V
VOL. XL VI.-NO. 14,604.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, SEPTE3IBER 28, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
t- y
1
E
CAUSE OF DEFEAT
Methodists Can't Forgive-
Fairbanks.
REJECT HIM FOR DELEGATE
Not Fit to Go to Quadrennial
Church Conference.
' )
HIS VOTE FADES TO NAUGHT
Laymen of Indiana Indignant at
Serving of Intoxicants at Ban
quet and Attempt to Shift
'Blame to Roosevelt.
COLUMBUS, Ind., Sept. 27. (Special.)
Charles W. Fairbanks, Vice-President of
the United States, was defeated today
for delegate to the quadrennial conference
of the Methodist Episcopal Church after
1 one of the most bitter contests that were
' ever waged in a religious assembly. The
abstinence laymen, many of them) long as
sociated . with Mr. Fairbanks in the
church, refused to condone what they re
gard as an offense against abstinence,
and the distinguished candidate went
down because of Laving served cocktails
and three kinds of wine at the dinner
given to President Roosevelt on Memorial
day at the Fairbanks home.
Up to the meeting of the laymen's con
vention this morning it was supposed
that Mr. Fairbanks would be a sure win
ner. His friends had been busy with dele
gates during the conference, and, so far
as surface indications showed, there
seemed to be a general acquiescence in
the desire to select him as one of the
quadrennial delegates. There were 18 can
didates for the seven places, and it was
given out that the Vice-President would
head the delegation by being selected by
acclamation
Early this morning, however, the scene
began to change. Abstinence laynten as
serted that it would be a shame to turn
down a member of long and consistent
standing In the church who aspired to
the honor and give it to Mr. Fairbanks
or any one else by acclamation, that It
was but fair that the ballot should be
taken on all the candidates and let each
stand on his own merits before the dele
gates. In the meantlme, two questions had
been much discussed among the lay dele
gates, one was the serving of Intoxicants
at the Fairbanks' dinner and the other-!
was the effort of some of the Vice-President's
friends to put the responsibility
Upon Mr. Roosevelt. Considerable feel
ng was manifested over both incidents
and, when the laymen assembled, the
apparent certainty of Mr. Fairbanks' elec
tion had changed to a question of his
getting through, even by a slim margin.
The ftrst fight came when the delegates
refused by a decided vote to permit the
(election of Mr. Fairbanks by acclama
tion. All the candidates were then put
' In nomination. It required 97 votes to
elect all delegates. On the first ballot
two candidates were chosen. Mr. Fair
banks received 79 votes. On the second
ballot two oUier candidates were chosen
Bnd the Fairbanks' vote fell to 65. On
the third he received but 5 votes, on the
fourth 47 votes and on the fifth 35 votes.
The constant falling on In the Vice
President's vote discouraged his friends
and, when the result of the fifth ballot
was announced, his name was withdrawn,
a friend making the statement that the
Vice-President had not been a candidate
In" any sense of the word, but that his
friends had thought that it would be an
honor to him and to the church to send
him as a delegate to the quadrennial con
f cren ce.
SUSPECT OF TWO MURDERS
Xegro Accused of Killing Mrs.
Grant Says Another Did It.
CHICAGO, Sept. 27. Richard Walton,
the colored man arrested in Springfield
for the murder of Mrs. Lillian W.
Grant, informed the police today that
another colored man named Richard
Lemoyne was the actual slayer of
Mrs. Grant. Lemoyne waa arrested
late in the afternoon.
The police are Investigating a re
port that Walton Is responsible for the
death of Lizzie Schroeder, who was
strangled to death near Gary, Ind..
some weeks ago. It is known that
Walton was working in Gary shortly
before the murder, and left there
about the time it was committed. The
girl was attacked and murdered in the
woods near Gary, while she was re
turning to her home after taking dinner
to her father, who waa working .Just
outside of the town.
