Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-01

at all it should be in the form of
Impeachment proceedings in the
Georgia senate. This body ought
not to bring into question the char
acter of a superior court judge.
Most people in a community believe
everything wrong they hear
charged. Our action should have
been taken before Judge Howard
was appointed. He is judge now.
We should stand by him and keep
our mouth shut instead of trying
to bring his authority in disrespect.
Judge Towards failure to appear
before the grievance committee and
present his side of the case should
not be construed as n confession OF
guilt. Judge Howard acted on the
advice of his friends who thought
that the committee was acting IN
advised1y."
Judge Towards Statement
Following the action of the bar
association Friday in adopting the
reports of it's grievance and execu-
tive committees, Judge Howard is
sued this statement:
81 wish to say that l expect 10
try to make a fair and upright judge
and discharge my duties IN sucn
manner as to win the favor ana
esteem of all the lawyers Of Atlanta
and of the state.
st regret that only the very few
members of the Atlanta bar who
compose the Atlanta Bar association
were permitted to vote in the meet
ing today-less than one-fourth Oh
them. After hearing only one side
of this controversy, very naturally
some of the attorneys had some
doubt as to whether 1 should hold
the office, and even thought me to
have done the thing charged
against me.
IF charges are preferred against
me in any legal tribunal, having au-
thority to hear and determine it.,
shall answer fully, as have often
stated.
Some criticism has been made of
the governors appointment of me
because had not lived in Atlanta
long. | have been d resident of At
lanta about three years. 1t Is my
understanding that one of the
judges of Atlanta, and perhaps the
abiest one in the state, was appoint
ed by Governor Atkinson after only
about a years residence and that
there was a bitter protest by the
bar association at the time, though
there were nc charges. Now the at
t0rneys who protested are satisfied.
Followed Friends Advice
cit has been stated that the bar
association was not conducting
trial Whatever it. was, as I have
previously stated, able counsel who
came to my assistance as friends,
after I had put myself in their hands
and stated that / would follow
whatever course they suggested, adj
vised me to decline to call witnesses
or to submit my testimony. Two Of
these were eX-judges of the superior
court.
81 ask the peoplet remember that
I hold a state office and not a local
one; that L hold my commission from
the people of Georgia, signed by the
chief executive and not by any com
mittee or by any association of indi-
viduals.
MY friends who know me have
taken occasion to express their con.
fidence in me by, letter and by tele-
> diIlS anu III IIlctIly OIIISL wa
am very deeply grateful to them and
l expect to do my best to win the
confidence of every man who has
thought it his duty to vote for the
report of the grievance committee of
the bar association"
Resolutions Passed
A late development in the judge
ship situation was the indorse-
ment of Judge Howard by rep
resentatives of the Ku KluX
Khan, the Protestant Women
Political league, the Kamelia, the
Junior Order Of United American
Mechanics, the Daughters Of Ameri-
ca and the Atlanta Peoples club,
meeting Thursday night. Announce
ment of the Endorsement was made
by ]. o. Wood, editor of the Search
light, and one of Fulton county's rep
resentatives in the state legislature.
who also announced that a mass
injecting had been called for the night
Of September at the auditorium
to consider the Howard matter.