Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-04-17
Supreme Court Judge Who Sentenced
Gompers, Mitche and Morrison to Jail
Is Exposed By the National Socialist
Charges Are Being Laid Before
Members of Congress for Action.

That Federal Judge Daniel Thew
Wrixht of the District of Columbia
supreme Court, is improperly partici-
nafing in the financial activities OF
iitigants in his court, has been learn
ed by the National Socialist Judge
Wright has gained considerable motor
iety for his active efforts to punish
for ALLEGED contempt President Samuel
GomDers, Vice President John Mitchell
and Secretary Frank Morrison, of the
American Federation of Labor.
The complaint against Wright is
that he permitted James NJ. Bawer
and Charles A. Douglas, former coun-
sci for the Washington Railway and
Electric Co., to serve as endorsers on
several notes and renewals of promis--
soi.y notes held by the United States
savings Bank, a corporation OF which
Indee Wright was also director and
VIE President, and which corporation
i the subject Of litigation growing
out of an effort by James NJ. Baker,
assisted by Justice Wright, to get con-
i tTol of a majority of the corporation s
stock.
. In passing it should be stated that
lanes M, Baker is the same Baker
who has been named by the Demo
cratic caucus of the Senate for Score
tary of the Senate.
In an affidavit now on file in Judge
Anderson's court it is charged that
Judge Wright and James M. Baker
we're the executive committee of the
United States Savings Bank, which
was the subject of the struggle. When
the matter was finally taken into courl
by4he filing of a suit March ~ lsl2=
Judge Wright resigned from the dlrec
torate but appeared IN the lltlsaIlOn
as making an affidavit backing up the
petition of Baker, who was seeking an
Injunction against other stockholders
notably Wade H. Cooper, of Nashylllei
and his two brothers, to prevent them
from disposing of their stock to any
one exceIt Baker and Wright. This
affidavit charged that the effort o.
Baker and Wright was to get contro
of this bank and sell it or turn 1t over
to the United States Trust Company
which is the organization controlled
by Eidridge E. Jordan, who figured II
the fire insurance investigation. Judge
Ashley M. Could who also figured II
that affair, granted an Injunction
against the Cooper brothers. The law
yers complain that he did this with
out any personal service ON Two o.
the brothers.
Following the temporary injunction
testimony was taken before a Mastel
in Chancery, William G. johnson, ana
during the taking of this testimony
Cooper offended the court by inter
rupting the testimony OF James M
Baker with the remank: Gentlemen
that is an infamous lie. pure and SIM
ple!" The federal judges OF the Dls
! trict Court are quick ON the trlggel
in all matters pertaining to contempt
so of course Cooper was cited for con
tempt, although the remark was mad'
i'll the private office OF Mr.. Johnson
not even in the vicinity of the Judge
room ~
In, telling why he thinks he is not
guilty of contempt. MIR. Cooper ten
all about the ruction. He begins 0.
explaining that he and Baker went IN
to partnership on the United State
Savings Bank venture, having draw
up a written agreement as to VIVA
their relations should be. They 500
disagreed Cooper did not like tn
things which Baker and Judge VIRGIN
We're doing and became suspicious ina
Baker was trying secretly to acqhlT
a majority of the stock in order I
, turn it over to Jordan's crowd. n
sets ont in great detail his reasons 10
coming to this conclusion. Baker, o.
ing unable to get the majority contre
by purchase, went into court VIII
Judge Wright's affidavit backing u
his petition and had no difficulty
geTng from Justice Gould-who IS
fellow justice on the District Snprem
Court with Wright-a blanket orde
preventing the three Cooper brother
and their friends from disposing {
any OF their stock except to Bake
Bakers case rests upon an allege
verbal agreement that Cooper sell
Baker and Judge Wright Accordin
to this affidavit, attorney Charles !
Douglas. one of the endorsers on Jude
Wright's notes, appeared in the tran
action first by bringing Cooper I'M
touch with Baker, who put his none
into the U. s. Savings Bank.
At this time Judge Wright was an
had for several years been secoI
wee president Of this bank. Juds
Wright remained such until the ds
before the taking of testimony in Il
case of Baker VS.. Cooper, when
resigned. Douglas induced Cooper
buy $50 shares Of Bakers stock in q
eordance with an agreement sign'
December 6, 1911.
From the record in Judge Ande
sons court the statement by Attorn,
Syme. representing Cooper. is as 4
lows:
''on May 8, 1912. two promises
notes. one for Five Hundred Dolla
$4,000 and one for Four Hundred D.
iars $4,000 both made by Daniel The
Wright, were, either at the rogue
OF Wright or Baker, or of the Unit
states Trust Company, taken out
the United States Savings Bank, viii
was then tho -hnads. n...a ....-s...- e 4