Cañon City record., 1907-04-18
FORMER SENATOR PATTERSON
HAS TO DIG UP FOR THE fine

Denver. April 16.-The announce
ment that the United States supreme
court had refused to take jurisdiction
on the case of Senator T. NJ. Patterson,
who was fined $1,000 and costs for
contempt over year ago, was re-
ceived in Denver at an early hour this
morning. 1t caused very little sur
prise, as it was the general opinion
even among Senator Patterson's own
attorneys, that the supreme court
would not interferen in the sentence.
In discussing the announcement of
the United States court in last nights
Times, Senator Patterson says:
81 have nothing to say beyond the
fact that the court refused to take
Jurisdiction to decide the case on its
merits. There is not recorded case
in which the supreme court of the
United States has taken jurisdiction
of a contempt case in a state court on
its merits. All such cases involve the
much mooted question Of states
rights The supreme court of the
United States will not take jurisdic-
ton of judgment in a state court un-
less that case involves rights under
the fourteenth amendment to the con-
stitution of the United States. How
ever much the stae court may have
exceeded it's authority in pronouncing
Judgment the United States court will
not interfere unless the rights of the
party under the fourteenth amend
ment have been invaded. The court
merely holds. as in my case, that it is
without jurisdiction to review the ac-
ton of the state supreme court.
"In taking the case to the United
. States supreme court l felt that
should not submit to the injustice
without exhausting every possible
remedy. l knew very well that wheth-
er the court would take my view OF
o. the matter was involved in grave
doubt, but l would not let that deter
me. That two of the greatest of the
r
view of the case and sided with me
is great satisfaction.
Il will promptly pay the fine as
soon as the remittitur reaches the
state court. l will make no further
effort or protest" ....
The fining of Senator Patterson by
the Colorado supreme court will be
remembered as one of the events IL
the judicial history of this state. II
resulted from the fierce political bat.
ties which we're fought beginning with
the contests between Simpson ant
Peabody for governor, four years ago
and ending with the last election o.
the United States senator. During
these memorable four years occurred
what is known as the Peabody war
the adoption of a charter in Denver
and the election of officers under that
charter, the famous contest between
Peabody and Adams, the election OF
two United States senators and a
number of franchise fights over fran
chises in the city and count yof Den
yer, together with several elections oi
city and county officers in this city
Each succeeding event caused friction
among the Democrats and between
labor and capital to become greater.
During each event the supreme
court was always appealed to and its
decisions were a subject of severe
criticism by whomsoever was defeat
ed. After decision of the court
which resulted in the throwing out
from office of a lot of Democrats and
the installation of an equal number OF
Republicans, Senator Patterson came
out with an editorial and cartoons In
which he practically charged that the
supreme court was corrupt.
The decision of the court yesterday
is merely to the effect that the United
States court has no jurisdiction over
questions of that nature.
At the time he was fined sentiment
was pretty evenly divided and the
Durango Democrat started penny
collection to pay the fine. 1t is I'M
derstood that between 5000 and $500
was raised by that collection.
Washington, April 16.-The supreme
court Of the United States yesterday