The Nome nugget., 1903-09-30
AN INCIDENT WELL ENDED.

, The reversal of the judgment of the district court Sor the Second judicial division of Alaska, Judge Vickcrsham presiding, against United States Mar shal Frank 1T. Richards, sets at rest controversy nat should never have arisen. Marshal Richards vas convicted of a charge of contempt i'll May, 1902 ne contempt consisting of allegation to the effect .hat he had "xed the jury in the of the United States ys. Joseph H. Wright, charged with emb.z- rlng funds while postmaster of Nome.
 Evidence adduced during the trial, as well as cozdfnuncations that passed between Judge Wicker sham and the acting district attorney, McGinn, showed conclusvely desire the part of the latter officials to place the blame for the acquttal of Wright eisewhs than where it belonged. Few people, yho~ were conversant with the crime with which Wright charged, doubted his guilt, but the prose cuton utterly failed to show that he guilty, and hsnce, in tho desire to place the blame of mscar- rixgs of justice somewhere, proceedings were nsti- sQted against Marshal Richards and Joseph D. Jour. den. Both were tried by Judge Wickersham, both Ntr.'adirdged guilty Jourden paid his fine of $500 Richards took appeal to the circuit court of ap- peals after an intellectual attempt have the present fudge of the district court review the TIE NUG sET sympathzed with Marshal Richards, because it believed him to be innocent of the charges laid at his d6or and because it was familiar with the methods
  Wright, and the utter failure of the prosecution to make out case principally was pointed out at tkxt time, because the against Wright evinced Mck of preparation that was noticeable, even to a hyman.
 The fight made upon Marshal Richards, especially W the paid and interested organs of those opposed to him, has been characterized by brutality and a hsasvolense that is, fortunately, seldom witnessed cOtede sf Alaska, and only here, when organs arc conducted by who have not the slightest idea o tho meaning of the term responsibility.
 The frdng of the circuit court of appeals insures h measure, at least, protection of the individual iom the pre udices, ncompeency, inherent weakness r usasvoence of the judge of inferior court. The rtistake mado by Judge Wckersham was that of a sssk man, who fancied that he strong; he was sh adtocrat,' who thought that he could use the power of his position and the machinery of the law to destroy rather than to upbuild. He made the mis. take that many other men have made; his ambition 4ed to ''efeat that must ultimately prove to him dis astrous. In his conduct of the case against Marshal Richards, Judge Wckersham showed in a marked way that he was not animated by h;gh-mnded pur. pose to right an alleged wrong, to excise alleged evil, but he sh )wed rather that personal feeling and violent prejudices warped his Had he been
 more able man, his course would have been differ snt bad hS been the able jurst, he would have pur- sued a different path He would then have been broad enough and learned enough to place the blame ola miscarriage of justice where it strictly belonged. Courts were not instituted to oppress, but to pro- tsct. That weak incompetents sometimes fill judicial rositions is fact to Do regretted; that malice and prejudice are found the bench is to be deplored. but even with these handcaps and drawbacks, it is matter of congra tulaton that if justice be had jn one court of this land it usually can be found in Doms other. Another thing which it is we'll to remem bsr: When man is placed in position of power, |udicial otherwise, he will only command the con- Ddsncc the r.s rect of all the people when he dis ;baSgcs the duties 0i his office in a manner that will reate and preserve that selfsame respect and coh- ltncs:
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