RUMORED STRIKE SPREADS
Reported That Railroad Telegraph
ers Are Soon to Go Out.
NEW YORK, Sept. 27. (Special.)
Reports that the commercial teleg
raphers' strike would extend to the
railroad telegraphers were revived
here and elsewhere today. . Samuel J.
Small, national president of the union,
is now in St. Ixuis and from there it
was reported that he was in confer
ence with national officers of the rail-
COCKTAILS
PRO
road telegrapners, ana uii insiae oi ; Oregon Methodists elect delegate .to
the next lorUJiKilt dftY.eipp.maU.JQlISJJk.ja jymIeLnr., . page. .10. 1 " :'
ana inai insiae or
be expected in that direction should It
become necessary to ask them to
strike.
It . was stated that the' railroad
operators would join in a sympathetic
strike at once. Thomas M. Pierson,
vice-president of the railroad teleg
raphers" union, said today that trouble
was soon expected along the lines of
the Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern Railways.
RAILROAD CLERKS OX STRIKE
Demand Contract With Roads and
Seek Aid of Workmen.
TOLEDO. O., Sept.. 27. Two hundred
railway clerks, representing six roads,
struck today, demanding a working
agreement with their employers.
Mom than that number remained at
their desks.
An effort will be made to have
frelghthandlers and teamsters join
their ranks.
STRIKE SEEMS BROKEN
Great Western Shops at Oelwein
Open With New Boilermakers.
ST. PAUL, Minn.. Sept. 27. (Special.)
State Senator John Kinkald. Who Is
Alleged to Have Originated Boise
Basin Timber-Land Frauds.
Reports by telegraph to the manager's
committee which is handling the strike
situation on the five railways Involved in
the present labor troubles with the boiler
makers, announced this afternoon that at
the big Great Western shops, at Oelwein
a strike center was successfully opened
this morning and that the shops are again
In operation, although they have been
hampered since the strike began. Four
hundred from Eastern points, all of whom
were examined before being sent West
and tested as to their qualifications as
bollertnakers and machinists, left Chicago
last night on a special train and were put
into the Oelwein shops during the morn
ing. The breaking of the strike at that point
was accomplished without violence, and
there were no disturbances of any kind.
The new men are being organized and
officials of the line announce that by
tommorrow the work will be handled' un
der normal conditions again. Large num
bers of men are en route from Cincin
nati, New York, Cleveland and other
Eastern points. All of these are- being
examined before being sent West to work
in the shops of .the .railways involved in
the strike. These men, the managers an
nounce, will be used as they are received
in handling work at other points where
the strike caused vacancies. The Oel
wein shop Is the last of the big shops in
the Mississippi Valley which was strike
bound to be ' re-opened. The efforts of
the committee will now be directed
towards improved conditions in far west
ern points and In local territory. The
Great Northern reports its shops opened
by strikebreakers, as handling the usual
work satisfactorily, and similar reports
coming from official sources indicate
that the same condition applies on ' the
other lines. On all lines running repairs
are .being satisfactorily handled, . and
there is no" delay to traffic resulting from
the strike. ...
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature.
63
degrees; minimum, S6 degrees. '
TODAY'S Occasional rain. Southerfy
winds.
Foreign.
Whole town in Japan destroyed by flood.
Page 2.
Many deaths and ' much ruin by floods in
Spain. Page 2.
National.
Deep waterways Commission starts down
Mississippi from St. Paul. Page 3.
Asiatic squadron arrives at San Fr&ncisoo.
Page 2.
Judge Wlckersham resigns and . gives up
fight. Page 1.
Lorlmer may- become chairman of rivers
and harbors committee. Page 3.
Iotneatlc.
Woman takes dog 4000 miles to hospital.
Page 2. -
Chicago Shriners initiate big class. Page 4.
Methodists reject Fairbanks as conference
delegate. Page 1.
Five Indictments against Hariiman lines.
Page 4.
Br. Owens held for trial for blackmailing
Evans. Page IS.
