The Grit-advocate., 1905-11-24
SENATOR PATTERsoN's PLEA.
Pleads Truth as Justification in Con.
tempt Charges.

Denver-That the acts of the State
Supreme Court during the past year
justified the publication of the articles
and cartoons which Senator Patterson
published or caused to be published in
the News and Times. criticising the de-
cisions from the courts, was the sub
stance of the answer which the senator
filed in the now famous contempt pro-
ceedings against him and the News
Times Publishing Company.
The senator, in effect, says that the
charges were true, that he can prove
them, and requests the permission OF
Introducing evidence TO do so. 1t Is
the first time in the history of Colorado
courts that publisher has, when cited
for contempt, maintained that his
charges were true and offered to prove
them. The senator in his answer states
that the publications were for the pur-
pose of arousing the public to a COM
plete comprehension OF the manner in
which, he claims, the court was violat-
ing the constitution Of the state and
was, through its decision, seating Re-
publicans in the positions to which
Democrats had been elected.
He recites at length the history of
the Supreme Courts political de-
cisions since last October. and
charges that the corporations entered
into a contract with Governor Pea
body to re-elect him if he wouiu
allow them to name the two new
members of the Supreme Court pro-
vided for under the consolidation
amendment; that as result of that
agreement the corporations named
Judges Goddard and Bailey; that
Judge Goddard was Objectionable to
some of the corporations and that his
confirmation by the Senate was pro-
longed in that body until after the
agents of the Colorado l. Southern had
spent three hours at his home one
morning between 12 o'clock midnight
and 3 o'clock, and that he was then
confirmed.
The senator charges that Governor
Peabody, when he ascertained that
Governor Adams was to be seated, re-
fused to send in the nominations of
Goddard and Bailey for some hours,
and that the corporation agents and
Justices Campbell and Gabbert, who
were then on the supreme bench. Wis
tied the governor in his private office
and prevailed upon him to send to the
Senate the names Of the two men and
that during the visit of the corporation
agents they agreed to stand the Pea
body expense of the Peabody-Adams
contest.
Senator Patterson also charges that
through the decisions of the court,
which he claims were unconstitu-
tional, Republican governor, a Re
publican Legislature. two Republican
members of the Supreme Court and all
of the Republican officers of the city
and county of Denver were given pO-
sitions to which the people had really
elected Democrats. He charges that.
considering the appointive power Of
the officers involved. the Supreme
Court thus seated between 400 and
500 Republicans when the people had
chosen Democrats.
He maintained that the one object
of all the political upheaval was TO
secure q Supreme Court that would
be friendly to the corporations III de-
cisions that would probably be rem
dered during the life of the present
court And that the conspiracy en-
tered into between the corporation
agents and Governor Peabody to allow
the corporations to name the two
judges solely to secure Il court friendly
to The corporations.