Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-10-25
The Case Of Judge Stevenson.

called upon for Il speech. SO far for
| got TIC propricti.s of the occasion.
| which WAS social and not political IL
its character as to break into an i'm :
passioned political haranSue. i'll which
| ne bitterly denounced the newspapers
and declared that he would be elected
| in spite of them.
While the immediate fleet q. this
outbreak. ard the time and manaer in
which it occurred, was to Writ
S;cN cnson down an ass. 1t has also
ed to very general consideration If
the means by which men % his
chara lacking in
judicial qualities, are able to secure
| nominations and elections to the bench.
The Philadelphia Press probably sizes
Stevenson up with considerable ac-
cIracy when it declares him to be "a
man OF hasty action. inconsideratc
speech. colcric temper and strong
PIE cjudireS." Such a man shoull never
!, of a judge.
We have here another illustra ton
that a learned and able attorne;'. for
it appears to be conceded that Steven
son was both. may be lamentable
failure in a judicial position. When
once. however. 4 man OF this class is
elevated to the bench il is difficult
indeed to dislodge him. The attor-
neys who practice before him are quick
enough in sizing him up. but fear 10
arouse his hostility knowing that.
with him. prejudice will always be a
more powerful force than logic. if in
deed he does not make the mistake. as
frequently happens in such cases. OF
cOnfoundng the two. Ii is probably
this fact that has made iladelphia
lawyers very reticent about critcising
Judge Stevenson-at least in public.
Attorneys residing outside Of his juris
diction. however. have felt no such re-
straint. one Of them. writing from
Camden, New Jersey TO the Philadel-
phia Press says:
Some months ago | was present ut
session Of his court. and was inl-
pressed with the fact that he had less
of the judicial temperament" than
any man whom | had Vet seen upon
the bench. \ somewhat trivial case
was being tried it seemed to me like
an appeal 10 the criminal courts 10 col
lect a bill. There was a Very close
question whether there was any crimi-
nal Ina bility if the case presented by the.
commonwealth had been fully estab-
lished. but i'll my Judgment the case
was far from being proven. the prose
cutor performed his duty zealously
and skillfully. but the judge appeared
70 be afraid that the man would he ac-
quilted and the questions which he put
to the prisoner and the comments
y hich he made upon his answers. the
dragging before the jury the fact of the
mans failure in business at some pre-
vious time, his abuse and denunciation
of the prisoner We're violations of the
simplest principles of justice. | know
Of no case in which judge committed
So llagrant error, unless it be the
Molineux case in New &ork. in which
the higher courts have | properly al
lowed new trial.
Y do not often have cd 9casion to at
tend court in Philadelphia. Before his
elevation to the bench I Had somehow
imbibch high opinion of Maxwell
Stevenson dt must have beqn through
the newspapers which he dsnounces),
but | npust confess that the exhibition
Of which ] speak lowered him in my
esteem and led me to look upon him
as that hlost dangerous of alh things, a
prosecutoE on the bench
The very twidespread attentiY Yn which
has been given the Clover CLUB episode
above referred to. is apparently out OF
proportion To it's immediate Importance.
Its reason Will be found in the tenacity
with which the people of this country
have stood for strong and impartial
jrGioiary-and the popular demand
'nat men vho occupy these positions
shall be big enough and broad enough
to rise above personal prejudice: that
they shall not only be able to properly
interpret the law. but rigidly impartial
in securinG 3 to all men with whom they
have official dealings their just right S.
THIS derfand for competent
judiciary is,of special Importance in
states whera members of the judiciary
are elected bS popular vote and where
the high stan4 lard of character and
efficiency that has steadily been main
tanned in our own State. has not al
ways prevailed. -