The San Francisco call., 1901-10-18

Nome contempt cases has begun.
Before Commissioner Heacock
IL yesterday morning and afternoon
E. S. Pillsbury, acting amicus
curiae, elected testimony from w. 7.
Hume, a member of the Nome bar, that
far exceeded the expectations of sensa-
tional developments in the case. Hume
was on the stand all day and will go on
again to-day, when P. ]. Mclaughlin,
Judge Noyes' attorney, will finish his
cross-examination.
Commissioner Heacock's room had an
air of the Arctic about it yesterday. Out
side of few attorneys from this city,
the men came from the far north, where
justice seems to have been going a jerky
pace. First Of all there was Judge Arthur
H. Noyes, who appears to show cause
why he should not be punished for con-
tempt of the United States Circuit Court
in not obeying its writ of supersedeas d
year ago last September. Heis represent
ed by eX-Judge P. ]. Mclaughlin, man
high in the bar of Minnesota, and Francis
]. Heney of this. city. Ex-Judge James
G.. Mcguire was present in the morning to
look out for the interests of Tom Geary
of Nome. c. S. A. Frost, court officer,
and j. * Wood, the District Attorney of
Nome. were also on hand. So far they
have not been on the grill. Their time
will come, the amicuS curiae promises.
Others who were attentive listeners, We're
Attorneys Metson, Kenneth NJ. jackson
and eX-Judge Johnson.
The contempt cases, four of them, are
the outgrowth of peculiar state OF Judi
cial affairs that existed in the Nome coun-
try during Judge Noyes' regime. The
story of claim-Jumping, the appointment
of receivers and NICK enzie's connection
with the case has already been told. The
worst was anticipated and that worst is
now receiving an airing in the Commis
sioner'S examination. Attorney PiIsbury
is sparing no one and by sweeping cuts is
going right to the bone of the case
The opening was a Noyes day. not that
the testimony redounded to his honesty
or credit, but that it had him as the sub
ject matter of examination. Through these
contempt proceedings the innermost facts
Of the operations of the .so-called Federal
Nome ring will be brought to light.
Hume's testimony as It stands is a reye-
honesty and discloses a state Of affairs
that will end in disbarments and disgrace
for many.
Respondents File Answers.
Answers were filed in the contempt
cases yesterday morning at the session Of
the Circuit Court Of Appeals. IT,. j. Geary
came armed with a demurrer, which was
promptly overruled. All answers try to
explain away the charges except that OF
District Attorney Joseph K. Wood for the
Nome district. He confesses, to the accu-
sations made against him and throws him
self IS on the nny mercy Of the court
d
on his part to allow an appeal from an
order appointing a receiver, but AYERS
that In all his acts in the premises he
acted judicially in the exercise of justice
and discretion. He also declares that At
torney Metson by an interruption of the
proceedings Of the court at busy time
upset his decision. Judge Noyes believes
the writ of supersedeas precluded him
from making orders concerning the re-
ceivership. He denies that he authorized
the United States Marshal to take possess
sion Of the gold dust, and states that he
believes that 1t was his duty to restrain
the defendant from removing the gold
dust from the jurisdiction of the court.
Geary's answer Is denial Of giving ad-
vice to Mckenzie to disoDey the writ.
Geary admits, however the writing Of
an opinion in which he says Judge Nor
row did not command Noyes to- deliver
possession of any property to anybody or
that the possession of property should be
interfered with.
United States District Attorney Joseph
K. Woods answer is quite a surprise.
Wood admits in it that at the time the
Circuit Court of Appeals sent Deputy
United States Marshals Moncton and
Burnham to Nome he had possession of
the keys to the safe deposit vault of a
local bank where the gold dust from the
Anvil Creek mines, which are in litiga-
ton, was stored. He further admits that
when the deputies arrived there with or
ders from the Circuit Court to deliver the
dust to the Wild Goose and Pioneer Min
ing Company, from whose claim it had
been taken, he still had the keys and re-
fused to give them up. Wood ends his
answer with plea for mercy, asking the