The Cairo bulletin., 1912-07-23
JUDGE HANfORD,
. Under CHARGES,
QUITS THE BENCH
Pfobers Hold Session 10 Room
Next to His
Office
ENDS q YEARS SERVICE
Chairman Clayton Announces Il
| Will Not be Necessary to I'm
peach Him
ENDS q YEARS SERVICE

Seattle, Wash, July 22.--Corne.
lius iiolgate Hanford. United States
District Judge In Washington for %
years, whose conduct on the bench
has been under investigation for
nearly a month by a subcommittee
|of the Judiciary Committee of the
House of Representatives, today
jtelegraphed his resignation to Presi-
|dent Taft. The Judge, 63 years old.
resigned while the investigators. in
La room adjoining his own court
room, were holding a session.
The Judge gave Ill health as the
cause for his resignation. The in
vestigation by the subcommittee.
headed by Representative Graham
OF Illinois, was brought about by
Judge Hanford's action In depriving
Leonard Clsson, Socialist. OF his
citizenship papers May 10 last. This
action was said to have been con-
demned by Attorney-Genera Wick
ersham and President Taft.
The members of the House COM
mittee assembled at an unusually
Ieafly hour today. prepared to con-
Itinuc the hearing. but the commit
tee was not called to order. Soon the
committee and Judge Hanford's
counsel adjourned to an anteroom
and the nervous air about the six
men and the alternate departure
and return of the attorneys gave
a hint to those in the courtroom
that important conferences were In
progress. Meanwhile Judge Han
ford was seated on the bench in an
adjoining room, listening to mo-
tion calendar. He seemed to be un-
der no greater strain than for
weeks.
Rumor Of Resignation.
About 10s15 Chairman Graham
of the committee left the building
and then told the reporters that
when the committee reassembled
it would recess Immediately. But
this time a rumor had gone into cir
culation, caused by overhearing Of
the word resignation spoken In
the anteroom, that Judge Hanford
had resigned.
At Judge Hanford's chambers,
the Judges son. Ned, told news
paper men that his father had re-
signed and was preparing a state
ment of his reasons. The Judge sat
calmly at his desk, writing in his
palnstaking long hand, an explana-
tion of the motive that had COM
PEELED his action At l0;40 Chair
man Graham returned to the build
ing, called the committee to order,
and said:
Gentlemen, some conditions have
arisen which make 1t necessary to
take a short recess. The committee
will be in recess until 2 o'clock.
Witnesses who have been sub
poenaed will be here at that time"
Chairman Graham said to news
paper men:
THE committee has not word
to say. 1t has no official intorma-
ton concerning anything which may
have taken place"
Berger Brought Charges.
Representative Victor Berger of
Wisconsin, the only Socialist mem
ber of the House, in resolution
presented June Z, demanded i'm
parchment proceedings against Han
| ford because of "habitual drunk
enness," moral and temperamental
Iunftness. and unlawful and cor
14pt decisions" Afterward the
/ subcommittee was appointed to as
certain whether the impeachment
proceedings should lie.
Witnesses have testified In the
Seattle inquiry that the judge has
been intoxicated on the street and
on the bench. Testimony has been
given that Hanford drank in seven
saloons and club. that he drank
beer in one place, sherry and egg in
another, benedictine In third and
martini cocktails In fourth. One
witness told that he had won =
Concluded from Page SIKH