The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-17

Washington, January 12.-The House
of Representatives today devoted it's
entire session to discussion of, the i'm
parchment charges against Judge
Charles Swayne of the Northern district
of Florida. A dramatic incident occur
red when Mr.. Littlefield, of Maine, call
ed ON MT. Lamar, of Florida, who filed
the charges against the judge, to admit
or ~repudiate an alleged interview which
the former claimed tended to incite
the people to commit an act of violence
against Judge Swayne. Mr.. Lamar adj
mitted giving an interview, but emphat-
ically denied any suggestion from him
that could be construed into advising
assassination or murder. He said that
although Judge Swayne vas known to
be the most lawless IA in Florida, he
had remained secure from bodily harm.
Mr.. Palmer, of pennsylvania, chair
man of the committee of seven appoint
ed by the speaker to prepare the case
against Judge SWayne, explained that
the majority of the committee had
reached their conclusions after most
painstaking deliveration and it remain
ed for the House itself to take such
further action in the case as it might
deem proper.
Mr.. Palmer defined what constituted
Improbable offences and said a judge
could be ~impeached for any misDehav-
iOr. He then gave a resume of the
twelve articles of impeachment, which
his committee had brought in.
Replying to a question by Mr.. Cock
ran, of New York, as to whether any
litigant was oppressed by the alleged
failure of Judge Swayne to acquire a
legal residence in his district, Mr.. Pal
mer said the evidence ~abounded in such
cases He discussed at length the stat
ute governing contempt cases and said
it was so plain that a wayfaring man
or a fool may not err there" That"
he said. was where this man has sim
ned
Mr.. Palmer evoked loud applause
when raising his voice, he declared his
intention of introducing at the present
session a bill which would give every
man punished for contempt the right to
appeal to some higher court.
Mr.. Palmer reviewed the contempt
cases of Belden and Davis, saying that
Judge Swayne claimed that the pun
ishment of the two men was moderate.
Il hope" he added, God will be good
to the men that Judge Swayne imposes
a severe sentence upon"
Referring to the real estate transac-
ton of Judge Swayne in Pensacola, Mr..
Palmer said that no other judge on
earth would have done such a thing.
Judge Swayne's court, he said, was
reeking with bankruptcies, scandals
and suicides, and he did not believe the
Judge had a friends in his district.
Taking up statements which nave ap-
peared in the newspapers, that othe1
Judges than Judge Swayne had charged
SO a day for expenses, Mr.. Palmer We
hemently declared that such statements
were a. SANDER on the judiciary or the
limited States. There is not" he SAID,
"a SYLLABLE of testimony in his record
or anywhere on earth that any judge
ever did this thing but Judge SWayne.
With much earnestness he added
that he made the statement on his
responsibility as a member of the
House. W. are trying this case on
the record" he said, land not on
newspaper reports, thank God TO
refuse to support the charges, Mr..
Palmer exclaimed, would make the
members of the House the laughing
stock of the United States.
Stating tina he rose not for the
purpose of opposing or advocating
any of the articles of impeachment,
Mr. TittIefel6 of Maine. said he felt
it his duty to give to the House what
the record showed and what it did not
show. He then analysed the evidence
in the case in all its phases and said
that none of the majority of the COM
mittee. except the subcommittee, had
read the report when they voted for
impeachment. He mentioned that
fact, he said, in order that the House
might appreciate the true significance
of the action of the committee.
Turning his attention to Mr.. Lamar
of Florida, who filed the original
charges. Mr.. LittIefeld called upon
him to admit or deny an alleged in
tervfew published in the Metropolis
of Jacksonville, Fla, on March 20
1904, reprinted from the Atlanta
Constitution, which Mr.. Littlefield said
did violence to Mr.. Lamar's reputa'
ton as a gentleman and as an honor
able member of the House. Mr.. Lit
tleield quoted from the interview, iT
which Mr.. Lamar is alleged to have
said tina the people of Florida, had
stood Judge Swayne just about "a
long as they could and that he wa:
going to tell Congress that if SOM
action was no taken to relieve tn