How Ford got money to buy Supervisors.
Page 3.
- Sport.
Cans gets decision over Burns after . hot
fight. Page 7.
Pacific Coast.
Sweet's letters to hta lawyers read in Borah
trial. Pago 1.
Trouble feared between entryment at open
ing of timber land near Klamath Falls.
Page 6.
Taklma man. not supposed to be home,
shoots man who enters hi home. Page e.
State Land Board draws up rigid rules for
those who file on arid lands. Page 5
Eugene employes publicity ' promoter at
salary ot S.000 a year. Page 8.
Commercial and' Marine. -
Higher prices of tea and mild coffee certain.
Page 17. i
Chicago wheat market has set-back.
Page 17.
Sharp fall In stock prices. Page 17. i
Steamship Barkston clears with a full ar
go of wheat. Page 14.
Portland and Vicinity. -Men
accused of complicity, in plot to ruin
Mayor Lane s reputation caught; both
tana pat and deny charge. Page X.
! r-:;i:- ' jj
t , -, ? " -it
LllitS
CHARGES
Five Indictments for Violating
Rate Law on Oriental
Shipments.
LIABLE TO HEAVY FINES
Accused on 124 Counts of Secretly
. - Cutting Rate on Matting From '
Japan to Eastern Amer
" lean Markets. .
f
SAX FRANCISCO, Sept. 27. The Fed
eral grand jury today returned five in
dictments of 134 counts against the South
ern Pacific Company and the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company charging violations
of the interstate commerce law. These
indictments, if followed by convictions,
are sufficient to render the corporations
liable to fines aggregating from $124,000 to
$2,480,000, the minimum fine prescribed by
law on each count being J1000 and the
maximum fine J20.000.
The defendant corporations are accused
of secretly cutting to 1 the published rate
of $1,25 on through shipments of matting
from Kobe, Japan, to San Francisco and
thence throughout the United States. Two
indictments of eight counts' each were
returned against the Pacific Mall Steam
ship Company, which transported the car
go from Kobe to San Francisco, and one
Indictment of eight counts and two Indict
ments of 60 counts each were returned
against the Southern Pacific Company for
forwarding the cargo in broken lot' ship
ments from this city eastward.
The published rate for such shipments
as filed .by the defendant corporations
with the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion was SI. 25. but the grand jury charges
that the Pacific Mall and the Southern
Pacific accepted the goods from Joseph
Wilde & Co.. Taylor, Cooper & Co., and
Smith, Baker & Co., all merchants of
Yokohama, for $1 the 100 pounds. The
shipments are alleged to have been made
in bulk September 11. 1901, via the steam
ship Mongolia.
A special agent of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, Duncan, ' has been on
the Pacific Coast for several months, also
in Japan, investigating these shipments,
and how the Pacific Mall and Southern
Pacific -have been making rates lower
than the published tariff on them at varl
ous times. It is the. juaklrrg of lower
rates than the published tariff on which
the indictments have been based.
Southern Pacific officials are said to
have admitted last night that prior to the
enforcement of the new rate law they
had not been strictly living up to the 30
day notice provision of the old law, be
cause of the impossibility of doing so and
retaining their share of the Oriental ship
ments to this country in competition with
foreign lines. They insisted, however,
that since the new law has gone into
effect they have not made any lower
rate than the published one, and have
not violated the law.
, Harriman Says It's Old Story.
NEW YORK, Sept. 27. Local officiate of
the Union Pacific' and Pacific Mall Steam
ship Company said today that they had
no information as to the reported finding
of indictments against Mr. Harriman and
other officials of the corporation for al
leged rate violations. One of the legal
representatives of the Southern Pacific
Company expressed the opinion that tho
trouble is possibly a revival of the old
controversy with the Interstate Commerce
Commission regarding foreign or Import
rates. The law governing the publica
tion of such rates was amended August
26, 1906, subject to modifications by the
commission. There have been no viola
.tions of the law, according to the South
ern Pacific officials, since the amendment
became effective.
