Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-02-17
amending the law with relation to drug
gists permits we're ordered printed on
motion of the senator.
The senate then adjourned,
The House.

The House.
The house was called to order prompt.
ly at 10 o'clock.
Prayer was offered by the chaplain.
The roll call showed all members to be
present except those who we're excused.
THE %GLAspELL MATTER.
Mr.. Laughlin introduced a resolution
providing that all the proceedings in the
Glaspell case be excluded from the house
journal.
AS soon as the resolution had been
read, Mr.. McHarg jumped to his feet and
denounced the resolution as being
against the provisions of the constitution
allowing right of petition.
Mr.. Sanford replied that he under
stood the house had the right to deal
with and dispose of any petition as it saw
fit. If this matter is permitted to come
up here things may be said that better
have remained unsaid and he was in ia
vor of the resolution.
Mr.. McHarg: II arise to a point of
order. My point of order is that this
resolution is in direct violation to the
state constitution"
Mr.. Speaker:-"1 hold the point of or
der is not we'll taken; the motion is up
the adoption of the resolution. Are
there any remarks?
Mr.. Stevens:-"I move hat this house
go into executive session."
Mr.. McHarg:-"I deny the right of
this house to go into executive session on
constitutional grounds"
Mr.. Stevens:-"This body is a body
soveign in ITSELF"
MIR. Hale:-Since Mr.. Glaspell has
seen fit to select the newspapers as his
tribunal, l will vote in favor of an exec
utive session.
The roll vas called and the vote was
% to 25 in favor of the motion.
The executive session was of short
duration. About all there was done was
to adopt Laughlin's resolution, striking
from the journal all record of the Glas-
pell affair.
IN REGULAR SESSION,
When the house convened in regular
session, Mr.. McHarg created a surprise
by announcing that he desired to read a
petition from Judge GlaspelD for the
benefit of the house.
Objections were made to the reading
of the petition on the grounds that the
matter subject of the petition had been
settled in executive session.
MIR. Sanford said the reading of this
petition had been disposed of in execu-
tive session and he objected to its being
read.
MIR. Laughlin-I insist that the mem
Der from Stutsman has no right to pre-
sent the petition.
1t was moved that the petition be
read..and the motion prevailed.
Mr.. McHarg then handed the petition
to the clerk who proceeded to read the
same.
To the Honorable Speaker and Mem
bers of the House of Representatives
of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of
the State of North Dakota:
Your petitioner, Samuel L. Glaspell,
represents and shows to your honorable
body that he is now, and since January
l, 1897, has been the duly elected, quail
fed and sitting Judge of the Fifth judi
cial district of the state of North, Da-
kota.
That on or about January a, 1899,
there appeared in certain newspapers
printed in this state, and in Minnesota,
articles sent out from Bismarck, making
serious charges against the character of
your petitioner as a judicial officer. 1t
was in effect stated that your honorable
body was about to prefer articles of i'm
parchment against your petitioner.
Some fourteen days have elapsed since
these rumor and charges were placed in
circulation, and while your petitioner
has a%nXiously looked for some action
tending to bring the matter to an issue,
he is now forced to the conclusion that
no such action will be taken by those
making the accusations.
The charges thus publicly made are
serious, and not only affect the name and
fame of your petitioner, but are calcu-
lated to bring the judiciary into disre-
pute.
If the charges are true, then your pc
%titioner submits that some notice there
of should be taken, and if they are false
and malicious, as your petitioner asserts,
then it is respectfully submitted that
your petitioner is entitled to a hearing
and to a judgment.
That action will be taken looking to
that end is the prayer of your petitioner.
SAMUEL L. GLAsPELL.
Mr.. Stevens+"I move that the prayer
of the petitioner be granted and that
the speaker of the house be empowered
to appointa committee of five who shall
have power to send for persons and pa
pers or secure such evidence as may be
deemed proper"
The motion received a second and after
it had been stated MI. Stevens said in
part: IF you vote against this motion
you cast a vote of condemnation against
the chief executive Of this state and a
hasty ~vindication of Judge Glaspell. Let
us not say that Judge Glaspell shall not
be heard. Neither let us force either to
rest under the ban of suspicion. I ap-
peal to you in the name of justice not to
vote for the condemnation of one and
the credit of the other"
The motion prevailed.
Mr.. Stevens stated that in his judg-