ALASKA FORUM
{OFFICIAL PAPER)
FORUM PUBLISHING COMPANY
'< ■‘•USSCIIIPTIONS: The Alaska Forum delivered
Oasyear. $10; six months. $5.00, in advance,
eaemonth. $1
Advertising rates on application. Address all
eoraraunicatiopB to; the Alaska Forum. Rampart.
Correspondents are requested to sign their name
» * all communications, not necessarily for publica
v tkew hut ss evidence of good faith. No attention
paid to anonymous communications.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 19U4
•*•**» i rmm 'V'l! > * "■n**-*** wn* 1 ""
• Th® action of the Senate committee
>ifthoJding up the recommendation for
the confirmation of the reappointment
‘ ot Judge Wickersham, shows that the
report of Judge Day was not satisfac
tory. ' The committee thought it neces
„ sary to took into the matter for them
selves. It is gratifying to know that
there is at least one branch of our gov*
erament, in which corruption can re*
ceive the proper attention, It encum
ber the people to a great extent, to
force them into extreme measures be
fore justice can he obtained. It is time
this matter was taken up, by the pow
-ers-thatbe, and a stop put to these
manipulated farcical “investigations."
'’Withinthe past eighteen months months
‘ -Rampart'precinct has - experienced two
-such "investigations," both being of
•-vast-importance to the people of this
'vicinity. -
4
Ih'July 1903, complaint was filed in
the District court, sitting at Rampart^
si to the incompetency of Commission*
er J. Lindley Green, an appointee of
the court, and demand was made for a
-public investigation as to the truth or
untruth of the four specific charges
enumerated in the complaint so filed in
open court. Instead of making an-in
vestigation himself, as. it was his duty
. to. do, Judge Wickersham referred the
matter to the Federal Grand-jury, in
structing that body to either return an
indictment against Commissioner J.
Lindley Green, or the party making the
' charges. This made the * 'investigation' ’!
as to the ineompetency of Commission
• er J. Lindley Green, a secret one, and
' quite expensive to the government.
X Judge Wickersham was aware N of the
is feet that Deputy-marshal George Drei
belbU had executed great care to place
• close and staunch friends of his admin
istration, on the special venire of grand
"■<»—'
jurors. v —
With a grand jury thus checkered
with interested friends of the adminis
tration, and whose foreman was direct
ly under the control of the official ring
master, Judge Wickersham well knew
that Commissioner J. Lindley Green
would receive the necessary coat of
white-wash, and that; the unsuspecting
public would place the blame on the
shoulders of the grand jury. - Judge
WickerBham would thus escape public
criticism, and those opposed to corrup
tion would receive such a shock that
henceforth they would remain quiet.
Upon the party, who filed these charges
appearing before the Grand-jury, and
giving the names of witnesses to testi
fy in support thereof, he was informed
by the Assistant District-attorney that
the Grand-jury's time could not be tak
en by with too many witnesses. . After
several days secret deliberation on the
matter by the Grand-jury, one of whom
was Commissioner Green’s bondsman,
a special report was returned to Judge
Wickersjiam.
In this report not one word was said
touching upon the four specific charges
of incompetency as given in the com
plaint filed. A few of the criminal
points, mentioned in the affidavit, were
spoken of as not having been sufficient
ly corroborated, and were lightly pass
ed over. There were a fe w law-respect
ing matron the.Grand-jury who would
not uphold sucn open-handed corruption
and, while justice could not prevail to
any great extent, considerable good was
accomplished, and the manipulations, of j
the official schemers throughly exposed.
At no time in-this farcical ‘ ‘investiga-;
tion,” did Judge Wickersham permit
the party who filed the charges to come
before him, or enable them in any way
to prove to him personally, the incom
betency of his appointee, Commissioner
J. Lindley Green. This ‘ ‘investigation’ ’
while it cost tbe government several
hundred dollars, was an "ignominious
farce, and Commissioner J. Lindley
Greeu in retained in office with these
charges of incompetency still hanging
over him. .
It is a well-known fact that Judge
Wickersham refused to comply with the
provisions of the statute, in inafters
before him. relating to the illegal acts
and conduct of J. Lindley Green. There
beiug no higher administrative power
in Alaska, than Judge Wickersham who
is the appointing power in such cases,
the charges against Commissioner J.
Lindley Green became dormant for the
time being.
M
In the spring of this year, complaints -
were hied with President Roosevelt,
charging Judge Wickersham with illeg
al judicial acts and conduct. The pi es- ,
ident, on account of existing circum
stances, not being able to personally in
vestigate, as to the- merits of these
charges, delegated Judge Day to visit
Alaska, and make a rigid investigation.
Judge Wickersham heing cognizant of
his own guilt, as weil4as that of his ap
pointees, was forced to use extreme
measures to protect himself during this
‘ investigates,, voyage down the Yu
kon. The means employed to protect
Commissioner J. Lindley Green, were
not applicable in his case, so plans were '
speedily arranged. The ‘‘investigating
committee” was rushed past the point
where Judge Wickersham knew suilic- -
ient evidence existed to corroborate and
prove the charges as hied.
Judge Day should, in justice to all
parties concerned, publicly make known
his reasons for refusing te investigate
the judicial affairs at Rampart court
center. The result of Judge Day ’s pro- ^
tection of Judge Wickersham, differs
from the latter’s protection of Commia
| sionei J. Lindjey Green, th the extent
that there is a higher executive- power
in the Unicau Stales than Judge Day,
while in Alaska there is no higher pow
er than Judge Wicktrsshar/;— 'V*as.”/
■k 1 1 1 '
The Wickersham aggregation is dying
hard. Hoping against hope, each week
sees them reduced to greater straits to
uphold their prophet. We wonder it
has not occurred to them that Jimmy
Wickersham is a stuffed prophet.
¥“
f-Hotel Florence ■>
1 ' THB ONLY FIRST CLASS HOUSE
Fine Wines and Liqucis
BILLIARDS FOOL
THE BEST ACCOMODATICNS
Furnished Rooms fc50^
STABLES For Hone* And Dog*
A. H. MAYO
*