' Nothing Known In Chicago.
CHICAGO, Sept. 27. J. C. Stubbs,
traffic director of the Southern Pa
cific and Union Pacific systems, is con
fined to his bed and in his absence
none of the traffic officials of the sys-
HARRIiyiAN
UNDER
COL. JAMES HAMILTON LEWIS, BACK FROM EUROPE, CONFIDES
IN A REPORTER
"Ah! My near Fellow, Yon Remind
Me of My Friend the Caar."
"My Great and Good Friend Presi
dent Fallierea Desires to Be Remembered."
, '
- ? t -i
tem in this city kno.ws anything .about
his reports of the finding or indict
ments in San Francisco.
clinging to Alaska clew
Chief Wappenstein Belie-es Coving
ton Will Soon Be Under Arrest.
SEATTLE. Wash.. Sjrpt. 27. Chief of
Police Wappenstein said today that he
believes before 24 hours that Frank Cov-.
tngton and ChWles Burllson, the al
leged murderers of Mrs. Agnes Coving
ton, Covington's wife, who had been
strangled to death and her body stuffed
Into a trunk and then thrown Into th
1
bay, will be under' arrest.
The Chief contends that his Informa
tlon that the two men will arrive at
Katalla, Alaska, tonight or tomorrow Is
correct and that they will be Imme
diately taken. All other clows as to the
whereabouts of the accused have been
dropped by the police.
Interest in .the . foul ' crime. Seattle's
first great trunk tragedy, still remains
great. Should ' the Alaska story prove to
be untrue. Chief Wappenstein says his
Frank Martin, ex-Attorney-General
of Idaho,. One of Those Indicted
for Timber-Tjand Frauds.
men will be compelled to rrnVe a till
hunt and trust to luck to obtain their
arrest in some other section.
LEAVES AFTER FORGERY
Tacoma Man's AVlfe Destitute Was
Trusted Employe.
TACOMA, Wash., Sept.' 27. (Special.)
After cashing forged cheaks amounting
to about J600, Edward A. Lavo, a sales
man; for the Whitney Engineering Com
pany, disappeared Saturday ntghw leav
ing a score of creditors and a wife with
out funds. Up to the time of his dis
appearance Lavo was a trusted em
ploye of ;he company.
Leaving his office early Saturday aft
ernoon, ostensibly on business for his
company, Lavo called on numerous store
keepers and cashed checks which were
thrown out by the banks as forgeries.
Lavo left his wife without funds, com
pelling her to go to the home of friends.
Neither his wife nor friends are able to
account for his actions.
Yesterday a saloon-keeper swore out a
warrant, but today It was learned that
Lavo' left' Saturday night for Oregon.
Business of Hoquiam, Council.
HOQUIAM, .Wash., Sept. 27. (Spe
cial.) At a mee'ting of the City Coun
cil tonight the Northwest telephone
franchise was read the second time,
and, when compared -with the Aberdeen
franchise, will be . ready - for . passage
next week.
The auditor's "report' showed "the
assessed valuation of the city to be
$1,551,918, or $100,000 over last year's
assessment. .
The election returns were can
vassed, and the' matter of taking the
census to advance Hoquiam to a city
of the second class was authorized.
CHICAGO. Sept. 27. (Special.) North
west people at Chicago hotels: . v .
From Portland John H. Haak. S. H.
Frank and wife, Mrs. J. Meier, M.'.
Lloyd Frank, A. M. Frank, at the Audi
torium: Eugene Pearson, at the Majes
tic: H. C. Ellis, at the Palmer House, t
From Huntington, Or. A. W. Nearrett,
at the Grace.
From Salem Miss .Carolyn Hurst, at the
Palmer House.
"Mr Friend Emperor William I Am
Happy to Say Is Well."
