The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-30
WANT THEIR
SUITS TRIED.
Criminal Cases Crowd
Calendar.
SOME LAWYERS COMPLAI \
Write to Judge Humphreys Asking
for a Remedy-He Makes
Reply.

IL appears from the way the criminal
calendar Is dragging on that IL will not
be finished before the end Of the present
term OF court. BY limitation the term
will end on Saturday next, but IL has al
ready been decided to extend 1t for two
weeks so as to give as much time as pos
siLle 20 clear the calendar.
/ II Is likely that this additional two
weeks will be taken up entirely by the
criminal cases, for there are at least a
dozen more TO be tried. some Of which will
take a couple OF days. As a consequence
there Is small probability that any civil
cases can be tried during the term, and
the attorneys who have cases on the
calendar are up in arms. Yesterday a
letter was addressed TO Judge Humphreys
by several well-known lawyers. asking
HIM to take steps to relieve the situation.
but he replied that as long as criminal
cases were being tried in the main Cir
cult Court room and Judge Estee had
possession Of the other, ne could do moth
ing.
The correspondence follows:
To the Hon. a. s. Humphreys, First
L
Honorable and Dear Sir: We, the un-
dersigned members of the Bar of the Ter
ritory Of Hawaii. respectfully petition and
request Your Honor TO make some ar
rangement whereby the civil calendar
may be taken up either by yourself or
the Second Judge OF this court during the
remainder OF this present term. We feel
the necessity OF making this request on
behalf of the numerous litigants, and feel
that the civil business OF the courts Is
entitled TO be taken into consideration
as much as the criminal work. and there
fore do not hesitate TO ask that ons
Judge devote his time exclusively during
) the term to the trial Of civil causes.
We have the honor to be your obedient
servants.
Davis and Gear. Atkinson & Judd. Pau
Neumann. J. NJ. Davidson. Charles +. Pc
tcrsOn. r. NJ. Hatch. A. G.. Correa, r. NJ
Brooks, Kinney. Ballou & McClanahan.
To this Judge Humphreys replied:
Messrs. Davis & Gear and Others.
My Dear Sirs: Replying TO your polit
note OF even date, beg 10 say that |
Will IN my view. be impossible to max
some arrangement whereby the civil cal
\ erdar may be taken up either by the FRS
or Second Judge OF this court during tn
|. remainder Of this present term" Will
. there are two court rooms. yet one o
them Is now being used-properly. / con
, Iceive-by the United States Circuit Judge
, 50 that only one court room is at the dis
} posal OF the Circuit Court, save only 70
|. short periods Of time when the other cour
room Is not In actual use by the Unite
states District Court. But even IL bot
, court rooms could be used by the Circui
, Ccurt, I still pursue the policy Of dispos
\ ing OF criminal cases before hearing an
. civil causes. as defendants in criminS
' cases are. under the Constitution of IN
' United States. entitled to a speedy pul
y lie trial." and II would be a rank injui
y tice-an act OF oppression-to keep thes
=. people in Jail while matters OF purely pr
y. vate concern are cngrossing the attel
y ton OF the Court.
y | cannot lend my acquiescence to yol
statement that the civil business of q
= courts Il entitled 10 be taken into consi
GRAFTON as much az the criminal work
for liberty counts and will always viii
am on this bench. for more tnan dc
lars. / shall hope that your stateme
was made arEuendo. and that IL was n
intended 70 declare principle.
I remain. my dear sirs. with assuranc
OF high regard. your obedient servant,
a. 5. HUMPHREYS.
"A First Judge Circuit Court. First Circuit