Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-07-27
Judicial CONTEST
ISSUE between SHEEKS and IR.
WIN ARE SQUARELY DEFINED.
w. II. Abel the Real Bone of COnfen.
tiOn. Opposition of Lawyers to
Reelection of Irwin OCCasiOned
by Alleged Control OF the Court by
Abel.

Many people in Chehalis county are
wondering at the action of the attor-
neys of the county in opposing the re-
election of Judge Irwin, and are being
misled by the Irwin-Abel press as to
the real facts in the case. The Of
flee of superior judge is the most i'm
pOrtant in the county, and court
without the confidence of the COM
munity becomes a m mcnace to the safe
ty of life, liberty and property. Fol
the information of the public, this
article will endeavor to explain the
reasons for the objections to Judge
Irwin-objectiOns that are by nc
means confined to the legal profes.
sion or to any particular section oi
the county.
In all that is said, the Herald will
try to be absolutely fair to Judge Ir.
win, and will simply recite the facts
and Impressions that have caused
what might be termed a revolt
against the methods that have lately
obtained in the superior court of this
county.
In going into this subject, it is
necessary to commence with the first
ingtOn was admitted into the union
in 1889, Chehalis county had less
than one-third of it's present popula-
ton, and its court business was light
Mason Irwin had been practicing law
at Montesano for several years, and
was elected judge, which position he
held. continuously until dislodged al
the elections of 1896, when he was
succeeded by Hon. c. w. Hodgdon, OF
Hoquiam. At the elections of 1900
Judge HOdgdOn was candidate fol
reelection, with Judge Irwin as his
opponent. Judge HodgdOn had given
such eminent satisfaction during his
four years on the bench, that his re-
election was considered extremely
probable, and Judge Irwin was over
looking no political effort to regain
his old position.
1t was at this juncture that Attor-
ney w. H. Abel took hand in the
game of politics then being played
Abel, who is a sort of political Cap
tain Kidd, was at that time posing as
a democrat, but opposed Judge Hodg-
don, and was generally credited with
having disbursed a considerable sum
of money in Aberdeen in securing
the floating vote of this city fOl
Irwin.
Irwin was elected, and it was not
long until complaints were heard
among the attorneys practicing in
that court of undue favors extended
to Abel. The complaints, low but
deep, grew each year since, until the
lawyers considered it unbearable;
hence the revolt.
At the commencement of Judge
Twins second reign on the bench
Attorney Abel had little or no repu-
tation as a lawyer, yet today scarcely
a case of Importance is heard in that
court without his presence, not be.
cause of any special knowledge OF
ability in law, say his legal friends
but by reason of his supposed pull
with the court. That Judge Irwin is
cognizant of the extent that this i'm
preston has been cultivated by Abel
is doubted by some of his personal
friends who oppose his reelection
but the fact remains that nine-tenths
OF the practicing lawyers of the coun'
ty are loud in their objections to IT.
win for this very reason.
1t is alleged in some quarters that
this feeling on the part of the legal
fraternity is simply due to the phe-
nomenal success of Mr.. Abel, and the
allegation might have some weight if
the opposition only consisted of few
lawyers. But, when almost the en-
tire bar is of the same opinion, it
looks to the layman as if there was
something in the complaint. The
Herald has talked to many lawyers on
this subject during the past five or six
years, and was impressed with the
unanimity of this feeling. In fact, as
a Hoquiam attorney put it in speak
ing to the Herald editor a few days
ago, THE fight is not so much against
Irwin on the bench, as it is against
Abel in control of Irwin"
Such papers as favor Irwin in this
contest, or are subsidized by Abel,
are making every effort to befog the
real issue in the judicial election. In
it's last issue, the Nidette seeks to con-
vey the impression that the opposi-
tion comes only from Aberdeen, and
that it has to do with the county di-
vision contest. This, the Vidette
knows, or ought to know, is not true.
Judge Irwin had no official connec-
tion with that contest, and his acts
as a private citizen belong to himself
His opposition is neither confined to
Aberdeen nor to the lawyers. An at
torney cannot be worsted in court
without his client suffering, and the
tales of those people echo over Che
halls county.
Judge Irwin is seeking reelection
on his record. So be it. The record
will be produced in due time, and
some parts of it will be revelation
to the people of the county. some Of it
probably a surprise to the judge, in
case, as many believe, he has been the
unsuspecting victim Of misplaced con-
tidence in Abel.