The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-08-30
/ RANK INJUSTICE
III let Q. OPPRESSION.
Such IL Would Be to
Keep Men in
Jail
III ORDER 10 HEAR Gill GASES.
DEFENDANTS IN CRIMINAL
CASES ENTITLED TO 4
SPEEDY TRIAL
So Says ths Constitution and Judge
Humphreys Will Uphold It
VALE He Is On the
Bench

Hawaii Is TO be congratulated that
II last II has q number OF jurists on
I the bench who know the Law and re
spect human liberty; iuTists with spi-
nal columns sufficiently strong TO resist
the cordial relations heretofore exist
ing between bench and bar that justice
and human rights may De subseryed-
Yesterday the following communiea-
ton was addressed to Judge Hum
phreys:
. To The Hon. /. 5. Humphreys. First
Judge Of the Circuit Court
Honorable and Dear Sir: We, the
undersigned members Of the bar. OF the
Territory of Hawaii respectfully petit
tiol and request your honor 10 make
some arrangements 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 en-
titled TO be taken into consideration as
much as the criminal work, and there
fore Go not hesitate 10 ask that one
judge devote his time exclusively dur
ing the term to the trial of civil
causes
We have the honor to be your ODE
dent servants,
DAVIS & GEAR,
ATKINSON & JUDD,
PAUL NEUMANN,
j. NJ. DAVIDSON,
CHARLES f. PETERSON,
F. NJ. HATCH,
"A. e. CORRERA,
r. II. BROOKS,
KINNEY, BALLOU & M'CLANA-
HAN"
Dated this 18th day of August, 1900.
The following answer TO the COM
munication was made by Judge Hum
phreys:
Department of the Judiciary, Homo
lulu, H. l., Avg. 20, 1900.
"Messrs. Davis ( Gear, f. u. Hatch.
Paul Neumaan and Others, Attor-
neys, Honolulu
My Dear Sirs: Replying TO your
polite note of even date, | beg to say
that it will, in my view, be impossible
to make arrangements whereby the
civil calendar may be taken up either
by the flrst or second judge OF this
court during the remainder of this
present term While there are two
rooms, yet one of them is DOW being
used-properly, | conceiv|by the
United States district judge, SO that
only one court room is at the disposal
of the Circuit Court save for
short periods of time when the other
court room is not in aoeual use by the
United States District Court. But even
If BOTH court rooms could be used by
the Circuit Court | should still pursue
the policy Of disposing of criminal
cases before hearing any civil causes,
as defendants in criminal cases are,
under the constitution OF the United
States, entitled TO speedy public
trial, and il would be a rank injustice
an act OF oppresslon-to keep these
people in Jail while matters of purely
private concern are engrossing the at
tention of the court. l cannot lend
my acquiescense to your statement
that the civil business of the courts
is entitled to be taken into considera-
ton as much as the criminal work
for liberty counts, and will always
while | am on this bench, for more
than dollars. l shall hope that your
statement was made arguendo and that
it was not intended to declare a prin-
ciple.
Il remain, my dear sirs, with assur-
ances of high regard, your obedient
servant, 4. S. HUMPHREYS
First Judge Circuit Court, First
Circuit"