[Rumored Corruption, Virginia Daily Union article, reprinted in Alta California, May 14, 1864]

 

            Rumored Corruption. —It is said that just before the late important decision in the case of the Chollar vs. the Potosi was made, a party of four gentlemen, one of whom was a well-known lawyer of this city, and another, a well-known capitalist, went into [Judge Powhatan B.] Locke's room and accused him of having been bribed by the holders of Potosi stock to decide against the Chollar. On his denial of the charge, one of the party produced a pistol, and, by threatening his life, compelled him to sign such a modification of his concurrency in the opinion of Judge North as they dictated; it is further alleged that one of the party then told him he must resign and leave the Territory, and that this was the reason why he failed to appear at the District Court room yesterday morning, according to arrangement with Judge North. How much of truth there may be in all this, or if the whole story be not the coinage of the brain of some disappointed litigant, we are unable to say.—Virginia Union, 1st inst.