Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-23
HANFORD RESIGNS
As United States District
Judge at Seattle, Wash.
Congressional Com. Invesligat-
Ing His Behavior on Bench
VIII Probably Drop the Case, on Ad.
vice Of Almost Everyone.

Seattle, WASH. July 22.-Unfted
States District Judge Cornelius IL.
Hanford, the first federal Judge APP
pointed when Washington was adj
mitted to statehood. % years ago.
sent his resignation. today, To Presi-
dent Taft while the last witnesses
were waiting to testify before the
House judiciary committee. which has
been hearing evidence relatives to
charges of misconduct filed against
Judge Hanford.
At the time set for the hearing, this
morning, a series of conferences be-
tween the committeeman and Judge
HaHford's attorneys was begun. The
proposal that the judge resign and the
hearing be discontinued was submit
ted by Judge Hanford's attorney and
accepted by the committee Judge
Hanford Sent his resignation by tele-
graph to President Taft at 1890
o'clock. At the same time Chairman
Graham of the Subcommittee telling
him if the change in the situation and
recommending that the hearings be
discontinued
The committee will leave. tomorrow,
for Washington, taking a voluminous
record of the 20-days testimony and
also the records of the law suits on
which most of the charges against
Judge Hanford We're based. 1t is the
general understanding that no further
action of any kind will be taken by the
House.
Judge Hanford's chief counsel, F. c.
Hughes. said after the resignation that
the judge has desired to resign for
several weeks. but could NOT we'll do
so with no evidence heard in the case.
The judge and his friends. according
to counsel are satisfied with the show
ing made by him in the hearing, which.
they say. did not sustain the charges.
That the judge was anxious to re-
sign was kept a secret from all per-
sons in Washington and from every
body in Seattle except his counsel.
Judge Hanford's statement to the
public says:
IN the investigation which has been
conducted by sub committee of the
House of Representatives much tes-
timony has been given by witnesses
who know me and by others who do
not. | am grateful for the commenda-
ton of those who have spoken and
written in my favor; and as for those
who have maligned me, / only wish
to say that | would be ashamed OF
myself if | had not incurred the en-
nifty of such people as they are
"A judge is never so sure of being
right as when his work has been criti-
cized unfairly. I am glad that my
record is what it is
Judge Hanford bag haap ,,,,,ob H.,
the public eve since Aug. 25. 1911,
when after he had issued an Injunction
hostile to the position of Seattle citi-
zens in scent fare fight against
street car company, he was denounced
at great mass meeting and resolu-
tions demanding his Impeachment
were adopted. While the.meeting was
In progress. crowd outside hanged In
effigy stuffed figure labelled Han
ford" One of the speakers at the
meeting said that he had seen Judge
Hanford intoxicated in a public place
1t appeared from the evidence in the
hearing just ended that detectives
were at once detailed to watch Judge
Hanford and that every move he made
from morning until late at night was
recorded
In the spring of this year during the
Industrial Workers of the World dem
onstration in western Washington Judge
Hahford condemned the carrying of the
red flag through the streets. On May 10,
Judge Hanford revoked the citizenship
papers of Leonard OLSON of Tacoma, a
member of the Socialist Labor party and
of the Industrial Workers of the World
because OLSON in appearing as wit
ness for another man seeking citizenship
had said in answer to a question that
he was mot deYotedly attached" to the
constitution
The National convention of the Social
list party at Indianapolis took notice of
Hanford's decision and asked Congress-
Continued on Page Twelve.)