The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1905-05-03
RECOMMENDS REMOVAL
Finding of Assembly Committee
on Hooker Charges.
Acts Do N9t Constitute Cause For Inn
peachmeht but Warrant Removal by
the Legislature Under Section II Of
Article WI Of the Constitution.
Special Order For Thursday.

Article Vt Of the Constitution
Special Order For Thursday.
Albany, May 2. = Legislative pro
eeedings for the, removal of Justice
Warren B. Hooker of the Eighth ju.
dicial district from the supreme court
bench of this state are unanimously
recommended in the report of the as.
sembly judiciary committee to that
house of its investigation of the
charges affecting the justice.
The report is signed by IL Of the 13
members of the committee as follows:
Fish of Madison (chairman), Mead OF
Albany, Wemple of Schenectady
Moreland of Chemung, Steele of Herki
mer, Cunningham of Ulster, Schoenck
of Onondaga, F. G. Whitney of Oswego
STANDARD of Erie, Shanahan of Kings
and Calm of New York. Mr.. Perham
of New York died in March and Mr.
Everett of New York has not attend.
ed any of the committees hearings by
reason of continued illness.
Messrs. Mead and Wemple sign the
following memorandum which is at
tached to the report:
1--WE have signed the foregoing re.
port with great hesitation, believing
there is grave doubts as to the inter
pretation of section II of article G OF
the constitution and Its application
to the facts in this case"
Committees Recommendations.
I'VE are of the opinion" says the
committee. in the recommendation
which closes its report, that the acts
of said Warren B. Hooker hereinbefore
set forth in the several findings of
fact do not constitute cause for i'm.
parchment under the provisions OF sec.
tion 13, article vi of the constitution
of this state and of section 12 of the
code Of criminal procedure, for the
reason that such acts were not com.
mitted in the course of the discharge
of his official duty and do not consti.
tute wilful and corrupt misconduct in
office.
I'VE are of the opinion that the
acts of said Warren B. Hooker herein.
before set forth in the several find.
ings of fact constitute and are cause
for his removal under the provisions
Of section II, article vi Of the consti
tuition of this state.
I'VE recommend that proceedings
be taken by the legislature. for the
removal of Warren B. Hooker from
the Office of justice of the supreme
court, In pursuance of and in accord
ance with the provisions of section
II, article VI of the constitution OF
this state"
The conclusions upon which these
recommendations are based practic
ally summarize the alleged acts OF
Justice Hooker upon which the com
mittee has been taking testimony foI
nearly two months. These conclus
ions are as follows:
Conclusions of Facts.
"First-That, in our opinion, said
Warren B. Hooker and George w
Beavers both knew that the appoint
ments of said Frank P. Ball, as la.
borer and clerk in the Fredonia post
office, were unnecessary; and that by
reason of the acts of said Hooker and
Beavers, and the acts of Ball in con.
nection Herewith, the United States
was defrauded OF said sum of 81,
5S2.07; and that the reason and motive
which influenced Warren B. Hooker
in procuring the appointment of Ball,
first as laborer and then as clerk in
said postoffice. was that Ball might
thereby obtain mopey with which to
pay the said note of $3,040 upon which
Mrs Hooker was endorser; that the
said acts of said Warren B. Hooke,
were immoral and show personal un
fitness in him to occupy the position
Of justice of the supreme court
"Second-That, In our opinion, said
Warren B, Hooker knew that the ap
pointment of Maurice Hooker to the
position Of laborer in the Fredonia
postofllce was unnecessary. That by
reason of the acts of said Warren B
Hooker and Melvin H Taylor, and the
acts Of said Beavers and Maurice
Hooker, connected Herewith, the Unit
ed States was defrauded of upwards
of the sum of $500; and that said
acts of said Warren B. Hooker were
immoral and show personal unfit
ness in him to occupy the position OF
justice of the supreme court.
"Third-That, in our opinion, said
Beavers knew that the appointments
Of Thomas O'Neil, Henry ]. Pember
ton, George Cooper, Minerva jeffrey
and Ora Caldwell were unnecessary
and that by reason of the acts of said
Hooker and Beavers in connection
with the appointment of said Ora
Caldwell and Thomas O'Neil the Unit
ed States was defrauded of the sum
of $276.66, paid to said Caldwell and
the sum of $126.G6, paid to said O'Neil
That the acts of said Warren B. Hook
er in connection with the appoint
ments of Caldwell and O'Neil were
culpable and show personal unfit
ness in him to occupy the position OF
justice of the supreme court.
"Fourth-That, in our opinion, the
transaction between Katherine K
Clark, Melvin H. Taylor, Warren D,
Hooker and George w. Beavers. re.
garding the appointment of said Clark
to a position in the Fort Plain post