The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-06-26
REPORT ASKED FOR
JUDGE REED WRITES A NOTE TO
THE LOCAL BAR COMMITTEE
He Says if a Report Is not Made at Orce the
Delay will be Misinterpreted and Criti-
cism will FollOw--He also Intends to
Discharge the Committee in a Few Days
if They Fail to Report, and Appoint a
New Committee--Special Committee to
be Appointed Immediately for an Indi-
vidual Case.

Some say important developments
are expected in local bar circles with
in day or two.
1t is given out cold that the commit
tee of investigators or inquisitors will
have to report almost at once or be dis
| charged and another committee ap-
pointed.
1t is said that Judge Reed is very
much worried over the delay of the
committee and that he wrote them
letter recently insinuating that if they
did not make report soon their delay
would probably be misinterpreted and
subjected to criticism. This letter, it
is said, was written on the 18th and no
answer has been made to it yet, so far
as could be learned.
1t is also intimated in legal circles
that Judge Reed scarcely thinks that
the committee is treating him right.
The public, of course, do not know the
ms and outs of the law and naturally
think that Judge Reed is responsible
for the delay. The fact is that the
judge has done everything in his power
up TO date and nothing is left for him
TO do now but to discharge the COM
mittee and appoint a new one which
will undoubtedly be done in a few days
if a report is not made
The statutes practically tie the hands
Of district judge with reference to
scandals in the bar. There are only
two ways that he can reach them and
they are round about. The first is by
the affidavit Of some member. If one
member is crooked and other members
can bring charges against him by af-
fdaVit and then the judge can take
judicial cognizance of the case but not
before even though he absolutely
knows the member in question to be
guilty. The second way is to appoint
a committee of investigation. If they
present charges, by affidavit then he
takes cognizance of the case but not
before. He has no right whatsoever
to proceed directly against the Offend
er. In this respect there is a great
difference between the power of dis
trict judge of a state and the district
Judge Of the United States. The latter
can proceed directly against an often
der and suspend or disbar him without
any delay or dependence upon anybody
else.
The attorney who gave the above in
formation to an Eagle reporter yester-
day said:
The nearer ajudge gets to the peo-
pie the less his powers are; the farther
powers are. When the people make the
judges directly they retain in them
selves the power they ought TO give
their judges. If local state judges had
the disposition of the Debs strike in
their hands last year there would be a
civil war in this country. AS it was
the federal judges had to deal with
the strikers and the result was the re-
of peace"
n 70
said that Judge Reed is very serious !
about his communica ton to the COM |
mittee. He is very cautious and con- |
but when he does act he does |
it with strong determination. In other /
words he is first sure that he is right |
and then he goes ahead. 1t is said that F.
he has a great deal Of con- I
fdence in the committee and believes
that they are strictly honest, but that .
the question with him is: is here dis {
honesty in the bar? If there is IL ,
ought to be found out in justice to the ,
court, in justice TO the people and in .
Justice to the members of the bar who (.
are above reproach.
One of the committee is understood !
to nave said recently that the commit /
tee has worked hard. that they have .
secured a vast amount Of testimony .
but that they have broken chains in al Z
most every instance which must he .
linked together before a report, as +
strong as The committee desires, can .
be presented TO the court.
Judge Reed will probably appoint n .
special committee today or tomorrow .
to investigate a new case that has de- .
veloped where there is strong sus- !
picion of malfeasance II is case in ,
which an attorney is alleged to have /
paid money in a round about way TO |
purclaSe testimony.