The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-07
IT IS TIME TO ACT.

The amazing exposure made by AT
torney General Breeder of the attempt
of himself and United States Marshal
and Republican State Chairman Will
liam Spry to influence the decision Of
a motion in Judge Howell's court, is
the sensation of the time. Nothing like
it was ever known in Utah before.
These gentlemen had the incredible
nudacity TO go as politicians to Judge
Howell Gas politician and solicit
him to decide the motion for q now
trial in the Chambers case at Ogden
in a way that would be satisfactory
TO the Republican party For sheer
audacity, coupled with density Of per
ception with regard 10 the shameless
improperly of any such suggestion, the
action of these two political partisaDs
stands unparalleled in its brazenness
and in the ingenuousness with which
Mr.. Brecden made the surprising con-
fession which The Tribune printed
from him on Sunday morning. 1t APP
pears to be without question that
Judge Howell utterly repudiated the
partisan counsel rendered him, and do
MED the motion for q new trial, as the
law plainly required him to do.
Judge Howell, in his statement Of the
despicable political approach made by
these men to him, very fairly and dis
tinctly said that he did not mako the
exposure at the time the offense oc-
Cured, for the reason that the case
10 p, ha
OF the State, and that he did not wish
to cumber it with any side issues, but |
was determined to have it go simply |
upon it's merits, and be decided as a |
question of law by the higher courts. |
This, we think, was q praiseworthy ac-
tion on Judge Howell's part and GER
tainly was favorable to the defendant, |
because any side attempt Of this kind |
to influence tho court generally turns |
to the disadvantage Of the side from
which it is advanced. So the case
went up as straight question OF law |
on appeal, and Judge Howell was sus
tanned.
Now, however, the case is disposed |
of, and Judge Howell Is perfectly free,
without complicating his action with |
any matter whatever, or in any degree |
prcjudicing the interests of any enc,
to proceed as the law and as the Dig
nifty Of his Office require. 1t cannot be |
that such a fragrant interference with |
the cause OF justice as made by Attor~
Breeder and United States |
Marshal Spry can pass without rebuke, !
Judge Howell owes it to himself he |
he owes it to tho judicial Office in gen
eral, and he owes it to the people of |
this State, to take such drastic action
as will forever stamp out that form OF |
viilainy in Utah; and now that the
case is finally disposed OF, there is no
reason at all for delay. The reason for
delay was good prior TO the final de-
termination Of the case, but now every
thing connected with the matter de-
mands immediate and serious attention.
IL attempted tamperers with justice,
if partisan bosses who undertake to
control the courts and forco decisions
into partisan channels, are ever TO bo |
there can never be more
pronounced case Of deserving such re-
buke than is presented now, in this
case of Messrs. Breeden and Spry.
Judge Howell owes it to himself as
well as to the judiciary and the peo-
pie, to make an example of these trans
gressors. They know perfectly we'll
the improperly Of their attempt; they
know as well as any one can tell them
that their action was close akin to
treason, TO anarchy, to the disorganiza-
ton of the government. Scarcely
any punishment could be too severe to
visit upon these intrusive and anarchis-
tic partisans, and the punishment that
is their due will be all the more well
come to the public by its being admin
istered with promptness and the
severity which the odiousness of the
case demands