"Mr Young and Amiable Friend anA
Admirer Kins; Alfonzo Said He
Was Delighted With Married
Life."
'V'--frwfr--tf-;"'i' rlidi iviiiiiiMnsia)aMahiJ T
SWEET A READY '
LETTER-WRITER
Correspondence Pro
duced in Borah ase.
DOUBT AND HOPE ALTERNATE
Speculator Did Not Always
Trust Steunenberg.
FEARED HE WOULD LOSE
Man Who Will Turn State's Evi
dence Underwent Kaleidoscopic
Changes of Mind and Called '
for Borah's Help.
BOISE, Sept. 27. Half a score of let
ters which the Government attorneys in
the trial of Senator William E. Borah
declare go to show the complicity of ex
Governor Steunenberg in the . alleged
Idaho timber-land fraud conspiracy were
introduced in evidence late today and
read to the Jury." The letters were writ
ten tjy William Sweet, one of the in
dicted men, who, it is reported, will take
the stand as a witness for the United
States. The documents were produced by
J. H. Richards, the local attorney, to
whom they were written and who acted
as legal adviser to Sweet
Most of tho letters were dated from
New York and Boston and several of
them were replies to letters or telegrams
urging him to return to Idaho.
"I can't see why I should come back
unless it is in regard to timber and that
is all in the Governor's hands," wrote
Sweet In one of his .notes. Then he pro
ceeded :
Absolute Faith In Steunenberg.
"As to the money coming to me, put
it in the bank. I have absolute faith In
the Governor. He came to my assist
ance and helped me out of a, mess I
Bever ought to have got in. I don't
know what I would have done if it had
not been for the Governor."
In another letter Sweet gave the
amounts he was "in" on the timber deal.
The total was about $29,000, Including a
$7500 note signed by himself and Steun
enberg. Shortly after this Sweet wrote
to his attorney that he had read In the
papers of a timber inspector being sent
to Idaho, and added:
"The Governor has written to me to
come home. If there is anything wrong
and you and the Governor want to pro
tect me, I don't see what good I could
do at this time."
Under date of March 31, 1902, Sweet
wrote to Richards:
"Everything seems to be all right on
the timber deal. The Governor has got
some of his friends to put up security
for $140,000 for six months to give time
to make a deal."
Sweet Begins to Worry.
About a month later, however. Sweet
wrote in a different vein as follows:
I am awfully disturbed about that tim
ber transaction, I fear I signed papers that
I ought not to have signed and to make It
complete you used the power of attorney
and put the money out of my hands and I
haven't a scratch of a pen from Steunen
berg. After b.got s;e signed up good he quit
me and turned his attention to you with
the power you held on me and I never heard
from you or him about the money. I wrote
to him ten days ago to put $5000 in bank
for me. 1 have not heard a word from him
for a month, and Z am worrying and can
say too many cooks spoil the broth every
time on me. I am done up in a hole, aa
"My Dear Friend Kins; Edward
Sends His Greeting."
"My Good Old Partner King Chula
hnlahorn Ah, Going. My Dear
Fellow?"
far as my Idaho Interests are concerned,
and everything is in the Governar's hands
and by law he can hold me for all time to
come. It he Is absolutely honest, I am all
right: if not 1 am all wrong. Don't you
say one word t to any one about this.
A few days later Sweet wrote that he
felt better, as Steunenberg had put the
$6000 In the bank for him.
Where Borah Came In.
Borah's name was drawn into the case
for the first time just before adjourn
ment, when Henry S. Worthman, an
other local attorney, took the stand and
produced more letters from Sweet. In one
letter to Worthman he wrote:
Richards used his power of attorney to
turn all my mo'ney, $10.00o. over to Steun
enberg and it is like pulling a cat through
a stocking to get It back. I wish you
would see W. E. Borah about this and get
him to make a little statement of the Gov
ernor's obligation to me. - He is the Gov
ernor's attorney, but is a first-class gentle
man and knows a little statement Is only
fair to me. Tell him I haven't the scratch
I i I ' ' ' " mm J J t
If ' V, J I
I -TTripvitw i4 -- : Wrfnr m , na I
f Senator W. E. Borah, on Trial for I
I Idaho Land Frauds.
i
of a pji from Steunenberg to show that he
has $10,000 of my money. He said the
copy of our agreement was lost.
