Evening star., 1945-07-25
Lawyer Says MargoId
Violated Bar Code
In Seeking Support
Two instances Cited
By Witness at Senate
Hearing on Nomination
BY DON S. WARREN.

Charges that Municipal Court
Judge Nathan r. Margold had
urged lawyers who practiced
before his court to indorse him
for the District Court bench,
were outlined today to a Senate
Judiciary Subcommittee con-
sidering his nomination to the
higher court.
The charges we're made by John
w. Jackson. a Washington attorney
and former Assistant United States
Attorney, who declared such activi-
ties on the part of judge consti-
tuted a violation of the Bar Asso-
ciation code of ethics" relating tc
q judges candidacy for ONCE.
Mr.. Jackson, one OF a new list
of opposition witnesses in the Mar
gold nomination. which has beer
pending before the Judiciary Com
mlttee for six months. cited two
specific cases.
Specific Cases Cited.
Mr.. Jackson noted the case of ar
assistant District corporation coun.
sci who sometimes appears before
Municipal Court. Mr.. jackson of.
fered for the record a copy of Q
letter the lawyer had written te
Chairman McCarran of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, which began
with the statement that Judge Mar.
gold had requested him to express
his views on the nomination.
Mr.. Jackson stressed that mem.
bers of the corporation counse
staff frequently" appear before
Judge Margold, and, he added, 81
think I need not comment on the
propriety of this request"
He then cited the case of Ira
Chase Koehne, an attorney who
participated in the famous seditior
trial here, who, according to today's
testimony was called to Judge Mar
COLDS chambers and asked by the
judge if he would write a letter
of Endorsement to the Senate COM
mittee. Mr.. jackson said that al
the time Mr.. Koehne had a case
pending before Judge Margold.
Endorsement Written.
Mr.. jackson said he had asked
Mr.. Koehne what his answer had
been and that the latter had said
he had written the Endorsement.
What was a poor lawyer to do
in such situation?" commented
the witness.
The McCarran subcommittee also
was told by Mr.. Jackson that Judge
Margold. while serving some year.
ago as a solicitor under Secretary
of the Interior Ickes, had sought
to quash case in a Federal Circui,
Court of Appeals against an interior
Department agent in the Virgin
Islands who had confessed to appro.
priating public properties to his owr
use and had been convicted in 9
lower court.
Quoting from the appellate court
opinions, Mr.. Jackson said the Ap.
peals Court had listened to the
Margold statement only as matter
of courtesy" because the President
by executive order, earlier had
transferred jurisdiction over Virgin
Islands cases from the Interior De-
partment to the Justice Department
No Explanation Given.
There was Mr.. Margold, opposing
the Department of Justice, and seek
ing to get the discharge of a case
against a defendant who had con-
fessed and who had been convicted. >
He added that there was nc
explanation of why this was done
but that it might be assumed this
was one instance the Secretary of
Interior had in mind when he had
asked the judiciary Committee not
to blame Judge Margold ''for my
SINS"
Earlier in the morning the Nc.
Carran Subcommittee heard pro.
tests against the Margold promotion
from Hugh H. Obear, recently
elected president of the District Ban
Association. and Matthias Mahor-
ner, vice president OF The aSSo-
citation, who served as an assistant
corporation counsel.
Sentiment Change Doubted.
Mr.. Obear was asked about the
Bar Association referendum on the
Margold nomination. in which 804
members voted against confirmation
and 200 for approval. Mr.. Obear
said he had no reason to believe
there had been any change in senti-
ment among association members
since the poll was taken.
Mr.. Mahorner, citing a case he
had had before Judge Margold, said,
IT don't think he Is the type of man
(see MARGOLD, Page A-l45