The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-04-23
CAUCUS
OF LAWYERS


teen attorneys met yesterday afternoon
In the court room VI the First circuit
Court, for the purpose OF discussing the
proposed plan Of framing bill for new
judiciary system, the same TO be sent,
when completed ana agreed upon to
Congress. accompanied by petition for
it's passage. signed by the members OF
/ the Bar Association.
For a time II was thought that no
meeting could be held, on account OF the
attendance not being sufficient to con-
stltute quorum, but several more law
yers came strolling in, and w. ". Smith
took the Courts chair to preside, Secre-
tary Case alert and at the clerks table.
Attorney Davis, who is a very vehe-
ment supporter of the proposed plan. be-
gan enthusiastically to express his senti-
ments In the matter, and was promptly
sat upon by Attorney Mechanism. who
raised the point that the meeting
irregular and had no right to pass upon
anything; according to the constitution
and bylaws, he said, ten days notice
was necessary to a regular special meet
Ing, whereas he and number of Others
had received only few hours notice
There was a great deal OF quibhling
over the matter, and a few sly person
alities were INDUCED in; then Attorney
Weaver solved the problem by making
motion that the meeting resolve itself in
to caucus, to Informally discuss the
subject, which they had originally in
tended to discuss. This was agreed upon
and the discussion began. Mr.. Davis did
most of the discussing, his remarks being
directed principally towards the present
judiciary system and the Judges; he
said that with these there was some
thing wrong" backing up his statement
with the extremely thin volume of re-
ports in which were contained the
reports of all the cases tried before the
Supreme Court of the Territory during
the past year. Mr.. Davis compared the
size of this book with the size of a fat
volume lying on the table beside him en-
titled somebody or other on Torts, a half
dozen books of which size, he said, are
ordinarily compiled by the Supreme
Courts of other Territories. This went,
he said, to show that there was some
thing wrong somewhere and that it
wasn't fair for the Government to pay
$1,000 year for the making of a little
book like the one he held aloft in his
hand.
Finally, the proposed petition, which
had been signed by all the attorneys in
Honolulu, was read, and following it the
resolutions drafted by Hatch & Slliman,
showing the plan for the new judiciary
system.
After the reading, by Judge Silllman,
was suggested by the persistent Mr..
Mechanism that the meeting had no
light, as a meeting of the Bar Associa-
ion, to take any steps in the matter.
and upon this suggestion, a motion that
he matter be referred to a committee
was put 10 a vote-the committee to re-
rise the resolutions already drafted, in
which certain Inconsistencies had been
pointed out, and to report at a special
Meeting which was to be regularly call /,
d, with the prescribed ten days notice.
he Chair appointed Judge Silliman, At
orney Weaver and r. McCants Stewart
o attend to the duties of such commit
ee, and as this practically closed the
natter for the time being, someone made
motion, and Chairman Smith asked all
hose In favor of formally closing the in
ormal meeting to please signify by 60
lg home. The majority went, and the
notion was carried.
The proposed plan provides for seven
upreme Justices, and three, instead of
ne present five, Circuit Courts, the SUI
RENE Justices to take turns at sitting
the Circuit Courts, and all cases ap-
called from the Circuit Courts to be
card in the Supreme Court by Justices
no had not heard the case in the lower
ourts. The suggested plan is calculated
, expedite the trial of cases and keep
lie calendars clear. The resolutions will
properly framed and presented to the
ar Association at the special meeting
hich is to be called. The petition al
lady signed by the lawyers of the City,
9TH members of the Bar Association and
lose who are not, is as follows:
Whereas, there are over 200 untried
vii actions on the calendar of the Cir
lit Court for the Island of Oahu. and
wv actions are being constantly
ought, and 1t Is apparent that the two
ldges now appointed for said Island are
lable to dispose of the actions now
nding in said court, and such new ac-
ms may be hereafter brought; and,
Whereas, the Judges of the Circuit
,urts In and for the Islands of Kauai,
In diSDOsa NJ or
amount of business than Is brought
fore them; and
Whereas, II is believed that three
dyes of the Supreme Court are not
fficient number to constitute court OF
al appeal in this Territory, and that
Q provision by which members of the
are called to sit in the place of one
more of said Justices in the event of
cir disqualification or absence, Is not
tisfactory;
Therefore we. the undersigned mem
IS of the bar OF the Supreme Court |
the Territory of Hawaii. do petition
Senate and the House of Representa- |
es of the United States of America, in |
ngress assembled, to pass an Act con-
ming substantially the provisions of
hibit A. hereto attached"
igned Alfred S. Hartwell, Paul Neu- |
mn, j. ]. Dunno Cecil Brown, William
Smith, Frederick w. Hanky, George |
Davis, Charles r. Peterson, Wade |
lrren Thayer, Leon NJ. Strauss, b. l..
TX. j. T. De Bolt. Alfred Magoon.
C. Achi, A. A. Wilder, A. l.. C. At
son, f. W Milverton, Lorrin An
WIS, Ernest c. Psters, Frank Andrade,
G. Biting, /. NJ. Long. A. G.. Correa,
X. Wilder, Abraham Lewis, Jr., Hen
Holmes, r. u. Siliman, r. II. Hitch
k, Jno. w. Cathcart. w. L. Wilcox,
lid Dayton, Edgar Caypless. Il. Nc
IT'S Stewart. S. X. Kane, Henry
it'll, Philip L. Weaver. Jr.. A. M
wn, ROYAL ID. Mead, w. G. Parke,
ert II. Judd, Enoch Johnson, James
Kaula. f. NJ. Brooke, +. %. Thomp-
T.. j. Russell, j. NJ. Monsarratt
w. Chillingworth. Sr., Lyle A. Dick
W. Austin Whiting, w J. Robinson
ncis ]. Berrey, ]. Mahai Kaneakua.