The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-28
LAWYERS OPPOSED
TO EDGINGTON BILL
Club Fights Measure Before
Legislature to Reinstate
Deposed Judge.

Vigorous protest against the proposed
bill TO remove disqualifications imposed
by the state legislature IN special ses-
sion upon former Judge Edgington, was
voiced by the Lawyers club Of Mem
phiS at a called meeting late Monday
afternoon in the Chamber Of Com
merCe, A resolution calling for imme-
date action and, II necessary, the send
ing OF a delegation Of five from the
club to Nashville to combat the pending
bill, was passed unanimously by the
lawyers.
Representative lawyers were present
at the meeting, which was presided
over by Mckinney Barton. vice-presi-
dent, who acted In the absence OF elias
Gates, president, who liz III. The Judges
who signed the petition we're r. H..
Heiskell, Israel Peres, II. W, Laughlln
and J.. T.. Richards,
The bill which would remove dh1auBl-
itlcations imposed upon Edgington by
the state court OF impeachment In 1915
has already passed two readings, the
lawyers were told, and gumshOe meth
DDS were being employed In its passage
through Legislative channels. Petitions
have been quietly circulated In three
local courts n signatures OF four
Judges were engrossed thereon, but it
II now stated that several Of the sigma
tories are DESTROYS Of having their
names removed.
The measure to rehabilitate EdglnB-
ton was introduced in the Legislature
by the Shelby delegation. W. W. Bond,
Of Brownsville. chairman Of the house
judiciary committee, In response to n
telegram sent him by Memphis law
yers, has replied that the bill will be
held up until the Lawyers club Is heard
from.
The resolution of the Lawyers club,
unanimously adopted, IN part Ia rs fol-
lows;
THE club. being composed entirely
Of lawyers, thinks that "A decision
reached In the grayest, most solemn
and expensive manner and In the high
est tribunal known 10 our institutions
should not be set aside except upon
the ]clearest and most satisfactory rea-
sons. The club can ave nothing but
the most serious opposition TO the
crime OF accepting a bride as judge,
of which the senate convicted him The
imagine a Judge guilty Of curruptioh
In office who can claim the right or
privilege Of again hCing the peoples
officer.
NO officer is so much the repository
Of the citizens lives, liberty and prop
crty as "A judge.
''To c~ountenance corrupt judges Ia to
offer the life. liberty and property Of
the individual for sale. If the ConViC-
ton on these two charges was war
Ianled, Mr.. |bdgllRtOn was louhd UNI
worthy to be a Judge and the general
assembly ought not to make it possible
for him to again offer himself as a
guardian Of the peoples rights, The
crime for which he was convicted In
volved moral turpitude Of the grossest
kind.
For the state representatives to null
NY that Judgment subjects the state
to the hazard of having as a chosen
officer a mar adjudged entirely unfit
for the purpose, Nc precedent for such
action should be allowed to remain. but
the precedent tit to be followed should
he that the public rights are too sacred
to be intrusted to a public servant ad-
judged unfit and corrupt
According to John Exhy, who Off.
ciated az secretary, about 20 or 70
lawyers were present At the meeting
There may have been Il few more
than 2h present said Mr.. ENhy. but
as to the exact number can not state,
as did not count them. But they
we're representative lawyers Of the
city"
Il do not feel at liberty TO give out
any details OF the meeting" stated
Mckinney Barton, who presided, when
asked rs to the number present.