ALASKA FORUM
(OFFICIAL PAPER)
^rumhjbl^
James B. Wingate, Editor and Manager
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SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1905.
“FRENZIED FINANCE,”
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION
To illustrate the egotistical, arbi
trary' and dictatorial principles of Judge
Wickersham, take for example his rule
or ruin policy as demonstrated in ad
ministering the executive functions of
his office. Not content with the abso
lute dictatorship of all matters in any
way connected with the numerous
functions of the District judgeship, he
must also manipulate the the U. S.
Marshal’s office; as to the choosing of
subordinate employees therein—even to
the petty positions of jail guards.
In the fall of 1902, Judge Wicker
sham appointed J. Lindley Green, as
his local representative,—commissioner
, of Rampart precinct. At that time
George Dreibelbis, also a pronounced
disciple of Wickersham, was deputyU.
S. marshal of Rampant precinct. Dep
uty Dreibelbis was also receiver of the
mining claim No. 4a Glen; he having
been appointed as such by Judge Wick
ersham.
Upon the completion of the federal
jail at Rampart in Nov. 1902, Deputy
marshal-receiver Dreibelbis and Com
missioner J. Lindiey Green joined issue
for the avowed purpose of mUc ng all
the mdhey possible through the differ
ent channels of their respective offices.
Deputy marshal Dreibelbis holding the
exclusive privilege of feeding—at $3.00
per day each—the prisoners confined in
the federal jail, the extent of his in
come through that channel must de
pend entirely upon the inclination of
Commissioner J. Lindiey Green to man
ipulate his judicial power to sentence
prospective government boarders to jail
from 30 to 365 days.
Commissioner J. Lindiey Green read
ily became the marshal's colleague, as
the commissioner’s income depended
entirely upon the fees of his office, and
one of the principal channels through
which fees could accumulate was the
marshal’s activity in 1 ringing before
him subjects choosen f r his p ivate
be arding hous*1. Matters were so man
ipulated that the marshal’s private
mess-house was kept full of Uncle
Sam’s boarders' at $3.00 per day each,
until the District court convened at
Rampart in July, 1903.
Charges of corruption and incompet
ency were then filed with the Court
against Commissioner.). Lindley Green.
Judge Wickersham realizing that simi
lar charges against Deputy-marshal-re
ceiver George Dreibelbis were to fol
low, and the ultimate exposure of him
self as their colleague, adopted a pre
concerted mode of procedure and the
the accused was officially whitewashed.
A citizens petition, which was present
ed to Judge Wickersham a few days
later, asking for the removal of Com
missioner J, Lindley Green from office
on the grounds of incornpetency, also
received the judge’s disapproval.
RESULT OF ABOVE CONDITION
Not long thereafter somethingseem
ed to be doing at Washington and a
change appeared to come over tbi mar
shal’s office at Rampart. Judge Wick
ersham, having established his head
quarters at Fairbanks. Deputy marshal
George Dreibelbis was transferred to
that precinct, and Deputy marshal
Charles Dreibelbis was transferred from
Valdez to Rampart. But a short so
journ at Rampart convinced Deputy
Charles Dreibelbis that the corrupt
methods of Commissioner J. Lindley
Green would involve him seriously, so
by request he secured a transfer to the
Fairbanks precinct, and no appointment
was, or has yet been made to fill the
vacancy at Rampart.
The marshal’s office thereby passing
up the entire official control of Ram
part precinct to Wickersham and
and Green. This action, together with
the fact of there being no marshal at
Circle City, leaves a distance of 600
miles on the Yukon without police pro
tection, and the peoples’ property and
person subject to the will of a judici
ary, the present status of which is:
A district judge laboring under re
cognized charges of improprieties in
office, illegal graft and corruption, and
his local colleague and representative,
Commissioner J. Lindley Green under
char es of improprieties in office, in
competency, illegal graft, corruption,
etc. The courts should preserve their
dignity, and the respect and confidence
of the people by holding aloof from
s-tca vile influences as cause the sinister
shadow of corruption to hang over
them.
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