, Pope, Prev
EFT, Parnell, Reid, Richardson, Ross
Sexton, Sheffield, Shivers, Stennis
Street, Talbot, Taylor, Thomas, Tram
mill, Underwood, Ventress, Weathers
by, Webb, Webster, MILESTONE ant
Yerger. Total, 80.
Nays-Allen, Anderson, of Warren
Baird, Ballinger, Blanchard, of Boil
var Bott, Brown, Bryant, Caruthers
Coleman, Collier, Coody, Crumpton
Denton, of Lauderdale; Ehrman
Fox, Franklin, Garraway, Goodwin
Heath, Hemphill, Houston. johnson
of Holmes Johnson, of Lawrence
Jones, of Claiborne Jones, o
Union KERN, Lamb, of Alcorn
Langston, Land, Leach, Lips
comb, Manuel, Martin, Macarthur
Medford, Montgomery, Moore, Per
menter, Revis, Roberts, Rollins, Rus
sell, Shankle, Sharkey, Smith, o
Franklin and Lincoln; Smith o
Greene Smith, of Monroe; Stegall
Steele, Stovall, Showers, Suits, Swet
man, Thigpen, Torrey, Touchstone
Turner, Wall, Weems, Williams an
Worthy. Total, 81.
Absent and not voting.-Messrs
Arbo, Blocker, Butler, Cowart, Dees
Eaton, Green, Hathorn, Herring
Hicks, Killingsworth, Manship, Miller
Pipes, Taylor, Thomas, Touchstone
Turner, Speaker McCool.
Turner was paired with Mr.. Taylor
Turner would have voted nay and Tay
lor yea. Thomas was paired witt
Touchstone, Touchstone nay, Thoma
yea.
The resolutions speak for them
selves, and, as has been well said
are as specific as an indictment
That the House refused to orde
the investigation proposed, largel.
shifts the odium and responsibility.
for Judge McLaurin's conduct from
his shoulders TO those of the Leg
islatOrs who voted to prevent in
vestigatiOn while the fact that ht
and all his friends did not court
yea, demand full and searching
investigation, will be rightly con
strued 10y the people Of the Stat
generally as conclusive of his guilt
and that no vindicatiOn worthy Uht
name could be made. 1t is to the
credit of Representatives Dins
more, Cox and some others, wh'
opposed the first resolutions offer
ed by Mr.. Glover, that they spOk'
and voted for the McLaurin in
vestigatiOn. Mr.. Cox expressed
The correct view, hen he said:
'If this House refuse to orde
this investigation Oh these charges
SO severe, so specific, the State
will consider that the House has
been derelict in its duty, and thu
people of Mississippi will render
verdict against Judge McLaurin
An investigation would do NJ
more than prove the charges
The Sinking of an investigation il
a confession. If my own brothe
were resting under such an ar
raignment l would vote for an in
Evestigation and ask all my friends
to do sO."
After all, however, the refusal o
the House to investigate, is no sur
prise to The LEADER, whatever
may be to others. At the regula
session two years ago, at the callet
session last Spring, and at th'
present session, it has been al
"Open secret" that large proper
tion of the members of the Legisla
ture are men given to drink
There is a "fellOw feeling" a bono