Evening star., 1925-02-10
DEFENSE IS MADE
| OF JUDGE SELLERS
Denies Charges Filed Against
Her at Senate Commit
tee Hearing.

Flat denial of the charges that
Judge Kathryn Sellers of the Juve-
, nile Court of the District talked over
with social workers cases which are
to come before her for trial, and that
she gives more weight to the
testimony of social workers than that
of others, was made today before the
Senate judiciary subcommittee hand
ling the nomination of Judge Sellers
to succeed herself.
Judge Sellers herself was question:
ed on the point by Senator Means,
chairman of the subcommittee. She
! replied that If social workers or at
torneys approached her seeking to
discuss cases, she told them that IL
they talked over the cases with her
she would not hear the cases in court.
Judge Denies Charge.
II do not talk over cases with
social workers or attorneys before
| they are heard by me-" said Judge
| Sellers.
other witnesses testified that they
! knew Of no case which Judge Sellers
| talked over with social workers prior
| to hearing 1t. Testimony was given
also to the effect that Judge Sellers
gives as much weight to the testi-
! mony Of other witnesses as to that
of social workers. Witnesses insisted
| that Judge Sellers is sympathetic.
fair and just in her handling of the
cases which come before her.
| At the outset of the hearing today
there was placed in the record a de-
| cision of J. r. McCarl, controller gem
eral, authorizing the payment OF
| salary to c. r. Sellers for services
as deputy clerk of the Juvenile Court.
C. F. Sellers Is a brother of Judge
0-Il 80 r. =
nation declared at hearing last
week that she had violated the law
| in permitting the appointment of her
brother as deputy clerk.
Mr.. McCarl ruled that the law pro-
hibiting the appointment of any per-
sons closely related to a judge to a
court position did not apply in the
Juvenile Court in the District of
Columbia.
Among the witnesses that appeared
on behalf Of Judge Sellers today were
Former Judge Latimer Of the Juvenile
Court, DIR. l.. w. Glazebrook. A. W..
Scott and Thomas L. Jones, colored
| attorneys: Rev. DR.. John O'Grady. di-
| rector Of Catholic Charities; Miss
Louise Bell Of the Associated Chari-
| ties, Mrs. william Wolfe Smith and
Mrs. e. r. Cornbach, chairman of the
Juvenile Court committee of the Par
| ent-Teacher Association, and DR.. W..
L. Darby, executive secretary of the
Washington Federation of Churches.
Caraway Critfeis.s Law.
Senator Caraway of Arkansas, a
| member Of the committee, criticized
| the juvenile court law of the District
! and declared that he would try to
| have it repealed in part because 1t
| gave the court the power to take
| children from their homes merely
! because the people are poor.
Judge Latimer, who was for four
| years judge of the Juvenile Court.
before Judge Sellers was appointed.
| told the committee that he had no
| doubt the administration of the
| court by Judge Sellers was good. He
said that the laws creating the Ju-
| veniIe Court were archaic and should
| be amended. He pointed out that
| bill amending the law had passed
| the Senate and the House, but had
| died in conference in a former Con-
| gress. -
The public welfare commission sp-
pointed by the District Commission
jers. he said, is not engaged in an
effort to have the law revised Judge
| Latimer said that he thought II was
unfortunate that no review of the
| court decisions are provided for.
In reply to questions by Senator
Caraway, Judge Latimer said that he
never knew of a welfare worker talk
ling with a Judge Of the Juvenile Court
| in regard to a case in which it was
proposed to take the children from
the home and commit them to the
Board Of Children's Guardians prior
| to the hearing of the case.
Senator Caraway asked IL Judge
Latimer thought any more credence
| should be given to the social welfare
workers than to others. After re-
ply by Judge Latimer, which did net
satisfy Senator Caraway, the latter
said that he did not want Judge Lati-
mer to tense with him, adding. you
and understand each other"
withdraws from stand.
Il resent that suggestion" said
Judge Latimer, Withdrawing from the
stand. He was called back, however
by Senator Means, who asked several
questions.
! DIR. Glazebrook told the committee
that he had frequently visited the
Juvenile Court and watched its pro-
lceedings and that he was particu-
larly impressed with the kindness OF
Judge Sellers in her dealings with
the poor people who were brought
before her.
! Mr. Scott who testified that he was
interested in many cases of colored
people brought before Judge Sellers
said that he had always found Judge
Sellers humane and just; that she
always leaned toward the child and
its parents rather than toward the
| social workers.
| Mr.. Jones declared that Jud &c
Sellers has. made one OF the best
| judges Of the Juvenile Court; that he
has found her fair, humane and con-
| siderate.
Conmends JuAEe's Work.