The Washington times., 1909-12-19
F TIGHT IS LAUNCHED
AGAINST KIMBALL
FOR POLICE JUDGE
Members of Bar Organize
Opposition to His
Reappointment.
HENRY w. SOHON
PRESENTS PAPERS
Goes to Department of Justice and
Lays Case Before Attor-
ney General.

Decided objection to the reappoint.
ment of Judge Ivory @. Kimball tc
the Police Court bench has beer
raised by large number 81 member,
OF the District bar
News OF an organized opposition
TO his continuation in office became
known today as the result OF infor.
nation OF recent NEE; ns to protest
against him leaking out
This meeting was a secret one, and
was held last week in the ofhces of q
widely known Washington attorney
The outcome was that today il Is said
the Attorney General has In his
possession a petition signed BY more
than sixty members OF the District
bar giving specific and general rea-
sons why Judge KimbaH should not
be reappointed
Rulings Unsatisfactory.
While the exact language Of the peti-
ticn is a matter of Confidential infor-
nation with the Department of Justice
according to several attorneys who
signed II the organized opposition 10
Judge Kimball is the outgrowth Of dis
satisfaction with his Police Court rul-
ings and his attitude toward certain
members Of the bar. Together with the
petition circulated at this meeting. IL is
said, a set of formal charges against
Judge Kimball were prepared for sub
mission to the Attorney General The
petition, the formal charges and a mass
OF letters from attorneys expressive OF
Judge Kimbail's 1tness Longer serve
we're presented TO the itornev General
by committee OF whlel Herrv w. So
hon. a widely known alto rney. MAS
chairman. Mr.. Wickersham personally
heard the attorneys protest.
Gives It's Reasons.
In presenting it's reasons for opposlnr
Judge Kimball. the committee declared
that there has been for several years
past "a growing dlstrust for his de-
cislons.' and that q majority OF mena-
bers OF the District bar regard him as
unfit to longer hold his present office
because OF his subservient attitude
toward the Police Department" While
the formal charges mentioned specific
instances OF what we're argued as show
also treated ar length the Judges gen
eral severe attitude toward minor Of
tenders and his disposition 70 severity
In trivial cases.
Have No Candidate.
The protesting attorneys also made II
clear 20 the Attorney General that their
appearance before him was not in the
interests OF any particular candidate
and that they agreed beforehand 20
sacrifice personal preferences in their
desire TO show conciusively that the OBJ
ject of their protest wa5 not suited 10
hli the important functions Of Police
Court judge. They pointed out that
Judge Kimbalrs indorsers came largely
from a class OF citizens who are almost
unfamiliar with the character
Df offenSers dealth with In the Police
Court. and. essrefore. the interest OF
these indorsers was based on personal
liking for Judge Kimball. rather than
On knowledge OF his ability 10 All the
position satisfactorily.
Judge Kimball is past seventy years
~ age. He has occupied the Police
Court bench for eighteen years, having
been appointed three times. In addition
10 serving as a Police Court judge, he
g Interested in local mercantile estab-
ishment
When Judge Ktmball was Informed
his morning Of the protest and asked
10 make a statement he said:
Il suppose II It amounted 20 anything
would have been notified" Other
man this he declined to comment.