Evening star., 1945-04-03
Margo|d Is Termed
Unsuited for Bench
By Sd. {. Lawyers

Hearings on the elevation Of Mu-
nicipal Court Judge Nathan D. Mar
gold to the District Court bench re-
manned suspended again today to an
indefinite date after half dozen
local attorneys yesterday attacked
the jurist's qualifications.
Chairman McCarran of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, who also heads
the subcommittee which is conduct
ing the hearings, postponed further
sessions to the call of the chair after
he and Senator Moore, Republican,
Of Oklahoma, another member of
the subcommittee, listened for an
hour and half to witnesses oppos-
ing Judge Margold's promotion.
Witnesses based their antagonism
to Judge Margold largely on what
they described as his lack of judicial
temperament. Several of them criti-
cized his conduct in cases which they
had tried before him.
Opposed by Quinn.
Henry I. Quinn, past president of
the District Bar Association, charged
that if Judge Margolds judicial at
titude had not changed since he saw
him several years ago, "he is not
only unfit for place on the Dis
trict Court bench, but also on the
Municipal Court"
Mr.. Quinn said attacks made on
the bar association for the poll it
conducted among members, showing
804 opposed to confirmation and 200
In favor, were IAN apparent effort to
muddy the waters and to get away
from the real opposition to Judge
Margold"
John j. Carmody. president Of the
bar association, defended the refer
endum taken by his group last Feb
ruary as "the only way In which the
disfranchised lawyers of the District
could express themselves He de-
MED that there was any aura Of
anti-Semitism about the position
taken by the association and point
ed out that the group had recon-
mended a number of Jews for i'm
portant judicial posts.
Questioned by McCarran.
Chairman McCarran interrupted
to say the racial question would not
be taken into consideration "in any
form by this committee" He in
quired, however, how many persons
of Jewish faith now hold judicial
positions in the District. Mr.. Car
mody cited tWo-Judge Nathan Cay
ton of the Municipal Court of APP
peals and Judge Margold. He also
mentioned Lawrence Koenigsberger,
who holds a quasijudicial post as
sole member of the District Board
of Tax Appeals.
Mr.. Carmody said he had never
tried a case before Judge Margold,
but he had heard many lawyers say
the jurist was partisan, arbitrary
and that he projected himself into
cases and wouldn't let members try
their cases in an orderly way"
James M. Ernest, another attor-
ney, said Judge Margold was ~utter-
ly lacking in the type of patience
and judicial temperament man of
his position should have, and I'm
against him 100 per cent"
John H. Burnett, who said he
tried only one case before Judge
Margold, said he did not manifest
any of the great intellect with which
he Is alleged to be endowed"
Presents Transcript.
Joseph M Bonuso testified he
tried one case before Judge Mar
gold, and on that occasion there
were many Interruptions incident to
the jurists performing of a long
distance marriage ceremony between
an attractive lady Marine" and a
serviceman stationed in Hawaii.
Charles H. Quimby said he did not
believe Judge Margold was quail
field for the promotion. The attor-
ney presented transcript of a
charge to a jury made by Judge
Margold which, Mr.. Quimby said,
took an hour and half to deliver,
occupied 80 pages in the record and
amounted to a directed verdict"
AGAINST his client