The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-03
N MAHON
CHARGES
Barred
Police and Others Attack
Judge at Hearing on His
Reappointment

Emphatic charges that Judge
John p. Mcmahon, Of the Police
Court, will not take the word of
any police officer; that he IS
working at all times against mem
beers Of the police department;
that he has made . practice OF
@muzzling prosecutors; and that
he handles police officers as
though they were the criminals,
while he treats bootlegge4s as
though they were "fine citizens"
were made by Lieutenant 0. T.
Davis, Sergeant McQuade, and
prohibition leaders before a Sem
ate judiciary subcommittee today.
The subcommittee, presided over
by Chairman Means, set aside to-
day to hear the protest against
the confirmation of Judge Nc
Mahon to succeed himself as Po-
lice Court judge here.
At the outset of the hearing and
before nearly 100 men and women,
who evinced hostility toward Judge
Mcmahon, Deets Rickett, of the
Board of Temperance Prohibition
and Public Morals, advised the sub
committee that Judge McMahon's
court Is chiefly responsible for the
partial breakdown of the law in the
District, and reappointment of this
Judge will tend to indicate to them
that the United States does not de-
sire law enforcement, but rather a
system Of judicial license in its own
capital"
Charges were also freely made at
today's hearing that Judge Mcmahon
Is susceptible to Influence, and the
intimation was given that man
who exerts influence is abe to CON-
mand it, and that is the reason
President Coolidge was prevailed
upon to Feappoint him and stand by
him ''in this time Of crisis"
Lansburgh Case Cited.
The Julius Lansburgh case, to.
gether with other specific cases,
were used today for the purpose Of
proving that Judge Mcmahon is not
suited for the judicial post lac holds.
1t was declared in the L.ansburgh
case, just before it came before him,
he had announced from the bench
that jail sentences would be manoa-
tory on the conviction of persons Tor
selling liquor.
Notwithstanding this, 1t was
shown, the Lansburgh case was
spread out over many months, ana
eventually the defendant was re-
lieved Of serving a Jail sentence
and. in fact. has never paid the
500 fine imposed.
Lieutenant Davis startled the SUB
committee when he said that Judge
Mcmahon ''muZzled prosecutors
and took upon himself the setting
Of dates for trials He said that
McMahon was very much against
police officers all the way through.
and that they dreaded to appear
before him.
He said some of his own cases
had been shunted about and de-
layed as long as three years.
Lieutenant Davis laid particular
stress on a case in which he SAID
he found a married woman with
another man. He said he arrested
them at the request of she
woman's husband, who was procti-
cally nervous wreck because
of the affair, but that when the
case was brought to trial before
Mcmahon, he dismissed it, for want
of evidence,
Chairman Means asked Davis If
he thought influence had been used
on Judge Mcmahon In this case.
He asked him why he thought Nc
Mahon turned the couple loose.
Lieutenant Davis replied that in
his opinion 1t was because Judge
Mcmahon was just narrow" He
said the judge took the woman's
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