Bisbee daily review., 1906-05-15

As an illustration of how this admin isrration does things to suit itself re- gardless of the wishes of the people interested, or the character of the men it puts in high places, the nomination and probable confirmation of one Wickersham to be a judge in Alaska is one of the most glaring. Here are the facts concerning this rotten trans action on the part of this Roosevelt administration:
 In December last the President named James Wickersham judge of the Third Division of Alaska. His con firmation has given the Senators of the Judiciary Committee no little trou- ble For hardly had the President named Wickersham before evidence of most unusual kind began to flow in upon the committee. It was shown that Wickersham, while living in the state of Washington, had been indicted for riot and leading mobs, that he was up in connection with a fraudulent attempt to acquire title to some gov ment land, and that he had been In- dicted and convicted of seducing a young girl, and finally he had obtained the court records in this seduction e SC and has done away with them. The Judiciary Committee after five months discussion, have reluctantly re- ported Wickersham's name to the Sen ate by a bare majority vote. During nearly all of that time Wickersham mas been here in Washington lobbying for himself, and for months the Capitol lnhh1yicfc whn are more numerous and higher priced ones than ever appeared here to work for the confirmation of any other judge. These lobbyists are paln py Wickersham and his friends and favor. ties, who hope for and expect further favors if he should be confirmed. In fact one of these lobbyists openly an nounced that Wickersham would be confirmed and that when he is con- firmed they will own Alaska and run it in their own interest and to suit themselves.
 Wickersham has already served one tenn of four years as judge of the Dis trict Court of Alaska. But when he was named and confirmed these indict- menIs and convictions were entirely unknown to the President and the Jul dietary Committee and both he and his sLotted career were entirely unknown his term of office has given them am' t, the people of far away Alaska. But 1 he is. The testimony and evidence be fore the Judiciary committed brought to light some very unusual pie time to learn what kind of man conditions It appeared clearly that | both the lawyers and the people at large fear and dread Wickersham be- cause of his biased and prejudiced na. ture, and his arrogance and unbending | tyranny and his blackmail record. It appears that he has few favorites and that they never lose cases, though they are always litigating because ii the juries do not return their yerdicts | in favor of the fayorites. Wiekersham sets aside the verdicts aEd grants new trials. This has resulted in his de ciding one case one way and another l involving exactly the same principle, the other way, till the confusion, un- certainty and instability of titles to lands, chiefly mining claims, have be come such that the people have organ ized into miners associations which have agreed to arbitrate their differ ences, instead Of trying them in his court, if he is confirmed, and have pro | tested against his confirmation.
 One of his favoTites. a man named i Barnette, gave Wickersham corner lot on the main street in the town of Fairbanks, Alaska, the chief town in the district. It was and is the most valuable lot In the town, it's value be | ing fully s20.000. That man has had
 many cases in Wickersham's court
 and has not lost any of them, though
 Wickersham has been obliged to sci
 aside the veTdicts of jurie5 sometimes
 to enable his friend to win. Wicker
 (Continued on Page 10.)