Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-07
CONGRESSMAN MURPHY WILL
NOT. BRING IMPEACHMENT
SUIT FOR A TIME.
wlckERsHAM TELEGRAM
MAKES CONGRESSMAN MAD
CLASH Bet State ana rstersl
Courts seeemos Sitter and M,Pher.
son and phillips u.lI Defend Asainst
impeachment Proeeedinss-Probable
Action at Next Session.

| Washington, May Two United
States judges may face Impeachment
charges. The jurists involved are John
F. Philips and Smith Mcpherson, of the
western district Of Missouri the latter
of Red Oak. Iowa. The case revolves
around the railroad legislation which
has been the subject of much litigation
| in Missouri for the last several years.
Representative Murphy Of Missouri
said he would ask that the judges be
lmpeached. Later he decided to with
hold such action pending look at
precedents showing the formidable
course that must be taken in such in
stances. 1t is said this look perhaps
may carry to Murphy some understand
ing of the difficulty of impeachins
federal judges, as evidenced from past
experiences of the house and senate.
Allegations of a highly sensational
character We're made by Murphy in the
house last Monday. He assailed Phil
FPS as tyrant in the administration of
his court and said both he and Nc
Pherson showed undue sympathy for
the railroads. The charges were de-
nled by the judges in statements after
the news of Murphys- attack reached
them. Mcpherson declared he had
never heard of Murphy before and rid
lculed theS imputations. Later Frank
Hagerman, attorney for eighteen rail-
roads, sent a telegram to Attorney
General Wickersham saying Murphy's
resolution of inquiry introduced in the
house was IAN outrageous tissue OF
Misrepresentation"
When Murphy heard of this telegram
today it made him angry and he got UP
in the house and again raked Philips
and Mcpherson fore and aft In sup
port of Murphy, Congressman Rucker,
his colleague, corroborated the latter's
denunciation of the judges. Rucker
emphasized his argument by the state
ment that Philips ought to have been
impeached twenty years ago.
Murphy rose to question of per-
sonal privilege, prompted. as he ex-
planned to the house, by the telegram
sent to the attorney general which
denounced the Murphy resolution in
terms which even Speaker Cannon
himself said were pretty broad"
The Missouri congressman gave a
history of the Missouri rate cases,
sticking closely to the text of his res
olution. Frequent objection was made
by Representative Clayton, New York.
to the effect that Murphy was drag
ging in irrelevant matters. A like OBJ
lection was made by Representative
Clayton, democrat, from Alabama, who
Sn0pactpd $ho{ ha
warranted such action, Murphy should
bring impeachment charges against the
judges, whereupon an investigation
would be made by the house.
Murphy charged among other things
that injunctions issued by Judges Phil
fps and Mcpherson had destroyed the
Jurisdiction Of the state courts, and he
urged that an investigation be made
as directed by his resolution in order
that the federal judiciary in Missouri
might be compelled to proceed along
orderly, legal and decent lines.'
The representative referred to a re-
ply to his resolution made thru the
press by Judge Mcpherson and said he
would reply to the Iowa Judge that
there was nothing personal in his at
tack.
There is considered little likeli-
hood of Murphy bringing his impeach-
ment charges during the special ses-
sion, owing to the fact that the COM
mittee on judiciary, to which they
would be referred, has not been ap-
pointed. His resolution, introduced
last Monday, now is before the house
committee on rules, and indications are
that no action will be taken on 1t.