The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-11-06
THE RECORD PROVES IT

AV44AO a. NV
BY his confession he is a weakine lie BETRAYED
his trust as he says for friend" The friend proved
ungraeiu and Judge Root and his sins were exposed.
His gross commissions were six in number
JUDGE ROOT, as Justice Of the Supreme Court.
rode on free passes furnished by railroads who were lii
giants before him.
JUDGE ROOT solicited and obtained passes for his
relatives from the Great Northern Railroad but
on several occasions
JUDGE ROOT solicited campaign contribution of
$500 from NJ j. Gordon, attorney of the Great Northern
railroad
JUDGE ROOT wrote letters and sent kilograms to
Judge Gordon. urging Gordon meet him in Seattle
about matters that had Exceedingly embarrassed" him
-sSoot. by promises made on assurances received"
? JUDGE ROOT wrote opinion which while it
found against the Great Northern railroad laid down
principle OF law obnoxious the railroads legal depart
ment and after writing that opinion Judge Root trans
mit'ed it to Judge Gordon in Spokane who
the companys head offices in ST Paul That opinion
revised to suit the railroad and the attorneys for the rail-
road and was then returned to Judge Root who handed
1t down as the opinion of the
JUDGE ROOT. confronted by these charges the fear
OF exposure and certainty official investigation OF
his acts precipately and while under fire rendered his
resignation member Of the which he had but
short time previously been elected.
These are the charges in brief Let us now examine
the record:
Judge Roots became public through letters that
had passed between him and Judge Gordon OF the Great
Northern Railways legal department In this correspond
enee there appeared letters which dvuged the in
which the opinion in what known the Harris case
written by Judge Root. Judge Gordon. who
after conference with Judge Root and some further cor
aTespondence dictated and Judge Root opinion
Sknch ultimately filed the opinion Of the
~ The Harris action brought against tho
Great Northern Railway for loss OF goods shipped over
that line Harris had been awarded damages in the lower
court and it the Supreme Court appeal and
affirmed. a petition for rehearng then filed
by the railway company
Judge Root wrote the opinion denying a rehearing.
But, Judge Gordon objected TO the law laid down
therein because did suit the railway company and
because he desired be such opinion would make
recovery against the railway difficult in other suits then
pending.
copy OF Judge Roots opinion reached Judge Gordon
before became part OF the Supreme Courts records
Judge Gordon wrote an opinion OF his covering the
law involved as he wanted it covered. this his
chief counsel in St Paul. who gave il his O. X and this
opinion then returned Judge Root and IL was
afterwards filed verbatim the opinion OF the
All this established thoroughly at the time
that it IS only that Judge Root has attempted
to evade this particular charge. will when
lxamine Judge Roots admissions, which part OF
lie official record
Judge Root pettifogs when he says the Harris
decision against the railroad company So far as
Harris receiving his damages is concerned he but
when Gordon secured by the expedient OF writing the
opinion OF the himself the Of rule
which, to quote Judge Gordons letter his chief will
be OF the utmost value in future OF like i'm
port, he secured a precedent OF far value his
clients than the Sl454 paid Harris.
When Judge Root upon the bench by appoint
ment IN 1905 the state constitution had been force
sixteen years In assuming office Judge Root took oath
to support the constitution Section 20 Article r. OF
which prohibited the issuance OF free transportation for
public officials.
The legislature OF 1905 passed law which declared
the issuance OF free transportation except employees OF
railway companies and eeemosynary institutions etc to
be unlawful and fixed penalty for violation OF this act
(See Session Laws. pages 1873
This law went into effect in June 1905.
The year following, 1906, Judge Root only rode
passes while member Of the Supreme Court but we
lind by his correspondence that he solicited and obtained
passes through Judge NJ Gordon general solicitor for
the Great Northern Railway Company Spokane and
at the time this railway company represented by Judge
Gordon counsel lltigan in the Supreme Court in
cases coming frequently before Judge Root member
OF that judicial body.
In speech made on Friday evening October 20 1910,
in Department No Of King County Court House before
special committee OF the Seattle Bar Association, Judge
Root used these words: