Evening star., 1902-03-18
Cabinet Discusses Cession Of
Danish West Indies.
NEW JUDGE FOR TEXAS
CANDIDATES MOST TALKED OF
FOR THE POSITION.
Mr.. Evans Probable Retirement
Within Few Months-Two Vetoes
by the President.

The cabinet today discussed the cesslon
of the Danish West Indies to the United
States. The remainder of the time of the
meeting was occupied in going over rou-
tine departmental matters.
Charges Against Judge.
Most serious charges affecting fhe moral
character of a United States judge were
filed at the White House today. The ac-
cused jurst is Judge John l.. McAtee of the
fifth district of Oklahoma and one of the
associate justices of the supreme court Of
the territory. The written charges, accom-
panied by affidavits were filed by Rev. NJ.
Porter, a well-known pastor of Enid, Okla.
Mr.. Porter was sent on here, it is stated by
the pastors and church people of Enid for
the purpose Of pressing the charges against
Judge McAtee and having action taken as
speedily as possible. 1t is charged that
Judge McAtee's conduct resulted in an ar
rest a little over week ago and the i'm
posing Of a fine in the police court. Mr..
Porter will have talk with the President
tomorrow, during which he will verbally
review the charges. Enid. the home OF
Judge McAtee, is said to be greatly aroused
over the matter, and the church people are
declared to be putting forward every effort
to have the case speedily settled.
Judge McAtee was appointed as judge
in Oklahoma by President Cleveland. He
was originally from Maryland but at the
time of his appointment was living in Okla
homa. The salary of the judges in Okla
homa is $1,000 a year.
For Civil Service Commissioner.
Senator Proctor talked with the President
this morning about the vacancy on the civil
service commission caused by the retire
ment of Mr.. Rodenberg. Senator Proctor
presented the claims of George r. Wales
Of the civil service commission. Mr. Wales
is law officer of the commission and his
home is in Vermont. He is known as a
man of great executive and legal ability
and worthy of promotion of the kind
sought for him. The President, it is said,
has not made a selection for the position,
but is considering the names of several
people.
A New Judge for Texas.
Representative Cooper of Texas presented
to the President E. P. Scott Of Paris Texas
Mr.. Scott is candidate for district attor-
ney Of the eastern district Of Texas. The
place was made vacant by the fact that
Mr. McLemore. the United States attorney
of the eastern district was placed in the
newly created district by the bill just
passed by Congress, giving another district
to Texas. There is an exceedingly lively
fight in progress for the prize of judge Of
the new district. The candidates most
prominently talked Of now are Mr.. Kleberg
of Galveston, brother of Representative
kleberg Of Texas; Waller Burns, former
state senator from Houston and H. W.
democrat until the campaign Of 1896 when
he voted for Mckinley, and also for former
Representative Hawley, who was the only
republican in Congress from Texas for
a hn
dorsed Mr.. kleberg for the judgeshp. not
Withstanding the prominence in republican
circles of Mr.. Burns. AS Mr.. Hawley is the
national committeeman and the recognized
medium for the distribution of patronage
his recommendation ought to amount to
something. Mr.. Kleberg, it is alleged by
republicans, still claims to be democrat
Representative Ball of Delaware present.
ed a delegat ton of United Workmen which
organization is holding a meeting in the
city.
Representative Dayton of West Virginia
presented ]. I. Hope of that state. United
States consul at Windsor, Nova Scotia.
Mr.. Evans Probable Retirement.
H. Clay Evans, whose probable retirement
as commissioner of pensions was foreshad-
owed in The Star several weeks ago, called
on the President this MORNING for talk
on pension affairs. There is no longer any
doubt that Mr.. Evans will, within the next
few months at the latest, sever his connec-
tion with the pension bureau to accept from
the President position which will be a
substantial promotion, but which has not
yet been definitely selected 1t is well known
that Mr.. Evans has the entire confidence
Of the President, and the latter will not
consider the question Of his retirement until
position entirely satisfactory to the COM
missioner has been provided No decision
has yet been reached concerning success
sor to Mr.. Evans, nor will any action be
taken until the President is thoroughly con-
vinced that he has found a man of the same
high character and sterling worth possessed
by the present commissioner in SO high
degree.
1t is understood that the subject Of re-
tirement has not been discussed between
the President and Mr.. Evans. The matter
of change has been brought to the front
by the action Of the pension committee Of
the G. A. r.. In asking that change be
made in the pesiOn office.
Two Veto Messages.
President Roosevelt today sent to the
Senate two veto messages Of private bills.
One is a bill granting an honorable dis
charge from the military service to Chas.
H. Hawley. OF this case the President
says: This is a mandatory bill. revoking
the order of dismissal issued thirty-nine
years ago. and directing the issuance of an
honorable discharge from the army to this
man whom his superior officers including
the commander-in-ch chief, Abraham Lincoln.
II
Of the Union thirty-nne years ago. l do
not at this time express an opinion upon
the constitutional questions involved in the
bill. I think it in the highest degree mex
pedient to reverse the order of dismissal
nearly forty years after the event. when 1t
is out Of the question for any one to pos
sess the knowledge and the means Of ar
irving at the judgment which was pos
sessed by the fellow officers of the man at
the time they dismissed him..
Hawley was a second lieutenant In the
10th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.
The other is bill for the relief of James
w. Howell. In returning this bill the Pres
ident says: This is not bill which con-
fers jurisdiction. 1t is mandatory in it's
character, directing the Secretary of War
to revoke and set aside the proceedings,
findings and sentence of a court-martial
held thirty years ago. I do not at
this time express an opinion upon the con-
stitutional questions involved in the bill.
1t is enough to say that this man was con-
victed Of mutiny, sentenced to be iiShon-
orably discharged from the army and con-
fined at hard labor for term of years. A
portion of the confinement was remitted
by executive clemency. 1t is to the last
degree improbable that now. thirty-seven
ua of ffart he s,