Evening star., 1901-09-12
FAVORABLE REPORT
Attorney Generals Action on Judge
Humphreys, Case.
ALL THE CHARGES REVIEWED
-T-
Recommends Petition for Removal
Be Denied.
fstz e'[1tSE fe .s..E asf4..
Vry W ~ Cy ~ u r nv
YERS CRITICISED

Attorney General Knox today sent to the
White House. for the action of the Pres
ident when he returns to Washington his
report on the Investigation of the charges
of the Bar Association Of the Hawaiian
Islands against Judge Abram 8. Hum
phreys. judge of the first judicial circuit Of
Hawaii. = -.
Attorney General Knox takes up seriatim
the FIVE charges preferred against Judge
Humphreys, and in detail exonerates the
latter of every single charge. compliments
ing him on the conduct of his office
The Attorney General concludes his re-
port by recommending that the President
deny the petition for the removal of Judge
Humphreys. I am entirely satisfied that
not only the Judge has done nothing which
would Justify his removal" the Attorney
General says but that he has met his
heavy responsibilities with great courage
and unquestioned integrity"
The Attorney General elsewhere saws:
Reviewed All the Charges.
II have thus reviewed all of the charges
made against Judge Humphreys, and all
of the specifications offered in support
thereof In my judgment, they wholly fail
to establish any just cause for his removal.
In the most unfavorabie construction thew
might show mistake of judgment: or at
times undue feeling under trying c;rcum-
stances, but it is noticeable that the in
tegrity of the judge is never directly i'm
peacned- The attorney who represented the
Hawaiian Bar Association in these proceed
1ngs expressed his personal confidence in
Judge humphreys judicial rectitude, and
while presenting the complaint of the Rar
Association In good faith and in accord
ance with his instructions, yet he person.
ally disclaimed any responsibility for or
concurrence in some of the charges. 1t is
possible that many of the ATTORNEYS who
signed the petition did not concur in ali of
the charges that have been made against
the circuit judge. Indeed 1t is inconceiy-
able that they could, as | have shown that
some of them are based upon such insult
hcient premises as to family justify the
comment that they are reckless in spirit
In administering justice in our new nos
sessions the task will NOE be an easy one
and where judges selected by you dis
charge their duties with courage and in
tegrlty, and with reasonable ability thew
should be sustained, eveR though thev NAV
In attempting to solve the difficult problems
1 which present themselves at times err
Some consideration must be had for the
exceptional difficulty Of their position
Honolulu Lawyers.
throughout his report Attorney General
Knox indicates that the Honolulu LAWYERS
who brought the charges have acted on
himsy grounds. In one place Mr.. Knox
says:
Members of the bar, as officers of the
court, should be loyal to the court Where
there is a fair reason for believing the
Judge Is acting improperly it is the duty
or the bar to declare it openly but a mem
Der OF the bar is faithless' to his high cali
ing when he assails judge and impeaches
MS integrity upon no efactss even remotely
1ustlfylng the attack, but upon vague sus-
plclon and unfair inauendo That these
and many of the charges against Judge
Humphreys, to which aIlusion has also been
made, have been preferred by members of
MS own court. clearly shows the diff
culties OF his position. and the severity
OF the ordeal through which he has passed
IL is obvious that many members of his
court have not observed that loyalty to the
bench which should be both the duty and
the pleasure of lawyer to observe and
the heavy responsibility Of administering
Justice with dignity under such conditions
at once becomes apparent"