The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-06-25
THE LAWYERS AND
THE SHANGHAI JUDGE

The following letter of local interest,
appears in the Boston Transcript:
To the Editor of the Transcript:
In the New York Evening sun re-.
Gently appeared an article from the
Transcript on Judge wilhey's course as
presiding justice of the new American
court at Shanghai 1 am interested
in his work because know Hon. Lor-
rim Andrews, one of the American
lawyers he disbarred when he first open
ed his court, and as the writer of the
article is evidently a friend of the
judges, feel it my duty to Mr.. An
drews and the American court to pre-
sent some facts bearing on the matter.
Mr.. Andrews is the grandson Of Rev.
Mr.. Andrews. who was missionary
to Hawaii, and / am told was the
author of a Kanaka- English dictionary.
His father was born and lived in the
Sandwich Islands until manhood. Mr..
Lorrin Andrews was born, educated,
admitted to the bar and practised in
New York city several years success
fully, where he was honored and re-
spected. He went to Honolulu to join
a relatives firm, became attorney gem
eral of the Sandwich Islands, and oc>
cupied the position several years. All
the judges before whom he appeared
testify to his ability and character.
About one and half years ago he
went to Shanghai to become the head
of a firm of American lawyers, and Inn
mediately took prominent position in
all the courts. He was earning $4,000
per year, largely in the English courts
in Shanghai, when Judge Whitley arriv-
ed there. He is an able lawyer and is
so recognized by the English judges
and bar of all nations there, and IL
highly respected as man. This IL
testified to by the whole press OF
Shanghai. When Judge Whitley opened
the new court in December he an
nounced that the certificates of ad-
mission of members of the bar Of all
nations except the United States would
entitle holders thereof to practise in
his court. Members of the bar of the
United States would not be accorded
the same privilege. They must be ex.
amined. There were eight who took
the examination, two passed, six failed,
including Mr.. Andrews. The examina-
ton was mostly written. The judge
gave out the questions at the begin
ming of the examination, which lasted
a few hours. He refused to let the
examined keep the questions, taking
them himself, and refused to show how
he marked the papers after he an
nounced his decision. 1t had been
stated that the American bar in Shang-
hal was disreputable. He was going to
purify it, but yet he declined to do it
on the ground of bad character; instead
he refused to extend to the courts of
his own country any comfy, and ex-
tended complete comfy to the courts
of all other countries. He conducted
an examination in his own way, and
refused in the least manner to indicate
in what way the American lawyers
failed in point of ability If the lead
er of the Massachusetts, bar appeared
before Judge Wiley to try a case the
judge under his ruling would have to
examine him before he could act for
his client.
Mr.. Andrews did at least three
fourths of his business in the courts
of other nations. He was winning
honors in the English courts. and do
ing credit TO the American bar. When
he was shut out of the American court
he was shut out of all Of the other
courts by a rule of comfy that obtains
in Shanghai, to wit, any lawyer who
can practise in the court of his own
nation can practise In ALL and Vice
versa. This child of the Pacific. an
honor 10 his ancestors. the American
bar, his country and Its flag, was in a
brutal and dastardly manner deprived
OF his livelihood and his standing as
sailed. Because OF his ability as a law
yer the Government OF the Sandwich
Islands employed him 10 come from
China 10 Washington In February TO
argue some cases In the United States
Supreme Court. Investigations by the
senate resulted In the passage by that
body, the last week OF the recent ses-
sion Of Congress. of bill which would
have compelled Judge Wiley 10 admit
him II II had become "A law, and the
members of that body characterized
Judge wllhey's action as AN outrage
ana an insult 90 the courts of his
country, The bin was not pushed In
the House for Two reasons, lack Of
time and that friends of the court
masl positively assured Nr Andrews
thai Justice would ha done him on his
return % ahAughali hHl en HE return
recently lhs Judge refused % admit
hin, leaving Ar Andrews and hia
frlenda 81 appeal ~ Congress Ia nef
eemnar. which aill be dane
AAAfA THORNTON
"a s4..a4s44a 49,. AaFh