The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-01-08
GR1GGs TIRED OF TALK
ABOUT MOVES.
WANTS WRITTEN CHARGES
So Informs Lawyer Who Came
from Nome to Complain
Against Judge.

Knight OF San FRANCISCO and Cape
Nome, the attorney who is in con-
tempt before Judge Noyes' court at
the latter place, has made a trip across
the continent for the express purpose
of seeing Mckinley and asking him to
interest himself in the charges against
Judge Noyes to the extent of recon-
mending to Attorney General Griggs
that Judges Noyes and Brown be trans
ferred. '
Knight saw Mckinley late Satur-
day, but received no satisfaction from
him. The president said there was no
official action for him to take and he
politely, but firmly declined to use
his influence with the attorney gen.
eral. From the president Knight
went to Attorney General Griggs, who
told him that no steps would be taken
until formal charges had been pre-
ferred against Noyes. Meanwhile
Judge Noyes' friends, one and all, are
protesting against the proposed trans
fer and saying that if it is made Noyes
will resign. The transfer, says Judge
Noyes' personal representative in
Washington, would be tantamount to
pronouncing him guilty. These pro-
tests have reached both the president
and attorney general and undoubtedly
are having the effect to strengthen
the attorney generals attitude of nom
interference until written charges are
made.
The transfer would be all easy way
out of the men ordinarily, but it be-
comes a most difficult way when
Noyes protests against it and tells his
Washington representative to an
nounce that he would look upon it as
a declaration by the department of
justice that he is guilty.
In reply to Governor Brady's state
ment that Judge Noyes will be muir
dered if not removed from Nome by
the beginning of mining operations
next summer, a. K. Wheeler of Min
neapolis, Judge Noyes' private secre-
tary, who is in Washington this win
ter to represent his interests, said
today: "Judge Noyes and his friends
are entirely willing to run the risk of
assassination. We all went through
the mill at Nome last summer and at
times things were pretty wild, but we
stood our ground and shall continue
to do &c.
"Judge Noyes pays no attention to
these hints of possible murder, nor do
!. It is all wind and does not brighten
us. We strongly oppose any transfer
of judges and want to fight out the
matter right in Nome, where all parts
in interest are, and where the mines
in interest are located. At the very
least our consent to a transfer would
be regarded as an exhibition Of cowar-
dice.'
Attorney General Griggs was very
vigorous in his expressions today. He
said: II told Knight, as I have told
ohters who have come here to talk
against Judge Noyes, that I would
pay no attention to verbal charges. |
cannot act on talk. The lowest sal
aried clerk in this department. is en-,
titled to have charges against him re-
duced to writing and an opportunity
to reply to them. How much more is
it incumbent of the high office OF
United States judge. When written
charges are preferred I shall take such
action as appears to MI to be neces.
sary in the premises"
The charges against Noyes have not
yet gone beyond the newspaper stage
and the attorney general intimates
very plainly that he is tired of listening
to endless string of talk from people
who are in a position to give theil
charges definite and formal shape il
writing. l.