A Supreme Court Justice Denies He Bargained Away His Seat

TACOMA, Aug. 23.—[Special.]—Judge Stiles has made a written statement which confirms the announcement in Monday's Post-Intelligencer of his reasons for being a candidate for re-election to the supreme court bench. His statement follows:

"At the Republican county convention last Friday night Mr. Reynolds, in the course of his advocacy of a resolution offered as an indorsement of Hon. W. H. Pritchard's candidacy for the supreme judgeship, is reported in the Ledger of Monday as accounting in part for the pending proposition by a statement that Judge Pritchard's leaving his practice for the supreme court bench had been induced by some promise that I had made to him two years ago, to the effect that I would not be a candidate for re-election. The statement proceeds as follows:

'Judge Stiles then asked him if it would be any inducement to him to take a seat upon the supreme bench, and Judge Pritchard frankly said that it would. It was then suggested that he would tell Judge Pritchard, confidently, for the time being, that when his term expired he did not intend to be a candidate for re-election, and that as he came from Pierce county and Judge Pritchard was a Pierce county man, and would by that time have made a good record upon the superior bench, it would be the natural and proper step upon the vacancy he would create at the supreme bench.'

"Without comment or argument I simply desire to say that the speaker was entirely mistaken in the foregoing, as no such thing ever occurred, nor anything which any reasonable person could possibly construe in such a way. Before that, and since, I have never been careful in concealing my feeling that, circumstances being favorable, I could rather practice law at home than attend upon the sessions of the court at Olympia, and it is quite possible that not only Judge Pritchard, but others as well, may have supposed that I would retire next winter; but that I ever declared an intention of the kind to any one until May 15 of this year is not true, and that I at any time assumed to bargain a seat on the supreme court bench to any one, for any consideration, is simply preposterous.

"Now as to the next matter. In February last Judge Pritchard was in Olympia and wished some talk with me. He expressed himself as somewhat dissatisfied with his present position, and as contemplating resignation. One thing led to another, and finally he said he had heard that I thought of not being a candidate for re-election; that he had thought of being a candidate as my successor if I made up my mind not to run again, but that if I wished to run he would not, under any circumstances, oppose me; and that if I concluded not to try for it again he would be gratified if I could let him know in case he desired to make the run. I told him I was entirely undecided about that matter and had not given it serious consideration, but that I should, of course, have to decide it, and when I did I would let him know, as there was no one I would rather see in my place than himself. We had no further communication until I wrote him the following note:

'Olympia, May 15, 1899.

"My Dear Friend: After considering the matter about which we talked, I have made up what I call my mind that I will not be a candidate, but will go back to first principles and practice what I have been preaching. I wish you all success if you decide to go in. Use this as you see fit. T. L. Stiles."

"I heard nothing further about the matter, and his candidacy was announced, and my intended retirement as well. I knew nothing about what was going on in Tacoma, as my work kept me constantly in Olympia. But on July 10 I was greatly surprised to see in the Ledger the announcement of Hon. D. J. Crowley as a candidate, and, coupled with and a part of the news statement, an interview with Judge Pritchard in which he expressly withdrew from the field.

"The note I wrote to Judge Pritchard intended to say to him as far as it would go, and I had no thought of pulling anything in his way, and did not do so. But when he withdrew I could see no obligation that I was under to him or anybody else that made it improper for me to enter a race, then only two months off; and so, after seeing Mr. Crowley and hearing no objection from him—I no doubt would [hear none] from Judge Pritchard—I made an open declaration in the Ledger of July 20 or 28, that I was a candidate, subject to the decision of the state convention. To this course I was led by the advice of friends in whose judgment I have the greatest confidence. But [if] I had made a mistake in not again urging the reasons [that moved me before], when Judge Pritchard a few days later changed his mind, certainly I had no objection, and I have none now. We have always been firm friends, and I trust shall continue so, but I believe I am justified in protesting forcibly and emphatically against the method taken by Mr. Reynolds to force me from a candidacy which was as [open] as the air when I entered it, for the benefit of one whom I had shown no ordinary consideration by putting him in the forefront of opportunity last year, but who formally and totally abandoned the field in July.

"I have [only] to be reminded of men to judge the right. Very respectfully,

"T. L. STILES."

Judge Pritchard's friends have not reiterated Mr. Reynolds' statement. They will not agree to sentence Judge Pritchard to discuss the matter without the record. The statement will stand as Judge Stiles' ultimatum.