Sweet Is Hard on Kinkaid.
The other letters referred to a settle
ment between Steunenberg and Sweet and
the closing up of their partnership, the
articles of which were placed in evidence.
The partnership articles were identified
yesterday. They state the purpose of
the, firm of Steunenberg & Sweet to ac
quire, hold and sell timber land. Sweet
wanted Steunenberg to release him from
all obligations as tgtany of the latter's
speculations, but .tfjassure him a one
half share In any deal with "the Barber
and Moon interests."
While carrying on this negotiation.
Sweet declared Steunenberg was trifling
with him.
"Is he in hiding or out of the state?"
he wrote to Mr. Worthman. "Get Borah
or Kinkald to tell you where he Is, but
as to Kinkaid, I believe that man would
skin himself if he couldn't find anybody
else to." ,
Mr. Worthman testified that he went
to see Borah and urged him to get Steun
enberg to put some money in bank tor
Sweet. ,
Put Steunenberg in Touch.
A. B. Campbell, the millionaire mine
owner of Spokane, Wash., but formerly
of Wallace, Ida., was the last witness
of the day. '. He. told of having tal.icu to
Steuenenberg about the latter's plan of
going Into the timber land business. Mr.
Campbell said he Introduced; the former
Governor to Albert B. Palmer, who In
turn Introduced him to James T. Barber
and Sumner G.' Moon, of Eau Claire,
WMs. Steunenberg wrote to Mr. Campbell
and the letter was read In evidence. The
Governor thanked Mr. Campbell for hav
ing put him In touch with the Wisconsin
Interests. Mr. Cam'pbelU said he was
sought as a' partner In the deal, but in
stead of goin in turned the matter ovr
to Mr. Palmer.
Several "dummy" entrymen who made
deeds conveying title to their land to
George S. Long were examined at . the
morning session In order to get the deeds
in evidence. These deeds all bear indorse
ment as having been recorded at the re
quest of William E. Borah. The entry
men making them declared they paid
nothing toward recording the deeds, au
thorized no one to pay the fee for them,
never employed an agent or attorney and
never even saw the patent issued to
them by the Land Office at Washington.
The entrymen examined today all de
clared they got their money through ex
State Senator John Kinkald.
Borah's counsel continued their policy
of not putting the alleged "uummles"
under cross-examination.
COAL CUTS DOWN SPEED
liusitania Longer on Eastward Than
Westward Trip.
QUE ENSTOWN, Sept. 27. The pas
sage of the steamship Lusltanla from
New York September 21 occupied five
days and four hours and 19 minutes,
or three hours and 35 minutes more
than her outward run.
The American coal was said by the
engineers not to have been so satis
factory as that used on the western
trip.
Rules Freshmen Must Obey.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene,
Or., Sept. 27. (Special.) Although
the Sophomores have gone on record
as opposed to hazing, they have or
dained that Freshmen shall not go call
ing except on Friday and Saturday,
and shall not be allowed to ride on the
streetcars except that they be accom
panying women.
Decide Death Was Accident.
THE DALLES. Or., Sept. 27. A Jury
summoned by the Coroner to inquire Into
the cause of the death of F. P. Taylor
yesterday, after examining the premises
and circumstances, returned a verdict this
morning that deceased cme to his death
by the. accidental discharge of a pistol.
FIGHT ABANDONED
BY WIGKE
Alaska Judge Despairs
of Vindication.
ROOSEVELT STANDS BY HIM
End of Most Remarkable Fight
in Senate.
