The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-09-27
RESIGNATION or
JUDGE GROSSCUP
He Has Decided Many Cases
Of Importance.
NINETEEN YEARS ON BENCH.
His Opinion Freed the Standard Oil Of
$2e,ooo,ooo Fine Which Judge Lands
unprecedented Been Much Criticised.
Reasons For Quitting Bench.

Reasons For Quitting Bench.
Peter S. Grosscup of Chicago, judge
of the United States circuit court,
astonished both bench and bar when
he issued a statement announcing that
he intended to quit the federal bench.
Judge Grosscup, who has served nine
teen years and decided many impor-
tant cases and who was one of the three
judges who prepared the opinion which
relieved the Standard Oil Of the ia
nous S29OOO,O00 fine imposed by
Judge lands, announced that he
would send his resignation to Presi-
dent Taft shortly, although afterward
stating that he would not quit under
fire and would hold up his resignation
until charges in the public prints were
investigated.
The reason given by Judge Grosscup
for his action is that he wishes more
freedom, not only as an individual, but
as a Citizen than his position on the
bench allows him In period when so
many vital matters are to be settled,
mot through the courts of law, but
through the court of public opinion"
While the announcement surprised
the general public, 1t was not wholly
unexpected by those who have kept In
close touch with events of the last few
months. 1t is stated, and apparently
with authority, that following the SEN
al n al IL, ~, Too innS
laying bare alleged scandalous conduct
on the part of Judge Grosscup in for
merW years searching and rigid inves-
tigation into all his acts while on the
bench and prior to it has been under
way While not bearing the sanction
of the government, it is understood %
have been conducted by former go7-
eminent employee.
Whether Judge Grosscup's decision
to retire as soon as possible has any
connection with an expected publica-
ton of any report of the investigators,
is question which has been raised.
Judge Grosscup denied that criticism
of certain of his decisions had had
anything to do with his resignation.
He said that such criticism, if it had
any effect, would only defer his retire
ment. He felt. he declared, that the
absence of adverse comment recently
had placed him in good position to
accept the opportunity offered to quit
the bench.
A Lifelong Republican.
Judge GrOsscup has been a lifelong
Republican and owes his appoint
ment to a Republican president.
Few judges have been more severely
criticised than Judge Grosscup; few
exactly in keeping with the popular
idea of judicial conduct and procedure.
Several attempts have been made to
force him to resign; even impeachment
proceedings have been threatened. He
has been charged time and again di-
recty with not keeping the ermine of
his judicial Office spotlessly clean.
One Of the principal charges by enc
mics of Judge GroSscup has been that
lie is a tool of the big corporations.
In support Of these charges are cited
his reversal of Judge Landis' Standard
Oil decision, the ninety-nine year case.
the teachers tax case and others. He
read the opinion when the court of APP
peals reversed the action Of Judge
Lands in the Standard Oil case
When application was made to the
federal court to close the Worlds Co
lumbar exposition on Sundays in 1893
Judge Grosscup dissented. and ruled
that the exposition should be kept open
every day in the week.
1t was he who issued the injunction
against Eugene V. Debs and other Of
ficers Of the American Railway union
during the railway strike of 1894 in
Chicago restraining the labor men
from committing acts Of violence, and
1t was he again who later called upon
President Cleveland TO send federal
tFOODS TO Chicago IN DrnsprVn Ordpr