The Washington herald., 1916-03-27
An Underhanded Attack.

fFh attack oy lnnuendo upon the reputation oil
James L. Pugh judge of the District of Column.
bia Police Court, published last Saturday in a
Washington newspaper, has created amazement
and wonder among those citizens of Washington
who read it-amazement at its recklessness, won
der to its source, inspiration and object. Con-
tanning not a single direct charge or accusation
against Judge Pugh and making criticism OF
any OF his judicial decisions or official acts the
article calls attention to the fact that his term OF
office expires next month, declares that he should
not be reappointed unless all the stories that
circulate concerning his conduct OF his office" are
disproved and concludes follows:
The presumption is that a citizen is innocent
until he is proved guilty In the case OF an Of
fetal, virtue must be that OF Caesars wife,
done persistent injustice by the large and mis-
cellaneous body OF his critics, he ought not be
reappointed.
1t is important to note that this publication is
the first notice to the public that stories are in
circulation rejecting upon Judge Pugh's conduct
OF his office. The OF former United States
Senator from Alabama, during his many years
OF residence in Washington his reputation has
never before been assaed. Not during the
six years he has occupied the Police Court bench
has criticism OF his judicial conduct been heard
in public On the contrary he has been regarded
as one OF the farest and most efficient Police
Court judges the city has ever known.
What arc the stories that circulate" concern
ing Judge Pughs conduct and who compose the
miscellaneous body of his critics." President
Wilson, in considering Judge Pugh's claims TO
reappointment, will seek answers to these ques-
tions. since tho nnucndocs will certainly be
brought to his attention, if there other candi-
dates for the judgeship in the field. If he is
enlightened it must be through the author OF the
dcfamatory article or those who inspired it. since
there is no reason to believe that the information
can be supplied from any other
Meantime the citizens of Washington must
await developments in the mystery surrounding
the origin and purpose Of the undetermined at
tack. The article is prefaced by expression OF
concern because "thc Police Court bench has cx-
elusive jurisdiction in matters that involve police
regulations. There is appeal far the
District government is concerned though the
defendant can appeal. If the Police Court chooses
to hold any police regulation unreasonable or
unconstitutional, that ends it." From that poin,
there is effort to develop the theory that Judge
Pugh is not a proper person to be trusted with
such power because OF stories that circulate.
The public has not heard of these stories which
are supposed to indicate that Judge Pugh is a
menace tc the police regulations. Judge Pugh is
not likely to have heard them and certainly he
cannot dsprove them until he is informed of their
purport Idle gossip is but a feeble substitute
for evidence at best, though on rare occasions
circumstances may make its refutation advisable;
but in this case the gossip, if there really is any
at all, is confined to a very limited circle and
even that has not yet been located.
The character and reputation of no upright
citizen or honest official may be assassnated or
destroyed by insinuation and citizens of Wash
ington will look forward to Judge Pugh's early
vindcation, even though there is nothing for him
to disprovc and shadow of reason has been
advanced why he should not be rcappointed