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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1904
In ancient times it was the custom for
Egyptian judges to have private rooms
where they received litigants bearing
gifts; before the case was tried. The
larger present usually decided the case.
Some of the more conscientious judges
received equal amounts from both sides
and then returned the bribe to the suit
or ' loosing the case. There are still
traces of this system existing in Egypt.
Instances are known of in Alaska, sim
ilar to this old Egyptian custom. At
the present time, in Egypt, there is a
rigid- system of inspection of cases in
the. courts, and if unjust judgments are
discovered they are upset* and the un
just judge, if there be evidence of cor
ruption, severely punished, 'i bis oven
handed justice between the strong and
the weak, the high and the low, is one
of the boons of justice all nations snouid
emulate.
The corruption existing in the c< urts
of the Third division of Alaska would
cause those judicial crooks of ancient
Egyptian courts to hide their heads in
shame. If any attempt is made to force
an investigation and expose existing
rottenness in our courts, all manner of
schemes are employed to shield the guil
ty. The power of our courts are used
to gratify selfish desires, as well as to
reaKze illegal financial gain. Not only
are the poor and weak trodden upon by
our officials, but the ignorant and un
suspecting are taken advantage of by the
courts;* and fleeced of a few paltry dol
lars. As an illustration; one John Mi
nook, an Indian-Russian half-breed,
made application in August, 1903, to the
District court for final citizenship pap
ers.* Judge Wickersham called the ap
plicant and his witnesses before the
court, and questioned them as to John
Jfihook’s character, etc.
Judge Wickersham then anno- need,
that “owing to the provisions cf the
treaty between the United States and
Russia, made at the time of the pur
chase of Alaska, the court w as in doubt.
as to its power to grant the applicant's
request.” Then turning to Mi nook,
Judge Wickersham continued, “Well,
John, you deposit with the court $10,
the amount required as fees for issuing
final citizenship papers, and this court
will take your application under con
sideration. If the court finds that the
treaty provides for such cases a >. this,
and the court cannot issue the p apers
as applied for, then the money deposit*
ed will be returned to you.” John Mi
nook immediately deposited the money
and retired.
In July, 1904, John Minook received a
a letter from Judge Wickersham con
taining the court's decision in ref -.rence
to his application. Judge W.cktrsham
in that opinion, concludes, *‘It ;s my
judgment that the applicant is a t itizen
of the United States by virtue of the
third article of the treaty with Russia
ceding Alaska to the United States,,
either as one of those ‘inhabitants’ who
accepted the benefits of the proffered
naturalization, or as a member of an
‘uncivilized native tribe' who has since
that date, voluntarily taken up h\3 res
idence, separate ana apart, frcia any
tribe of Indians therein, ana da- tdopt
| ed the habit3 of civiiLed life. ile was
such citizen at the time of mak ng his
application to thi3 court, and, d ccause
this court cannot add anything to his
status as a citizen, his appication is
denied.” The papers coui-u n^tijiue as
applied for, nor has the court returned
the $10 deposited by John Minook. No
doubt Judge Wickersham has placed the
money with a savings bank, or in some
get-rich-quick scheme, and son. e day
John Minook’s children will fall heir to a
legacy. j
Soon after Commissioner J. Lindley
Green took charge of the Recorder’s of
fice, he informed a resident of Rampart
precinct that a certain mining l ocation
notice, which was filed for record with
his predecessor, was not upon ihe re
cord books in his office. The locator
informed Commissioner Green t hat the
former commissioner had been paid the
fees for recording the instrument, at
the time the notice showed of filing.
Commissioner Green replied, * The re-,
cording does not appear on th^ books,
>
and I am not doing my predecessor’s
work for nothing. If you want the no
tice placed on record you will have to
pay me $2.50.” The locator said he did
; not like the idea of paying twice, hut '
if the notice was not on the records, he
would pay the required $2.50. Commis
sioner Green assured him that the loca- *
tion notice was not on the records,
whereupon the locator paid the coveted
$2.50.
The records did at that time, and do .
now, show that Commissioner Green’s
predecessor recorded that particular lo
cation notice. Is not this action on the
part of Commissioner J. Lindley Green
obtaining money under false pretences,
or is it incompetency—or both? These
matters are of small financial impor
tance, but they demonstrate the caliber
and inclinations of these grafting offic-'
ial manipulators. Many instances are
known, along the lines as above, where
the people have been filched out of pal- ~
try amounts, through official manipula
tion and misrepresentation. Why has
not Commissioner J. Lindley Green re
funded certain money, as he promised
the Grand jury and others that he would?
Such corrupt actions of public officials .
should not be upheld or protected by a ,
government as far advanced in civiliza
tion as the United States.
Judge day it seems has reappointed
Wickersham without consulting Te>uy.
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