Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-12
JUDGE CRUM
HAS RESIGNED
FROM BENCH
Montana House Board OF
Managers to Consider I'm
parchment Case Thursday

~ "oiSA "
nor Sam V. Stewart, last night, tele-
graphed the board of managers OF the
Montana house on the Crum i'm
parchment case, n the senate COM
mittee in charge of the same to meet
here Thursday to consider whether
the impeachment shall proceed.
Judge Charles L.. Crum Of Forsyth,
whose appearance before the bar Of
the upper chamber was ordered by
due impeachment had been intro
duced filed his resignation yesterday
as judge of the fifteenth judicial dis
trict with the governor. Judge Crunl
is said to be critically i'll. .
Disloyal acts and u%tterances were
charged by the house. The board
doubt whether the impeachment can
legally be dropped. even in view Of
the resignation of the accused. After
meet the governor here. In his letter
of resignation, Judge Crum said in
part:
governor Sam V. Stewart,
Helena, Mont.
my Dear Sir:-I hereby resign
my position as judge of the Fifteenth
judicial district of the state of Mon
tana.
This action on my part is not a
confession that 1 have been guilty of
any crime. In fact, I have violated
no law and have o been guilty of
any m~alfeasance or m~isfeasance in
office. Neither does it that l
am afraid to face any charges which
have been made against me-. l have
never been accused of being either a
coward or a gutter.
MY action simply means that there
is a limit to human endurance and
thats1 have reached that limit.
"a few weeks 6 my 16-year-old
son was operated on at Miles City for
cancer and the mental and nervous
strain while sitting at his bedside for
several weeks. coupled with the shock
and humiliation of the impeachment
proceedings recently brought against
me, vas simply more than my nerv-
Gus system could stand, n l suffer-
ed a complete breakdown, from which
I am now confined to my bed, and I
feel at this time. Inc my physician
tremely dangerous for M to subject
myself to the rigors Of an impeach-
ment trial. 1 realize il there were no
charges against me, it would be sew
eral months before I would be able
to resume my official duties.
Il also feel that a trial of my case
would simply provide an opportunity
for certain people to pose before the
public and in the press as super-patri-
OTIS. 1t would give some an oppor-
|tunity to color ands distort statements
II have made until they had no re-
|semblance to the true facts. It would
enable some Of my bitter personal
enemies to continue to spread their
venom and poison and pollute the at
|mosphere. 1t would infiame the pub
lie mind and ost the Atate Of Mon
tana many thousands Of dollars. 1t
would /do this at a time when the
state needs every available dollar and
when the people, instead of fighting
among themselves. present a solid
front to the common enemy and when
every American citizen should not on,
~ be prepared, but willing to make
any sacrifice within his power to the
interests of the common good.
1T may be possible that I have
made some careless and reckless
statements or criticisms Of the policy
adopted and followed by the present
national administration. but I have
never meant or intended at any time
to be in the least disloyal to the
American government.
"In this connection I wish to say
that the charges which have been
made against me have been heralded
broadcast yer h state by practical
~ all the newspapers and ! trust that
in, common Justice and fairness you
will see to it that this statement from
me receives the same publicity that
was given tt the charges against me.
Every respectfully.
(Signed) 'Charles L. Crum." G