Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1912 — HANFORD RESIGNS WHILE UNDER FIRE [ARTICLE]

HANFORD RESIGNS WHILE UNDER FIRE

Federal Judge at Seattle Quits as Inquiry Closes. SENDS TAFT WORD BY WIRE Jurist Threatened With Impeachment Says 111 Health Is the Reason for His Retirement From the Bench.

Seattle, Wash., July 23.—Judge Cornelius H. Hanford of the United States district court, whose conduct on the bench has been under Investigation for nearly a month by a subcommittee of the house judiciary committee, has telegraphed his resignation to President Taft. Judge Hanford gives ill health as the reason for his resignation. Socialist's Case Starts Trouble. The impeachment proceedings against the judge were the direct outgrowth of a decision rendered by him last spring declaring forfeited the naturalization papers of a resident of this city named Olsson because of his socialistic views. Hanford based his action on the ground that Olsson had deceived the court and that his radT leal opinions constituted a menace to the institutions of the country. The impeachment resolution was introduced in the house by Representative Victor Berger of Milwaukee and on its adoption a subcommittee headed by James M. Graham of Illinois was appointed to conduct an investigation in this city/ Charges Cover Wide Range.

In the hearings witnesses testified that Judge Hanford had been seen repeatedly in an intoxicated condition on the bench and in the streets; that the judge ’ manipulated receivership cases to the advantage of a favored appointee; that he had sought favors of the Northern Pacific Railroad company while that corporation was a litigant in his court and that, after he had been given an option on certain lands by the Northern Pacific, he rendered a decision favoring the company in a tax suit.

The judge was accused also of having a part in the wrecking of a business firm which was brought into his court on a claim by creditors. In connection with this particular case the name of Ballinger,, former secretary of the interior, was mentioned in the hearings. Hearing Is Closed.

The committee was ordered by wire by Chairman Clayton of the house judiciary committee to take no more testimony and to return to Washington at once. Taft Awaits Hanford’s Letter. Washington, July 23. —President Taft will take no action in connection with Judge Hanford’s resignation until he has received a letter which the judge has written him. “Judge Hanford has telegraphed me that he has written me a letter,’’ said the president, “and I shall do nothing until I have received it.”