Evening journal., 1911-02-14
ABANDONED
CHURCHMAN
Prominent Attorneys Who
Favored Him for Judge
Face About
POOL ROOM INCIDENT
GIVEN AS THEIR REASON

Superior Court occurred yeSleIud9 |
when a number of prominent lawyers |
who have been zealously advocating /
MIR. Churchman's confirmation and ap-
pearing at Dover before the Senate |
i'm his behalf got from under" and |
abandoned Mr. Churchman.
The action of these attorneys was
like the throwing of a bombshell into
the camp of the political coterie OF
Republicans who conceived the idea
originally Of putting Mr.. Churchmau
on the bench. They were like ship
without a rudder and they vented their
feelings by roundly denouncing the at
torneys who had abandoned Mr..
Churchman whenever they could find
one of them. But they asserted this
morning that Mr.. Churchman would
be confirmed.
II seems that the determination to
get from under" came after the at
torneys, friends of Mr. Churchman,
had examined into the pool room mat
Ter. The friends of Mr. Churchman de-
clared that they knew nothing Of the
pool room charge until It was present
ed by the lawyers opposing Mr..
Churchman at the recent session Of the
state Senate. The lawyers in favor OF
Mr.. Churchman were very bold and
aggressive before the Senate, and ac-
cording to one of them they taunted
and challenged their opponents TO pro-
duce their evidence against him. such
evidence as would affect his moral
character and reputation.
Much to their surprise as a last shot
the opponents of Mr.. Churchman
brought in the pool room charges and
some of the friends of Mr.. Churchman
almost threw fit. To their minds this
was the most serious charge that had
yet been presented.
Made an Inquiry.
When the lawyers returned to Will
mington. the friends of Mr.. Church
man began an investigation OF the
charges concerning the pool room.
They fully expected that he would give
what was to them a satisfactory eX-
PLANTATION. As the story goes he was
called on to explain the matter, some
OF his friends cOntending that he was
merely the owner Of a negro apart
mont house and they didn't see any
thing wrong I'm that Although the
lawyers say that they did not know
anything about the pool room until
very lately It was known for some
time among others that Mr.. Church
man was interested in the pool room
The investigation. however, also
Drought OUT tflt ldNi tlhl oohlt VAhti
lawyers are interested in negro apart
ment houses or flats and therefore
they didn't see anything wrong in
that.
The witnesses who appeared against
Mr.. Churchman at the Senate hearing
I'm connection with the pool room. ac
cording to the story were summoned
before some Of his friends and after
hearing their stories and other things
the decision was reached TO abandon
Mr.. Churchman. According to tn,
story Mr.. Churchman was activel!
connected I'm conducting the poo
room, gathered the days receipts, ant
all that sort of thing. 2 his was con
tinued until about last Christmas.
was also said that a minor was EN-
ploy I'm the pool room. colored boy
said to be about II years old. although
he had the appearance Of a man of 2
or % years. Some say he is tina
old. Those familiar with pool room
say that i'm this city it is customar
10 employ minors.
Extreme AnimOsity.
The opponents Of Mr.. Churchma
were so bitter in their animosity tina
they threatened to have him arreste
for alleged violation of the law I'm en-
ploying the minor. This threat ais
had its influence OF the legal friend
of Mr.. Churchman because they sa'
the possibility of having Mr.. Church
man arrested Immediately after hi
confirmation as judge. When th
lawyers, friends Of Mr. Churchmai
had completed their inquiry on thei
own behalf as to the pool room, the
decided to call meeting. and ACCORD
ing to the story this meeting wa
held last Sunday night i'm the ofiC
of a prominent uptown lawyer.
Is not known exactly who we're at I'll
meeting, as the attorneys involve
have been as dumb as oysters, a
most, hoping that the Senate woul
refuse to confirm Mr. Churchman al
that the matter therefore would
dropped and blow over.
Names OF Those Who Changed.
On good authority it is said thi
the attorneys who changed their pos
tions were Former Attorney Gener
John Biggs, Herbert II. Ward an
Robert II. Richards, Attorney Gener
Andrew c. Gray. Former Judge Dani
o. Hastings, Former Judge ]. Fran
Ball, the firm of Malloy and Brad
David J. Reinhardt and a number
others. In fact it is said that the b
legal support of Mr.. Churchman pra
tically collapsed. After reaching th
decision to quit, the lawyers We
puzzled as to just how to drop VIII
they considered a hot potato. A
though where the meeting was he
hundreds of law books from rows
shelves we're frowning down upon q
legal lights none of the books spoil
and in fact the lawyers could not fiji
a precedent for a case like tn
which had been put up to them.
course Of procedure was laid out
any Of the works on practice.
According to the story the ATTIC
neys then asked Mr.. Churchman
quit as the best way out of It. tn
thought he should write a letter
Gle Governor asking him TO withdrs
mis- name. Mr.. Churchman consult
with some of his other friends 4
sent word that he would not qu
that he was I'm the thing and was 2
ing to see II through, and some