The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-07-05
HUMPHREYS
HAS RESIGNED
FIRST CIRCUIT JUDGES RESIGN
ALTON ALREADY IN THE
PRESIDENTS HANDS.
TAKES EFFECT AT THE LATEST
SEPTEMBER TERM.
The Judge viii Resume the Practice
Of Law in Honolulu-Candidate For
the Place.

A. S. Humphreys has resigned as
Judge of the First Circuit Court. The
resignation was sent forward by him
some time ago, and is now in the hands
of the President, but it has been kept
secret until today, when the judge
made It known.
The resignation is to take effect when
a successor is appointed, or at the lat
est by September 1 next. 1t was sent
to the President four or five weeks ago,
and an acceptance is expected by the
next mail, which may also bring news
of the applications on file, left over
from the fight for the position of third
judge. Among the applicants are Dis
trict Magistrate Lyle A. Dickey and
Attorney Frank Thompson. Judge Ke-
poikai was also mentioned as an ap-
pointee before the last vacancy was
| filled but he did not make any fight for
the office.
Judge Humphreys stated this morn
ing that he intended to go into practice
of law again, in Honolulu. When asked
as to any partnerships he stated that
he had not made any arrangements of
| the kind and that as far as his present
| plans were concerned, he proposed to
open his own office alone. Current talk
among attorneys has it that Thompson
may go in with the Judge.
The closing of Judge Humphreys
| career on the bench in Hawaii ends an
interesting chapter in the history of
| the Hawaiian bar, and one that law
! yers will not soon forget. Immediately
on being appointed by President Nc
| Kinley, Humphreys started in to "re-
form" the bench in Hawaii. He object
! ed to many of the old customs here in
| of de
| lawyers toe the mark i'm the matter of
showing respect to the court in man
ner unknown in the Islands before.
! Contempt sentences were on tap for
| those who didn't do what the judge
thought was the right thing, and soon
! members OF the nar who had endorsed
| Humphreys as a candidate began tc
| think that ne was too warm a PROPOSE
ton as a Judge. His "Americanizing
of the courts of Hawaii was a bit too
strenuous for many of the attorneys.
One of the first signs of the disposi-
ton among lawyers to kick over the
traces came at the last annual banquet
of the Bar Association, before the one
just held. At that dinner Humphreys
and Silliman, the latter then judge
left the table when one of the speakers
intimated that the former cordial re-
lations" between bench and bar did moi
exist. Since then a war has been wag'
ed which eliminated in the effort of the
Bar Association to have Humphrey
removed. Humphreys made trip t
Washington and after a hearing wa!
sustained by the Attorney General anC
President Roosevelt. Since then there
have been many reports that he wa!
about to resign, staying on the bencl
at $3.50 a month, being too expensive &
proposition, but the Judge has denied
such reports up to this time. II is saiC
to have been his intention to leave tn,
bench year ago, when he was sustain
led at Washington, but he is reported
to have remained on account of objec
tions to getting out because the igh
against him was being kept up.
Humphreys is free now to go int,
politics with full force and his resign
alton will revive lrumors that he intend
to make a play for the position of Del
egate to Congress. The judge, how
ever, states that he is simply going t.
resume his practice of the law.
In view of Humphreys resignation
there may be a renewal of the figh
waged a few months ago at Washing
ton when the third judgeship was va
cant. Edgar Caypless, who is still OF
the Mainland, made the most activ
, campaign at that time, and he is lkel
, to go after the new appointment now
T if he hears of the vacancy in time.
This morning Judge Humphreys file
: the following in the court clerks office
r Some time ago Judge Humphrey
! forwarded his resignation to the Presi
dent. The resignation will be effectiv
l September !, next.
: "a. s. HUMPHREYS.