The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-12

City, Utah.
Dear Senator: On June 23d of this
year I wrote you letter in which you
were notified that unless the campaign
of falsehood. slander and abuse ceased
which is being waged against me by
the agents OF the ''machine' for the
organization of which you are largely
prominent character and one OF the
very few members to whom the balance
OF this small clique Of self-constituted,
would-be political dlctators look to to
give it tinge of respccrability, | would
be compelled to make public the cor
irespondence which has been carried on
between us in relation TO some ques-
tions which most vitally affect the local
Republican organization, and are, In
Eome respects, of vital Importance to
the people generally OF tins State.
The reasons assigned were that II these
fvlrulent attacks arc TO be continued, L
owed it to myself to make known to the
public the respective attitudes that the
machine and myself have taken on those
questions and also to advise the public
of the origin Of the controversy which
the machine has used as an excuse for
assaulting me.
In answer you stated that you have - no
interest, direct or indirect, IN the publ
cation CALLED Truth. (The italics
are mine) And that you declined to be
held responsible for what you further
on in your letter characterize as i'll
natured gossip and lying scandal, etc.
accepted your disapproval and re-
pudiation Of the paper and its methods
and decided to let the matter drop and
say no more about it. 1t seems, how
ever, that the machine has decided to
continue its war against me and has
gone 30 far as to assail my honor as
private citizen and my integrity as O
Judicial officer.
Now, Senator, whatevor may have
been thought of the propriety Of giving
this semi-public. correspondence TO the
public at that time, the time has now
/ arrived when the people are entitled
Ito know the entire facts In relation
to this subJect-matter, and especially
:, what has been said and done by ME
In reference TO the matters and Incl
dents which the machine uses as an
excuse for it's latest assault.
Some six weeks or two months ago,
Col. John Meteer, an attorney law, who
was neither directly nor indirectly con-
nected with the Ogden City Council
cases, called at my office and informed
me that one of the State officials, In
company with the gentleman who is
now the United States Marshal had
gone to Judge Howell of Ogden and in
discussing case then pending before
that Judge, which was likely to be
appealed to the Supreme court, referred
to myself and another member OF the
the impression that because of political
influences we would be prejudiced in the
matter and would not give an honest
and just decision. Mai. Breeden, being
an officer of our court and the Attor-
ney"General of this State, an Office
which is regarded in every State of the
Union as being second in Importance
only to that Of Governor, and which is,
in certain sense, quasi-judicial and
one of the main pillars of the judiciary
Of the State, l felt that it was my duty
TO call upon him for an explanation.
Not desiring to take the matter up
until after the cases respecting which
the alleged consultation was had were
disposed of, l let the matter rest IN
allegiance
Some ten days or two weeks after
the opinion In the case of Skeen VS..
Craig had been written and the case
decided by the court of which | am a
member, but not handed down or the
decision announced, and after the de-
cision in the Chambers case had been
written for several days, J received
word that Col. Nelson of the Salt Lake
Tribune desired to see ME. In company
with Chief Justice Bartch I called at
the Colonel's Office He handed me
slip Of paper, draft of an editorial,
in which lie referred to certain gentle
men, giving no names, having called
upon district judge, "not more than
a thousand miles from Salt Lake. re-
spectlng case that was then pending
before his court.
The draft of the editorial proceeded
to discuss the propriety of an act Of
this kind, without mentioning names
or case. informed tho Colonel that
had received some information in
relation TO that matter and asked him
why he had invited my attention to it.
He stated that. as the cases had not
been finally disposed of, he did not wish
to say or do anything in the matter
that would tend in any way TO embar-
Yass the court. | answered him that
editorials In regard to matters pending
before the courts never had the slight
est influence with the courts, but |
presumed that litigants sometimes felt
when matters of this kind were aired
IN the press that courts, being only
human, might be imperceptibly in
fluenced But in this case l had been
Informed that my name had been used
in connection with this matter and [
desired to make some inquiry and DOS.
sible investigation, and that the pub
hcation of the article at that time
might to some extent complicate mat
ters along that line, The Colonel then
stated: 1--WE will withhold anv com.
ment until the final disposition of the
matter" Neither the Craig nor the
Chambers cases were mentioned, much
less discussed In fact, there was no
discussion at all, not even of the sub.
ject matter of the editorial any farther
than as herein stated
After the opinions in the cases were
handed down. invited Judge Howell
to como to Salt Lake, When Judge
Howell arrived, sent for Maj. Breeden.
The Major failed to meet his appoint
ment with me. Judge Howell, being
anxious to return to Ogden on the next
train, | stated that | would take the
matter up with Mai. Breeden later
The Judge and I then went out upon
the street and started up town, On our
way we met Maj. Breeden. After for
NAL greetings, | invited the Majors
attention to the fact that he was not
only an officer of the Supreme court of
the State uf ITtah buf thot bo hill