The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-02-08
THE IMPEACHMENT QUESTION
BY FULL HOUSE JUICE
AIRY COMMITTEE
The Report OF the subcommittee Civ
Ing Facts aud Law I'm the Case-No
mfttee-No Action by The Full Conn
mittee, Which Adjourns Until Today
Especial TO The Messenger,

Raleigh. n. c., February 4-The SUBJ
committee Of the house judiciary COM
mittee had two sessions today on the
Impeachment matter.
This afternoon J.. c. L Harris was
before the subcommittee as a witness.
he having been Theophofas Whites
counsel. The committees questions
were evidently Il ascertain whether
there had been n completely Dr. un-
Iderstanding between the republican
Judges and the treasurer. Mr.. Harris
said he had never heard OF such a
thing. He said he applied to Chief JUS
tice Faircloth for the writ of manda-
mus. The chief justice said he could
not do anything; hat Harris remedy
WAS plain to his mind. Harris said:
PLEASE tell me it is" The chief
Justice said he was no attorney. Hariss
then went TO Clerk Kenan and made
demand for a mand4mus. The clerk
told him TO put the demand in writing.
Harris wrote and signed il. He went
to Washington; while there he tele-
lgraphed to the clerk to know the status
lof the matter. The clerk replied that
the writ had been signed by a MAORI
Ity of the court, and copies served on
IlliC dodANOl LII 4AdA-
lris returned he got the money. He
said he never had talked to Faircloth
or Furches save when he made the. ap-
Iplication to the men on the bench; that
his relations with Furches We're not
friendly. Once on the street he met
douglas and made some passing re-
mark about Whites claim. Douglas
merely said: Il reckon you'll get your
money"
When the subcommittee or the i'm
~lpeachment resolution came into the SUI
lpreme court library to make report to
the full judiciary committee at $3.50 to-
might Mr.. S~hannonhouse said the news
papers had given such prominence to
this Impeachment matter and had so
Imuch to say about it. he thought the
report and discussion should be out of
their reach; that some newspapers had
taken it upon themselves to tell what
lshould be done, when they knew moth
ing about the facts either way.
On motion of Mr.. Robinson the COM
mittee adjourned to the state library,
thus averting the necessity of order
ing the large assembly of members of
the house n senate and the reporters
from the room.
Chairman Allen. of Wayne, of the
Subcommittee said he had seen state
ments printed that the subcommittee
had agreed to report unanimously In
of impeachment: that these were
lentirely unauthorized: that the sub
lcommittee was simply authorized to
investigate the case and report the re-
lsult to the full committee and for no
jother purpose; that the subcommittee
had no authority or purpoS. to
recommend impeachment. but Oily TO
report the result of its investigation,
leaving the course to be taken in tho
hands OF the whole committee.
At 11.20 O'clock toOipbt tho bC,,ca
Judiciary committee gave out to each
of the local morning. papers q type
written copy of tn. report of the sub
Icommittee to it, this report containing
1000 words, on condition that every
word of it be printed 0. none at ell.
The committee is yet in session. 1t was
at first decided by all save Mr.. Craig
not to give out the report, his vote
being taken after the newspaper men
had sent in a request FOR the report.
Then is a few minutes there was q re-
consideration and ii was decided to
give out the report upon the condition
above referred to.
The house judiciary committee at
l12:15 o'clock adjourned until 3 o'clock
Tomorrow afternoon.
Speeches were made by Messrs.
lCraig, Conner and Graham. of the sub
COMMITTEE. All expressed the legal
|opinion that the judges were liable to
llIupcdCHIIleIl, Uul all save craig were
Inon-committal as to the expediency of
Impeachment.
ROuntree, Winston and others made
lin~terrogations of the speakers indicat-
ling disapproval of impeachment.
There are three or -four republicans
lon the COMMITTEE. but only one was
present at the meeting.
The report of the subcommittee is In
1.-THE nature of a law briet. citing decis-
ions on the question Of impeachment
1t is said its conclusion plainly SUI
ports the right to impeach and the evi.
ldence bearing the same way. The sub.
lcommmittee made no direct recon
lmendations.
Messrs. Graham's. and Connor's re.
marks were pacific. There was nc
lheated discussion. but the meeting wa:
more in the nature of a conference.
A member of the committee said to.
might they hoped a way would be found
Iout Of this matter without Impeachment
but declared that Enthusiastically tn.
le%vidence adduced showed ample grount
for it.