SEVEN TIMES APPOINTED
Though Overwhelming; Majority Fa
vors Confirmation, Nelson and
McCnmber by Filibustering
Prevent Vote He Gives Up.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, Sept. 27. Tired of the persist
ent fight that has been made against
him for more than three years, and
anxious to engage in private practice.
Judge James Wlckersham, of Fair
banks district, Alaska, has tendered his
resignation to the President, to take
effect upon the appointment and quali
fication of his successor. Judge Wick
ersham'a resignation is entirely volun
tary and quite unexpected, and it is
with regret that the President sees him
leave the bench.
He was first appointed June 6, 190.1.
When his term expired he was prompt
ly reappointed, but his nomination met
with opposition in the Senate, as tha
result of which he has never been con
firmed. He has received seven re
appointments since the Senate first re
fused to confirm him.
Two Senators Prevent Action.
Only two Senators opposed his con
firmation Mesers. Nelson, of Minne
sota, and McCumber, of North Dakota.
By filibustering they succeeded session
after session in preventing a vote on
the nomination, that being the only .
means by which they could prevent'
Confirmation, for the Senate committee
repeatedly reported favorably Judge
Wickersham's nomination, and an over
whelming majority of - the Senate
favored confirmation.
When Judge Wlckersham was con
fronted by the charges brought by Mr.
Nelson and Mr. McCumber, he made an
exhaustive answer that was satisfac
tory to the President and to the Senate
committee and throughout his long
fight tho President has stood by him
telling him only last Winter that he
the President) would reappoint him
as long as the Senate refused to con
firm him.
Despairs of Vindication.
Private advices received here from
Judge Wlckersham give as the rea
son for his resignation that he is tired
of fighting for confirmation, when his
two enemies refuse to submit his case
to the Senate on its merits. He had
hoped for ultimate confirmation mere
ly as a vindication, but feels that
dilatory tactics' will continue to pre
vent his confirmation, so he has de
cided to leave the bench and engage
In private practice in Alaska.
The President probably -will not ap
point Judge Wickersham's successor
until he returns from his Western trip,
possibly not till Congress convenes. As
Judge Wlckersham comes from Tacoma,
the Washington delegation will en
deavor to name his successor, but it
is by no means certain that a Wash
ington man. will be appointed.
QUARREL ABOUT MIXING IiAW
Opposition to Wlckersham Due to
Conflict About Claims. (
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27. (Special.)
Judge James Wlckersham. of the Second
Judicial Division of Alaska, with head
quarters at Fairbanks, has tendered his
resignation. No less than seven times
has the President appointed Judge Wlck
ersham and. since June, 19of, the Senate
has failed to confirm the nomination. The
fight has been bitter. In the Senate
the opposition was led by Senator Knuto
Nelson, of Minnesota, who takes a lead
ing part in mining and land matters. Tha
President has found nothing in any of the .
reports to shake his confidence in the
Integrity of Judge Wlckersham and, as
session after session has ended without
final action being taken upon the re
r.omlnation. the President has resolutely
given Judge Wlckersham a recess ap
pointment. At the Department of Justice the resig
nation comes as a surprise. . It is said
there that most of the criticism of Judge
Wlckersham has been caused by his inter
pretation of the land laws. During the
days of the early Klondike rush vast
areas were staked off. Titles to a num
ber of the claims have been in dispute
and the courts have been asked to decide
between those who assert that they drove
the original stakes and those who have
come upon what they considered aban
doned claims and worked them. Prac
tices among miners make the laws in dis
posing of any of the technicalities aris
ing in mining contests and Judge Wlck
ersham has been as strongly defended in
his rulings by leading citizens of Alaska
as he has been criticised.
It has been Impossible for the Depart
ment to ignore the charges when backed
up by such Senators as Mr. Nelson, but it
Is asserted at the Department that the
Administration would have maintained lta
support of Judge WUckersham indefi
nitely, had he not voluntarily withdrawn
Irora tha fight.
SEE