The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-10-27
JUDGE BoYD,s cAREEN


JUDGE BONDS CAREEB1
The sketch Of the Life OF the Dead Jurist.
An EventTul Experiences.
In tho death Of Hugh L. Bond, chief
judge OF the Fourth judicial circuit,
comprising the states OF Maryland, Vir-
GINA, West Virginia, North Carolina
aud South Carolina, the federal iudici-
airy has sustained a very great loss.
Hugh L Bond was born on Decom-
Der is, 1928, in Baltimore. lie was the
son Of Thomas Emerson Bond, editor Of
tho Baltimore CiiridiGH 1dr1caie. He
graduated from the university OF the
city OF New York in 1913, and was adj
mitted to the Baltimore bar in 1851 In
March, 1860, he was appointed judge IN
the Baltimore criminal court, and on
November b, 1861, was elected to that
Office. After the massacre OF national
soldiers on April 10, 1861, lie charged
the grand jury that those who took part
in tho riots were guilty OF murder
The police commissioners made an order
fOrbiddidg the display OF any flags, but
the seventy-fSe loyalists arrested under
this order Tor raising the national
standard were liberated by him.
When military commissioners under
took to try citizens for ofenses against
the United States, he charged the grand
jury to indict the officers, because they
had no jurisdiction over persons not 10
the military service OF the government
when the civil courts were open. Be-
fore the close OF his term Governor
Swami claimed the right TO remove the
police commissioners aud appoint
others, and when the de facto commits
sionars fortified the station houses and
armed the police to defend their right
to the office, authorized the appointees
10 raise followers sufficient to put the
resisting commissioners out, and called
upon President johnson to send troops
TO interfere. Judge Bona told General
Grant that the de facto commissioners
would obey written order from the
President brought by single soldier
bearing the United States flag, but that
II the federal authorities declined to in.
teriere he would arrest the Swami COM
misaioners and hold them to bail to
keep the peace, which was done.
Under the revised constitution oil 1864,
the Shareholders took advantage Of IN
old apprentice law, and had the children
of free negroes brought to the probate
court and apprenticed 10 themselves
Judge Bond released all that were
brought before him.
He lost his seat on the bench in 1865
upon the Democrats obtaining control
OF Maryland. In 1870 President Grant
nominated him Judge OF the fourth cir
cult Of the United States court. Al
though the nomination was gent
in on the 9th OF April. the matter
was not settled until the 18th Of July,
when Bond slipped through by four or
five majority only.
In 1871 he conducted at Raleigh. n
O., also at Columbia, S. O., many trials
OF Ku.K lux conspiratorS, more than 100
Of whom he sent to the penitentiary.
On December IL, 1875. when sitting
as United States circuit court judge at
Columbia, S. T., he made decision
that led TO attempts to impeach him by
the house OF representatives. The case
was that OF the Imprisonment oil the
state board Of canvassers, who'were re-
leased by this decision. They had been
imprisoned for contempt by the SUI
preme court OF the state, but claimed
that their arrest was illegal, and that
the state court had interferred with
them while they were doing work in
volving the election OF electors aud
members OF Congress.
On the pretext that the board had
had to canvass. along with tho returns
for the state officers, the returns for
presidential electors, and although the
order OF the court required them to do
certain things apperlaining solely to
the state officers, and although such
order had not prevented them from
completing their canvass Of the electors
returns, according to their own view OF
their duties, Judge Bond assumed the
board was being punished under law
OF Congress or in violation to the con-
stitunon.
This decision led Representative
Warren to try to bring about Judge
Bonds impeachment His resolution
directing the judiciary committee to
inquire into the case was not agreed to,
the vote standing 1888 yeas and 70 nays,
not two.thirds in the affirmative.