The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-29
HIGH court
IS ACCUSED
Tacoma Attorney Files Charges Against Justices Of
Alleged Erroneous DeciLegislature to Investigate
Supreme Court-Asks sions.

Demanding an investiga-
ton of the state supreme
court by the Legislature, At
torney Herbert N. DeWolfo
of Tacoma has filed with tho
latter body n complaint In
which every member Of tho
court, excepting Judge Par
ker, Is charged with "direct-
ly and wiIfuIIy violating his
oath of Office and that In four
specifically named cases err
roneous decisions were hand
ed down either for mone-
tary consideration or for po-
litical prestige"
"In all of these cases." says the
complainant. "the opinions of the
court are couched In such Lam
suage that any one reading them
would be led TO believe that the
cases had been decided correctly
according to the law and the facts
but an investigation of the records
VIII clearly substantiate my
charges of corruption.
Stone a. Webster Concerned.
In three of the cases cited by
DeWolfe in which he was counsel
The interests of the Stone & Web
ster people, operating the Seattle
Electric company, were concerned
and In the fourth case the Mutual
Life Insurance company, repre-
sented by attorneys Interested in
he Seattle Post-Inteiligencer, was
The victor by the supreme courts
decision.
Governor Wants Proof.
Attorney DeWolfe first submit
led his complaint to Governor Hay
with the request that 1t be sub
mitted to the legislature. The
governor, however, returned the
document to DeWolfe accom-
panied with a letter saying that
unless DeWolfe could furnish
proof that the members OF the su-
oreme court have accepted bribes
,r have been corrupt he did not
EEL like placing 1t before the Leg
stature.
81 must have reasonable proof
that they have been corrupt. said
Hay in HIS letter.
Disposition to Ignore Charge.
Upon receiving the governors
etter DeWolfe submitted the
whole thing to the legislature, but
ne declares that there is q dispose
lion manifested by some of the
solons to ignore the charges he
Defies the Court.
DeWolfe defies the supreme
court TO cite him for contempt. He
declares that he has no selfish
motive in bringing up the charges
but that he is doing II as SER
vice to the practicing attorneys OF
the state. as he is retiring from
the practice of the law.
In his complaint he says:
"The cases cited by me are not
the only ones which have been so
treated by the supreme court. A.
practicing attorney dare not raiSo
hds voice in protest burt must
receive the harpoon and
say nothing
Attorneys Ready to Speak.
Attorneys throughout the state
will be ready to submit evidences
rs to the corruption OF the court,
DeWolfe says, II the investigation
Is taken up.
In a closing paragraph of his
complaint DeWolfe says:
IF John E. Humphries of Seat
tie was not actually elected to the
supreme bench at the last election
he nevertheless compelled the
powers responsible for these cor
rupt conditions to persuade tho
last legislature to amend our d.
sect primary law SO that they
could still control our courts. II
the people are not restored the
privilege of selecting our judges
directly our judiciary viii remain
N its present condition.
Judges Named.
The justices whom DewoIfe spe-
officially charges with corruption
are: Rudkin, Fullerton. Mount.
Dunbar, Grow, Gose. Chadwick
md Morris.
Whether or not the iegislature
.alSes up his charges, DeWolfe
says he will place his complaint