The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-13
General Palmer
Scathingly Criticised
Jn5ee Anderson Declares In
Court That Orders in Soft
Coal Cases yCrged on Con-
,~s tempt of Court


General Palmer's orders limiting the
A"vernrnent's evidence 10 be used IN
Ve soft coal conspiracy cases
seAinst iss operators and miners. in
sSQiAna. Illinois, Ohio and western
penhsylvania were criticised by rra-
Nrh Judge Anderson In the t'nitc5
States district court here TODAY ,s
hcinH strangely close to the con, )
ppundlng OF felony" and also "don-
"yuNly near contempt OF court.
lfial OF tho cases was scheduled An
oekin today, but Eovernmcnt counse,
seln u was not ready TO proceed. Re-
sore g'anting the contlnuance asked
~. the government counsel. Judge
Npufrson undertook an inycstiratio ,
~ iM attorney generals orders re /.
xarding the cases. ending with his
crltie'sm OF Mr.. Palmer's conduct
The court set next January "a ne
ihe date, for calling the triais asain
enhonncint TINT the meantime .yJn,
aivv 's time to yet our bearings and
~ least find out whether we oro IN
govern ny law oIA.by psrsor."
once before the judge had declared
mat Mr.. Polmer's attitude fn the
eescs was That OF personal govern.
'naut not government by law"
Ihs attorney general was not pres
vnt ~ the Investigation. but c. II.
Ames. former CHIEF assistant 20 Mr..
Palmer. explained that Mr.. Palmcr's
orders. had been misunderstood by
gpysrnment counsel who. testifyinE
at Tho Investigation, said the orders
pctt0veiy nuillhsd the prosecution.
Judge Anderson's statement re-
gerding Mr.. Palrners conduct came
after hearing most OF the testimony
the court leading up to his asser-
ton with series OF questions
whether the attorney general had
authority 60 agree not TO use certain
evidence.
W 10 strangely near to the com!
pounding OF felony" said Judge An
dtfscn in this connection. II am not
seying II is I am saying II fs
strpngcly near H."
similarly the Judge discussed the
clements constituting contempt OF
court. his purpose being. he said. to
'Pef how dangerously near this gen
utmun has rot himself To contempt
ef this court" H.
The arm of this cour, Ia long
Jufss Anderson said, "and has been
hnown 20 reach farther than waah-
iRaton. ] am not suggesting what
NAY, or may not be done. Mr. Pal
Wtr ~ tho attorney general and
htre' ts y certain amount OF consld-
eraihon that I am bc upd Ia pay to his
ofnctal position 10 do not pay Il 10
him himself." .... ..'... o.
q In tonpninS The .nya..;uo.tox r.,
w, Simms 2f Lafayette. Ind. said he
reslrpsd as special prosecutor In the
cases hecauso he sid the attorney
ssnrrals orders would prevent use
- - Aepee that was. the basis CT the
sovcrnnient Injunction case last
year sEainst the coal strike, and the
LATER ecntcmrt proccdiuas for at
legged violation OF the courts order.
dFecStna cancellation OF the strikc
order. Similar testimony was Rivcn
by L. Ert slack, another special pros
ecutor. and by District Attorney Van
Nuis '
Mr.. Ames however. said Mr.. PAL
uier interpreted his orders to mean
ly.thc elimination Of evidence that
vas tho basis OF the contempt pro-
ceeding and pointed out that these
proceedings were begun at date
lster than that covered by the alleged
tonspiracy. Mr.. Annes also said that
he sttorney general has the right
"a elect whether the soyermeut
would prosecute Its Cascr as civil or
criminal matters. and that having
chosen = civil proceed iniihs strike,
AR Palmer aid net believclit fair 10
proceed criminally after having = Oh.
tained the miners compliance with
ths court order. Mr. Ames also said
the department had cooperated whole.
hesrtcdly In the prosecution aud had
not lntetfered in any way with the ac-
TOD ~ the gorcTnment's, special cOuJ,-.
sci ln the presentation OF the cUnspir-
scy cases.