The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-25


sible. was not overlooked by the presi.
dent. He got his promotion between
the time that he was summoned tc
appear as a witness and the time he
was placed upon the stand. He got
his pay slightly in advance.
Pardons for Witnesses.
"A man by the name of w. d. Ma
haney, who. two postoffice inspectors
| said, in writing. over their signatures.
/ was guilty of embezzlement, and also
| guilty of using the mails to defraud,
and who was indicted by Colonel Dyer,
| in October, 1903, and who testified with
| this rope around his neck, received i'm
| munity last fall when the case was dis
missed against him. He traded his per-
jured evidence against me, for his lib
erty.
Another criminal, by the~name of
Hector McRae, charged in the same
way as Mahaney, indicted at the same
time, testified, under the same circum-
stances. and obtained his freedom in
the same way. He also committed per-
jury for his liberty
There was still another poor devil,
by the name of Charles Brooks, who
first refused and then accepted an offer
to a pardon. He had been convicted
was under sentence to the penitentiary,
his case then pending on appeal. Short
~ after swearing to a falsehood against
me, his case was affirmed But the
president interposed, and gave him
pardon
These were the material witnesses.
Much of what they testified to would
had any regard for the rules of evil
dence. But they, each and all, have
been substantially rewarded by Roose-
welt, since giving their testimony.
Promotion for Court Officers.
Now let us see the good fortune that
befell prosecuting officers, judges, their
relatives, etc. who had to do with the
case against me:
There was, first Attorney General
Knox. He had been put into McKin-
ley's cabinet by millionafres around
Pittsburg and New York. When Senator
Quay died, Henry c. Prick and the late
A ]. Cassatt, acting for the political
community of interests and Mr.. Roose-
welt. acting for the political commune
ty of interests had him appointed
United States senator.
These same influences later, elected
him to that office. For, as is we'll
known the people of Pennsylvania have
no more to do with the election of
United States senator than the poems of
Mexico have to do with the election of
a president for that republic.
Next on the list. is Judge Elmer B.
who presided at the first trial. |
HE started out in life in the state Of
Vermont, a Republican. He changed |
his residence and politics at the same |
time when he moved to Missouri many |
years ago. He was a successful cor |
porate lawyer. Back in the '90s he was |
put on the United States district bench |
by President Cleveland, on the recon- |
of the commercial commun-
ty of interests He snapped hts place
n the law firm of which he was then
member, to Judge Samuel H. Priest, |
who took the place in the firm made va
can't by Adams. and the latter took his
place on the bench.
After my first trial, he was promoted
by the president to the circuit court of
appeals.
Colonel Dyer, after my first trial.
vas reappointed United States district
attorney, and secured the place of as
'istant United States district attorney
or his other son, Horace Dyer, Colonel
Dyer has just been appointed, at the
lge when federal judges are permitted
% retire, to the United States district
oench. Il
''dr. c. r. Robb. who, at. the last trial,
vas the accredited minister plenipoten-
larry of the president, to see to 1T that
Ill officials around the court did their
luty, and that all witnesses looking for
avors should testify properly, has beer
appointed to the supreme bench of the
District of Columbia. ~
Judge Vandevanter; who presided at
he second trial. had been, but a short i
ime before, taken by Mr.. Roosevelt
rom a subordinate position at Wash
ngton, and elevated to the circuit court
f appeals, just one step below the SUI
IRENE bench. -<-'-sf.,'r
'I said there was .one exception,
mong the officials. who helped in my
rosecution, oneSwho was not reward
d by the president. This might ap-
ear novel, but is susceptible of a ra-
Ional explanation. A man by the
anne of Nortini was assistant district
ttorney when I was first tried. Short
Y after my conviction, he was sum-
1oned to Washington for the purpose
f giving him the place of assistant
ttorney general to the postoffice de-
artment. But, it seems, that the 7;
resident had forgotten that he had,
efore that time, promised this place
, Speaker Cannon, for one of his 10y
l constituents. =
Cannon is too important factor ,
/ the political community of inter- :
sts' to be ignored. Therefore, Nor
mi was sent back to st. Louis with !
by the president that he ;
Ill he accidentally fell into a judge 8
nip at st. Louis, that no one ever J
reamed could go to a Republican, :
ntil after the election was over. {
Hits the -Iarlans Hard.
But the most regrettable circum- :
-ance in all the rewards, that were :
wen by the president. contemporary =
Dusty with the proceedings against 2
le,. was the appointment of Mr.. Jas.
arlan, son of Mr.. Justice Harlan, on
lie interstate commerce commission. I
I'm 1905, when my case was first .
efore the supreme court, and was re- -
srsed, Mr.. Justice Harlan stood alone g
rendering dissenting opinion that
i'll forever remain as a dark spot on r
IS judicial record. AT that very time, h
was known that, in few days af- 7
r such opinion was rendered, that q
lere would be two. if not three, va +,
inches on the United States district il
deral bench, in the state of Illinois, b
hlther James Harlan had gone but a