Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-08
A PUBLIC DEMAND.

Nothing that has occurred IA this
city for i time has occasioned
such geenra storm OF Indignation az
tho course takeu by Willis Brown.
Judge OF the Juvenile Court IN the
case OF the young girl who was made
the victim Of his unlawful and In
excusable tyranny and vulgar and de-
morallzng interrogatons. The pie
ture of that outraged girl, little more
than child, after being subjected 10
tho immoral lnquistion OF his alleged
court" shrieking with terror and
anger while being dragged TO undergo
physical examination from which she
naturally shrank with horror, r. still
before tho public eye and cannot he
obllterated by any plea Of mistake or
OF necessity.
The admission that such an examin-
alton as he conducted ought to have
been private. and that henceforth he
would change his course In that re-
spect does not help his case. The
whole proceeding was outrageous and
unjustIflablc. The fact that the child
was proved to be chaste, while 1t ag-
gravates the offence IN the public
mind, does not change the illegality OF
the proceedings. for whatever might
have been the result OF the enforced
examination. they would have been
unlawful and shameful This we made
clear In a case that was handled by
the police several years ago. and which
we then exposed aud denounced. The
!, present ease, however. Is still more in
defensIble and detestable.
From every quarter come the strong
est expressions of dissent and detesta-
tlon. and demands for the dismissal
from the position OF judge, of a person
who has so many times demonstrated
his lack of legal knowledge and alb
sence of judicial acumen. This has
been shown OF numerous occasions.
hut IN this Instance something further
has been exhibited, and that is de-
flciency In common deeency and hui
manity.
It Is too much, perhaps, TO expect
that this unfitnrss viii prompt him TO
resign, as good common sense would
suggest. The question widely pro-
pounded is, what can be done to ef-
feet his remoyal?' Perhaps this cam
not be accomplished except by inn
parchment. That would have to be
taken before the Legislature, which
will not for some time to come be In
session. We believe. however, that
his authority to act as an officer Of this
State can be tested, and that It ought
to have been judidally determined
when he was appointed. Some minor
objections have been raised at diff
ferent times. when his official acts
were open to severe criticism, but We
think the point We raised at the start
has not been urged In his case. I'm
der the head Of "a Big Mistake We
then made the following remarks, and
we have not changed the opinion then
expressed In this column:
I'VE regard tho appointment made
by the commission for Judge Of the
Juvenile court as q great mistake; for
two reasons at least. one Is. that the
appointee Is not qualified under the
law to act not being n legal voter, and
the other is that the place should be
filled BY Utah man; that H. one who
IL and has been long enough identiiied
with the State 10 constitute him per-
manent resident familiar with It's af-
fairs.
THAT a man who has only been IN
the state for few weeks. whose bust
ness relations arc elsewhere, Who Is
n travelling lecturer salaried as such
by an outside organization, and who
could not cast vote for any officer I'm
The city. county or State should he
nut into a judicial office on a few days
acquaintance here, when there are
scores of men legally and In every
other way qualified for the post, ma
lirally arousos much objection, and
ELECTS inquiry rs 90 the reasons for
hills most remarkable appointment
"Tho office Is judicial Ia character
partaking Of the powers of 2 commit
ting magistrate. II Is an office under
The laws OF tho state for cities Vt the
. UfSf Hfln N'iOlU flhTNf AafhNllIH 'lNA wv
4 qualifications required IN a judicial
officer. We cite provision which We
think fully covers this particular case.
mo person shull be eligible TO any
office who Is not q qualified elector Of
the city: nor shall any person be
eligible To any office who Is dofaultcr
10 the corporation Revised Statutes,
1898. sec. 22i'
"There are other sections that might
he quoted but the FIRST clause W the
foregoing II sufficient And we are
surprised that the commission tChiet
" Police lynch 10 his credit ohiertiug)
should select over number OF bona
Ode Utah men, q comparative stranger
not possessing even the right To vote,
we have nothing personally against
the gentleman himself He has per-
formed u good work during his brief
stay IN the city, but we regard him as
being disqualified by law 10 act under
the law, particularly In a quasi judicial
office.
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