Evening star., 1913-11-29
MAKE PLANS TO CLEAR
JUDGE THAYER'S NAME
Washington Friends of U. S.
Judge in China Are Aroused
to Activity.
Claim Charges Are Technical and
That Wife's Health Led to
His Resignation.

Washington friends of Judge Rufus
III. Thayer of the United States court
for the eXtra-territoriaI district of
China began today to make plans for
the clearing of his name in connection
with the publication this morning of
statements that he has resigned under
charges These statements they deny.
Led by John NJ. Rankin, who was for
ner in practice in the District of Column
bia, these friends today declared that
the only reason Judge Thayer resigned
from his post in China was the condition
of his wife's health.
Mrs. Thayer they say, has been unable
to endure the climate of Shanghai. where
Judge Thayer has been stationed. and
has been for nearly two years an in
valid as consequence of her residence
in the far east. most of this time being
under the care of specialists i'm England
and America. She is now at hospital
in New York
Letters Prove His Intention.
The fact that Judge Thayer intended to
resign because of his wfe's health. Mr.
Rankin said today. can be proved by let
ters received in Washington by his former
associates here and by senators and rep
resentatives long before the alleged
charges against him became known.
Judge Thayer was long resident of
washington. and is well known here
where he has many friends.
He graduated from Ann Arbor i'm 1871
and came here then. He was a member
OF the Washington bar until he was ap-
pointed to the Shanghai bench in 1908 by
President Roosevelt. He served as presi
dent of the Cosmos Club, as judge advo-
cate general of the National Guard of the
District, as member of the Washington
school board, as a trustee of the PiIb1ic
Library. and as chairman of the neace
celebration committee in Washington after
the Spanish-American war
Coming On to Washington.
Judge Thayer is returning to the United
States on the Mongolia, which will reach
San francisco December ). and is cominc .
straight to Washington. Mr.. Rankin said
that in the meantime he and Judge
Thayers other friends will endeayor to
ascertain why the State Department ac-
cepted Judge Thayer's resigna ton notwitb
standing the fact that Secretary Tum
ulty, for President Wilson. had written
TO the department lnstructing that the
resignation should not be accepted or
acted upon until Judge Thayer had had a
chance to clear his name of the alleged
charges.
The resignation was mailed September
IA. Mr. Tumulty's letter. written at the
request OF Judge Thayers friends was
written the middle of October. and the
State Department accepted the resigna-
ton. to take effect at onece November /
Il understand that Representative
CLAYTON says that the alleged charges
against Judge Thayer will now be pigeon
holed. Mr. Rankin said today ''They
will not. The chairman of the Judiciary
committee of the House may think there
is nothing more to be said, but he is
mistaken.
Holds Charges Technical.
I'VE desire to have the people of this
community in Washington understand
that Judge Thayer cannot be attacked
with impunity by any person"
Mr. Rankin pointed out that the al
legged charges against Judge Thayer are
technical in character, and he said that
these so-called charges consist of q
statement made by George F. Curtis not
under oath, and without croSs-examina-
ton, and without representa- ton of Judge
Thayer before the committee on ey-
penditures in the Department of Justice
After that statement made, Mr.
Rankin said, the committee found that
1t had no jurisdiction over Judge Thayerfs
position, and the papers We're referred
to the judiciary committee of which
Representative Clayton is chairman
Mr.. Rankin today made public a
cablegram sent from Shanghai to the
Secretary of State, signed .'Emens.
president American Associa ton: Fessen-
den. chairman Bar Association sayin.
american community supports us eX-
pressing fullest confidence in Jude
Thayer, and rejecting upon the char
acter of Curtis, the accuser.
For Temporary Appointment.
! AT the State Department TODAY 1t was
said Secretary Bryan has decided to ap-
point some competent lawyer now in
China to discharge temporarily the duties
of judge of the United States court for
China at Shanghai, pending the nomina-
ton and confirmation of successor to
Judge Thayer.
Judge Thayer had served four years of
ten-year term. IRE alleged charges
made against him, which We're given pre-
iiminary consideration in the House iu-
dietary committee, it was said at the
State Department. had nothing to do with
the acceptance of his Resignation, which
was upon urgent cabled requests from
Judge Thayer.
AT BAY THIRTEEN HOURS.
Frank McAdams, Wife SLAYER.