Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-06
BIAS IS CHARGED
TO JUDGE SELLERS
Opponents of Nomination Say
She Listens Only to So
Cial Workers in Cases.

Charges that Judge Kathryn Sell
lers of the Juvenile Court of the Dis
trict is paying attention only to evil
dence given in her court by the Board
of Children's Guardians and social
workers and does not give due con-
slderation to testimony of other wit
nesses were made at a hearing today
before Senate judiciary subcommit-
tee on the nomination of Judge Sell
lers to succeed herself as judge of
the Juvenile Court
An assertion was made also that
Judge Sellers was herself liable to
indictment because her brother,
Charles A. Sellers, is employed as
deputy clerk In the Juvenile Court, in
violation of statute which provides
that near relatives of judges shall
not be employed in courts over which
they preside.
The hearing today was given over en-
tirely to opponents of the confirmation
of Judge Sellers. Friends and support
ers will be given a hearing later.
During the hearing criticism was
aimed at the Board Of Childrens' Guar
dams and at social workers in the Dis
trict appearing before the committee as
well as at Judge Sellers
Mrs. c. F. Winters of the mothers
council, who has been active in opposi-
ton to the confirmation of Judge Sellers,
asked for a further hearing. Senator
Means, chairman, ruled that state
ments in writing might be filed for
inclusion in the record.
Walter w. Burns, attorney for
Judge Willis Brown, who was
charged with contempt of court by
Judge Sellers because of articles he
wrote which were published in the
newspapers, told the committee that
Judge Sellers lacked humanity, and
that she asked leading questions of
some of the children brought into her
court. Mr.. Burns and Iredel Meares
told the committee that in their
opinion Judge Sellers could be In
dicted because her brother is en-
ployed as deputy clerk of the
Maj. Donovan, auditor for the
District, be summoned to testify re-
garding salaries paid and positions
held in the Juvenile Court.
j. w. Carson of Herald Harbor, Md,
who said he was a taxpayer In the
District, told the committee 1t was
not possible to get justice in the
Juvenile Court, and Bertha holik also
testified that Judge Sellers was not
fair Mrs. kolik is a mother OF II
children She told the committee that
but that she had gotten them back,
except her girls. One of the girls,
l6 years old, she said, ran away from
the home in which she had been
placed because she was insulted by
the man of the house.
Mrs. L. NJ Clements also testified
that it was impossible to get justice
in the Juvenile Court. Mrs. Laura
Kenyon of 500 G. street southeast
described to the committee how the
Juvenile Court had sought to control
her six children.
Senator Caraway asked the witness
If Judge Sellers let people talk to
her about cases coming up in her
court before trial.
1T appears So" Mrs. Kenyon said
She admitted that she had no direct
information in regard to that.
Charges have been made that
Judge Sellers attempts to brow-beat
witnesses and others appearing be-
fore her court. Senator Means asked
Mrs. Kenyon particularly about this.
John H. Nolan, GA H street, told
the committee about his efforts to aid
q Mrs Madeline Fielder.
Her husband, she said. was married
again without getting a divorce, and
Mrs. Fielder left him and went to her
home in Woodstock, Va The witness
said that she was arrested, brought
TO the house of detention, moved to
the Washington Asylum Hospital, and