The Washington herald., 1908-01-06

iuteEeI WleH tvtiStotIdAlOu IS given Dy
lthe State Department to charges drawn
10y attorneys of Shanghai, China, against
L. r. Wiley judge OF the United States
Court for China
f. NJ Brooks and Lorin Andrews. two
attorneys said 20 be interested in this
suit, arrived in Washington yesterday
and, it is believed, will remain here until
the charges against Judge Wildey are
heard. Mr. Brooks and NJ Andrews
admitted last night that they had come
from China to present the matter TO
the proper authorities here.
First Judge I'm China.
Judge Lebbeus r. Whitley is about forty
years Old He graduated from the Yale
Law School i'm 1892, was admitted TO the
practice of his profession shortly there
after. and was appointed attorney general
for the Philippine Islands in 1901. He
was made judge of the United States
Court at Shanghai something more than
d year and a half ago. The position of
judge of the United States Court in that
far of country was created for the pur-
pose of affording American litigants an
opportunity for hearings, such as had long
been given to citizens of Great Britain.
Judge Wiley was the first appointee.
From the very beginning of Judge
Wilfey's regime, 1t is said he has not
met with the approval of all the Ameri-
cans In Shanghai. Il is asserted that
almost on his arrival ON the scene of his
new labors he remarked that "all for
eigners are here on sufferance."
Ia the year and a half more or less
that Judge Whitley has been actinE az
judge of the United States Court many
matters have arisen, il is alleged, in
which he has demonstrated an aversion
toward the Catholic religion. and also
toward certain attorneys praCticing IN
Shanghai.
On May Is, 1907. Judge Wilfey, in bls
opinion in ''the matter of the probate cf
the viii of John Pratt Roberts an
American who died IN Shanghai, is al
legged 20 have said things about the Cath
FOliC religion which were resented by
members of that faith all over China.
one phrase in particular that ne is al
legged 10 have used was taken by CathO-
lies to be unworthy of Utterance by a
judge On the bench, if not even by an
ordinary citizen. This was.
THE popish clergy took to themselves
under the name of church and the poor
the whole residue of the estate Of -he
deceased after the twO-thirds Of the vile
and children We're divided without paying
even his debts or other charges thereon. %
Mr. Singer CabIed President.
On June 26 a cabegram Was sent to
President Roosevelt, which said: Cath
olics in meeting protest as outrage VIII
fleys official denunciation. SINGER
On August 30, 1897, petition was sent
from Shanghai directed TO the President
and TO Congress and signed by Julian
". F. Singer.
In this petition Mr.. Singer says that
he prays for relief from the insults and
calumHy directed against the Roman
Catholic Church by the judge for the
United States Court for China who. ap-
parently, without a jury, has absolute
power in this part of the world.
1T is to be hoped that the government
win rcDudiate Mr. Wnheys attack upon
the Catholic Church by appointing i'm his
place an experienced, representative
American judge. ID man Wi-h a judicial
temperament Mr.. Wiley Is not such ii
man.
Catholics Sign Petition.
In petition dated at Shanghai August
10. 1851, and signed, it is said. by hun
dreds of Catholics. the President. the
Senate, and the House of Representatives
are asked TO remove Judge Whitley for
- unDrovoked and unjust attack on the
clergy of the Roman Catholic Church"
After reciting various reasons for the
request, the petition ends thus. I'VE, the
undersigned members of the Society Of
ST. Vincent dc Paul, and Of the Catholic
Circle. and Catholics members Of differ
eut Catholic congregations in Shanghai,
reputable professional and commercial
men, loyal To our faith and asking only
for "a square deal and that at least de
cency and respect be shown by the Judge
of this high court 10 the faith of the
hundreds of thousands of commandments
of the Roman Catholic Church i'm China.
we most earnestly pray that the above
petition be granted"
All the matters above set forth and
several others. ia the form of communI-
cations 10 a Shanghai paper and others,
were combined in one volume. dated Sep
tember 1897. and forwarded 10 this coun-
try ln compact fom.
Other Charges Made.
While there has been much talk that
the charges against Judge Whitley. which
are now said To repose i'm the state De
pavtment are the work of Catholics. il
is understood that there are others which
are not based upon any of the Judges
actions which could possibly bear upon
religion.
The two attorneys who arrived in
Washington yesterday would not say
what charges have been preferred by
chem. or where they are. or when they
viii be heard. II is known however
that charges have been talked of in
Shanghai asking Judge Wfldey's re-
movul ON the ground that he has not ac-
corded any of the usual courtesies or
rights accorded TO attorneys i'm this coun-
Try. His rule IL has been asserted, has
been an iron one under which many at
torneys, who are said To have pr3cticed
i'm Shanghai for a long time, have been
disbaTred
In the case of Mr.. Brooks. one of the
two attorneys. who are i'm this city. and
who are known To have come TO present
their side OF the case against Judge VIII
fey. 1t is alleged that the latter mas. on
several occasions. made assertions against
Mr. Brooks character, and particularly
his dealings in Honolulu.
According to reports from SAN Fran
cisco, Mr.. Brooks learning that Judge
Wilfey sailed from China on the Man
churla' got aboard the same steamer. On
board that boat. while crossing the Pa
clhe' Mr. Brooks prepared a suit for
damages against Judge Wilfey, asking
for S50.000 for libel.
Nhen the Manchuria steamed into
Pearl Harbor at Honolulu, Mr. Brooks
made for shore at once He filed his
Ila1.als iu-n.o.Iint-L-- -. .----.-.l-l.--