Evening star., 1909-05-06
Murphy of Missouri to Make
Formal Charges.
DEFENSE IN THE HOUSE
Sustained by Speaker in Replying to
Railroad Attorney.
ASKS FAIR PLAY FOR STATE
Demands That Federal Courts "Pro-
ceed Along Decent Lines" in the
Missouri Rate Cases.

Rising to a question Of personal privi-
lege in the House of Representatives to-
day, Mr. Murphy of Missouri justified his
recent action in presenting a resolution
providing for the appointment of COM
mittee to investigate the conduct of Fed
eral Judges Mcpherson and Phillips in
relation to the two-cent passenger fare
litigation and the maximum freight law
of Missouri.
Mr.. Murphy had read some newspaper
dispatches to the effect that Frank Ha-
german, attorney for eighteen railroads,
had telegraphed the Attorney General of
the United States alleging that the
charges in the Murphy resolution were
'an outrageous tissue of misrepresenta-
tion by one who has no knowledge of the
facts" He said that he had confirmed
the fact that such a telegram had been
received by Attorney General Wicker.
sham.
He had proceeded for some time with a
discussion of the facts in the case wher
Mr.. Clayton of Alabama, member of the
judiciary committee, objected, saying that
the argument was not one of personal
privilege. The whole remarks" said
Mr.. Clayton, "are in the nature OF
charges upon which to predicate an i'm.
peachment proceeding against certain
judges" He suggested that Mr.. Murphy
rise and formally impeach the two
judges. when. he said, the House would
be compelled to take notice.
Sustained by Speaker.
Speaker Cannon ruled that Mr.. Murphy
was within his rights and could continue
but he had not proceeded far when Mr.
Henry of Texas, another member Of the
judiciary committee, stopped him with
iy,.,, ,Srxy yIatI ho L.,
tend to formally bring charges Of i'm
parchment.
The Missouri member, however, did not
give a direct answer, but continued his
recital of the charges contained in his
resolution. He called on Mr.. Rucker, his
colleague. to substantiate what he was
saying.
Mr.. Rucker did so. and declared that
Judge Phillips should have been I'M
peached twenty years ago.
Several times Mr.. Payne, the majority
leader. objected. saying that Mr.. Murphy
could not yield for debate. Later he
again objected. on the ground that Mr..
Murphy was travelling outside the issue
raised by the Hagerman telegram and
the preamble of the resolution.
Again, in passing on the objection,
Speaker Cannon ruled in favor of Mr..
Murphy, remarking that 1.-The telegram is
pretty broad"
Demands Fair Play.
Continuing, Mr.. Murphy denied that the
state of Missouri had been accorded every
courtesy in the rate cases, as was also
stated in Mr.. Hagermans telegram. The
state. he declared, had no knowledge OF
notice whatever OF the first injunction in
those cases
Il am asking the Congress of the United
States,'' he said, Ito give back to us when
government which you handed to us when
you admitted us as state in the Union
by requiring the federal judiciary in the
western district of Missouri to proceed
along orderly and decent lines In the exc.
cution of the law
The House then adjourned and imme-
diately thereafter Mr.. Murphy notified
members of the judiciary committee that
he would at once formulate formal
charges of Impeachment against the two
judges.
Judges Decline to Talk.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. May CT have
nothing to say at this time and will make
no statement until Representative Muir.
ply formally presents his charges of i'm
peachment," said Judge Phillips, when
show the Washington dispatch. Judge
Mcpherson also declined to make state.
ment.