The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1912-08-22

Condemnation Proceedings. In order
TO pay the expenses of condemnation
and the amount allowed the owners
it became necessary for the judge OF
the Superior Court 10 appoint three
commissioners whose duty, under the
law, it was TO determine the manner
Of asses sment upon the property ben.
Gifted TO create fund for this pur'
pose. The big interests Of that city
desired that this assessment be made
over the whole city and desired that
a committee be appointed that would
find that Silver Beach and Happy
Valley were benefited by the construc-
ton of the Boulevard to as great ex-
tent and in the same proportion as
the property near the proposed i'm.
provement. Judge Hardin was the
trial court and should have appointed
the commission and tine attorneys a..
tempted to suggest to Judge Hardin
the names of the persons they de-
sired appointed. He told them that
he did lot want their suggestions;
that he would not appoint the propos-
ed individual because he was interes-
ted in the m amer in which the assess
ment should be made. The only thing
they could do. therefore, was to wait
until the courts changed departments.
This method was pursued and John
A. kellogg appointed the commission.
He accidentally. out of Twenty-Five thou
sand people. named the same indIvlo-
ual that was suggested to Judge Har-
din. and the plan was carried out anu
| the assessment made over the whole
city as desired This is the only as
sessment made under that plan with
in the City Of Bellingham-
1kelIosss Position Upon Corrupt =
/ Judges.
w. A. Harris commenced suit IA
1 Spokane County against the Great
Northern Railway Co, and obtained
Judgment for about twelve hundred
dollars. The Great Northern appealed
the case to the Supreme Court. Ii
this case NJ. J. Gordon was attorney
for the Great Northern He had form
terly been Chief Justice OF the SUI
reme Court of this State.
Judge Root OF our Supreme Court
wrote an opinion affirming the lower
court. Judge Gordon did not like the
wording of the opinion because OF GER
tain cases then pending before other
courts in this state, for the decisions
of the Supreme Court are controlling
on the other courts. Gordon spoke
Ito Judge Root who had written the
lopinion and Root consented TO change
the opinion on re-hearing. AT that
time the Great Northern had already
paid the Judgment. Root sent cop!
of the second opinion to Gordon. GOT
don did not like it because ii did moi
state the law as he wanted and ne
wrote Root to that effect Judge Roo'
notified Gordon that the opinion ha'
mot been handed down and asked him
to meet him in Seattle at which place
the told Gordon to prepare the opin
Son himself. Gordon prepared TINS
ppinion and sent it to ST. Paul to W
t1Y. fepe. Chief Counsel for the Great
Northern Railway Co., ". X. begg
teueyrz phed that the opinion was sat
isfactory. 1t WAS given to Judge Hoo'
and filed as the ouinion upon the Ia"
and is found On ppse A4o in the Aet'
Wash. Report.
Judge Cord on way arrested upon
tho charge OF embezzling some Wv
600 90 from the Great Northern. "one
NJ Gordon's att prneys Mold a brother
LAWYER. who te. Titled. that the Grea'
Northern has Supplied Gordon WIZ
large. sums of m, ,ney for judicial cor
rupten. and could not prosecute Uoi
don without itself becoming inaoiveo.
(Evervbody's Mag. uine. page Isl. FED
russy NumberD
i ] Hin. the pr essdent OF the ross
wes takau as witness before tne
brand Jury and he declared 'hal NC
rnew nothing of THE affair and gave
Ills word ander oath! that he would ar ar
Range meeting Of his Board Oh VI
Brectors issu ediately. upon his arrival
in St Paul. and W ould urge them &c
give to the Grand Curry the evidence
desired. Ia. Hillsi Board OF Direc
tors refused to furnish any OF the evi
dsnce necessary to convict and Cor
don was Acquitted Of the charge.
How Gordon and Root Escaped
pisbarment.
In 1909 after the cA@ees
Judge Root and judge Gordon na0
been filed with the Grissance Com
mittee of she State Bar Association
the state Bar Association eonvenee