The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-11
.SWAYNE UNDER FIRE
FLORIDA FEDERAL JUDGE MAY ne
IMPEACHED.
BY CONGRESSMAN LAMAR
RESOLUTION WAS INTRODUCED
AND CHARGES MADE.

Abscnting Himself from His Dis
trict and Conduct InimicaI to the
Interests of the People Were
Charged.
Washington, Dec. 10.-The House to-
day adopted a resolution directing the
Judiciary Committee to inquire into
the official conduct of Charles Swayne,
judge of the United States District
Court for the Northern district of
Florida, and to report whether the
action of the House is requisite"
Mr.. Lamar (Democrat) of Florida
offered the resolution, amounting that
he desired to impeach Judge Swayne.
lively debate was had before the
resolution was adopted A number of
the members on the majority sought
to have the resolution referred to the
Judiciary Committee. that a recon-
mendation might be had from that
committee before voting on it's adop-
ton.
The minority solidly supported Mr..
Lamar in his opposition to the mo-
elOI " lSlSlS anu several ISSpupu-
cans voted against reference. There
were but few dissenting votes on the
motion to adopt the resolution.
Mr.. Lamar, rising to a question
of privilege after announcing that he
would offer a resolution in which
would be embodied a joint resolution
of the Florida Legislature, said:
"With High Crimes"
ton I desire to impeach Charles
Swayne, Judge of the United States
District Court, for the Northern dis
trict of Florida, with high crimes and
misdemeanors.
The resolution, after reciting in the
preamble the resolution of the Flor
ida Legislature, says:
Resolved, That the Committee on
the Judiciary be directed to inquire
and report whether the action of the
House is requisite concerning the Off
cial misconduct of Charles Swayne,
judge of the United States District
Court for the Northern district of Flor
ida, and say whether said Judge has
held terms of his court as required
by law, whether he has continuously
and persistently absented himself from
the said state and whether his acts
and omissions in his office of judge
have been such as in any degree to
deprive the people of that district of
the benefits of the court therein to
amount to a denial of justice; whether
the said Judge has been guilty of cor
rupt conduct in office, and whether his
administration of his office has result
ed in injury and wrong to litigants
of his court"
To Gather Evidence.
The resolution further authorizes the
Judiciary Committee to send for per-
sons and papers and to do other things
essential to the investigation.
Mr.. Lamar moved the adoption of
the resolutions
Mr.. Grosvenor suggested that there
should be specific charges, that the
House should go slowly and be ex-
tremely careful. The House is not a
grand jury, he said.
Mr. Lacey (Republican) of Iowa,
moved to refer the resolution to the
Committee on Judiciary.
Mr.. Payne Republican of New York
said the House should proceed with
care in so important a matter as this.
Mr. Fuller (Republican) of Illinois
said the resolution should not be re-
ferred, but should be voted down,
charging that it did not contain a
single specification. The humblest citi-
zen, he said, was entitled to be fur
nished with specific charges before be-
ing placed on trial. He declared that
it would be useless to refer the resolu-
ton to the Judiciary Committee, saying
that that committee would be obliged
to report it back with a report that
there was nothing in it to warrant &C
ton.
Lamar Becomes Specific.
Mr.. Lamar said: "As l understand,
this objection made by the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Grosvenor) is that 1
do not charge Judge Swayne with any
specific crime. 1 do charge him gem
orally with high crimes and INSIDE
meanors. Why should 1 be forced to
state, when the proof is to be sub
mitted to the Committee on judiciary,
the specific matters upon which that
general alega ton is made. Every sin
gle crime that this judge is capable of
committing is charged when l charge
him of high crimes and misdemean-
ors. But if the gentleman desires that
! shall make my charges seriatim, l
charge this judge, first, with contin-
ued, persistent, and, if you please, per-
nicious absenteeism from his district:
second, with corrupt official conduct,
based on several matters; third, l
charge Judge Swayne with maladmin-
istration of judicial matters in his
court, so much as to embarrass bank
rupts and annihilate the assets of liti-
giants and others appearing within his
Jurisdiction
Mr. Williams, the minority leader,
contended for the adoption of the res
olution, citing former cases and argu-
ing that the verbal statement of Mr..
Lamar is sufficient
Mr. Mann (Republican) of Illinois
asked Mr.. Lamar if it was his idea
that the Judiciary Committee should
proceed with an inquiry without spe-
cific charges.
Mr.. Lamar replied that the commit
tee had full power
Mr.. Clayton (Democra) of Alabama
said Mr.. Lamar had pursued a course
similar to that followed in other cases.
This is merely the Inauguration of an
Indictment he said
Mr.. Lacey (Republican) of Iowa
spoke for his motion to refer
The motion to refer the resolution to
the Judiciary Committee was lost, when
the resolution as offered by Mr.. Lamar
was adopted with a few dissenting
votes.
The House then adjourned until to-
morrow.
Election Law strengthened