Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-09-26
Governor Loses His Fight to
Dismiss Case.
COURT IS NEARLY UNANIMOUS
BY Vote Of 81 to 4 Members Over.
rule Motion to Throw Out the
Proceedings. .a.s-

Albany, N. y, Sept. Ex-Governor
William Sulzer must 60 to trial.
This was decided by the high court
of impeachment when by a vote Of 81
to its members overruled the motion
of the governors counsel to dismiss
the proceedings on the grounds that
he was unconstitutionally impeached
by the assembly, because that body
was in extra session when the i'm
parchment was brought. @
| Senator Gottfried H. Wende Of Buff
falo, Democrat, an ardent supporter
of the governor, cast the solitary nay.
| Seven members of the court were alb
sent
| The governors defeat was the sec.
| ond that had marked the battle waged
by his attorneys to annihilate, as far
as possible, the impeachment proceed
ings.
Last week the court thwarted their
attempt to prevent four senators from
sitting as members.
Their remaining ammunition con-
| sists of arguments to prove that GER
tain Of the offenses charged against
the governor are not Improbable.
| The vote was taken in secret ses-
sion after speeches by the opposing
attorneys.
Judge Cullen Pres;des.
When the time came for the court
to render it's decision Presiding Judge
! Cullen announced that he did not feel
! inclined to use the power granted him
under the rules to be the first to ex-
press an opinion.
| MY brethren,' he said, you will
readily appreciate that the point which
has been discussed goes to the very
Foundation OF this proceeding. If de-
cided in one way the proceedings must
necessarily stop. You have the power
to clear the court for private consul
tat;on under the rules
This was done on motion of Judge
| Cullen, but the vote was later an
nounced in brief public session anc
the record CT the proceedings was i'm.
mediately made public.
1t showed that tentative roll call
on the melton was Immediately taken
end the presiding judge delivered a
long speech on the points at issue,
when his name was called, thirteenth
on the list.
Judge Cullen's opinion, in substance,
vas that the provision of the consti-
Triton which limited the acts of the
legislature in extra session to such
subjects as were recommended to it
by the governor should be given a
reasonable construction.
uphoIds the Prosecution.
1t upheld the contention of the
prosecution that the provision referred
! to the legislature as whole and not
to the assembly as an independent
body.
$50 construed" said Judge Cullen,
"these subjects all relate to what the
legislature as body can do and not
! to the power vested in one branch OF
the legislature"
! The legislative roll call brought
from Senator Wende the only negative
| vote. This was followed by a viva
voce votes and then, with final roll
call. with the same result. ...... +.
! Wende explained his vote in brief
argument in which he held that when
| the assembly adjourned sine die some
weeks before recovering to bring the
impea chment articles they foreclosed
their right to- act upon any question
! of impeachment when called together
| in extraordinary session"
The secret session of the court last
| ing newspaper men and attorneys for