Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1908 — JUDGE CHARLES W. HANLEY [ARTICLE]

JUDGE CHARLES W. HANLEY

The Honorable Charles W. Hanley, the Republican candidate for Judge of the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit consisting of Jasper and Newton counties, is a splendid example of a truly self-made man who has achieved success in his profession by hard and honest work. While Judge Hanley’s name will appear only on the Republican ballots at the coming election it may be truly said that he is the candidate of all the people of his circuit regardless of their political affiliations. He was nominated as the candidate of his party at a judicial convention of the two counties which was nothing but a love feast and a ratification meeting. Later at the judicial convention of the Democratic party of the circuit his candidacy was endorsed. Seldom, if ever, in this country, has there been so great a change in the attitude of the people and the public toward a public officer as there has been in the attitude and feeling of the people toward Judge Hanley in the last six years. This remarkable change has come about not because of any change in Judge Hanley or his character as a man in either private or public life, but because the people of his circuit during the six years he has presided on the bench have learned to know him, and they have learned to and do appreciate the sterling character of the man and the independence and fearlessness coupled with his natural good judgment which has enabled him to dispense justice from the bench impartially and without regard to the opinion of others. Judge Hanley was born in a log cabin near what was known as the Banta school house in Hanging Grove township, Jasper county, Indiana, on July sth, 1862. Soon after his birth and when but a small child he moved with his parents to a farm in Gillam township. On this farm he experienced the ordinary life of that time, attended the country school and grew to manhood. In 1884 and 1885 lie attended school at Terre Haute, Indiana, and afterwards taught school. On July 4, 1889, he was married ta Josie Faris, who died on April 15, 1890. From 1888 to 1892 he made his home with his parents at Kniman. From' 1892 to 1896 he was sheriff of Jasper county, Indiana. On Septembr 28, 1893, he was married to Hattie L. Hopkins of Rensselaer and to this union two children have been born, both boys. Judge Hanley is naturally of a judicial temperament and of good judgment, fie inherited a liking for books and study and during the time he was sheriff of Jasper county he was a careful and hard student. After he left the Sheriff’s office he was admitted to the Bar and began the practice of law in Rensselaer under the firm name of Hanley & Hunt. He brought to the practice of law the same sturdy principles of honesty,

% Biographical Sketch from the Newton County Enterprise.

perseverance and untiring effoi t which had marked his.career from his boyhood though his entire life. He was known and considered by the members of the bar in Jasper and adjoining counties as a true gentleman who valued-at their full worth all of the principles of his profession. Naturally his career as a practicing lawyer was a successful one and the percentage of the cases which he won in both the lower and the higher courts was far above the average. In 1902 he was nominaed by the republican party as its candidate for Judge in the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit and was elected by a large majority and since that time has presided with dignity and with fairness to all concerned. He has demonstrated by his wise and just decisions that he is a born jurist who is able to take the bench and leave behind anything and everything that would in any way prevent his mind from being free and clear to hear and determine the questions presented. During the six years that Judge Hanley has been upon the bench the people have come to have unbounded confidence in him and in his purpose to do right. The members of the bar who have practiced before his court honor and respect him and all have learned to know that regardless of who may be represented or what public opinion may be that Judge Hanley has the knowlege of law and the good judgment which enables him to see and the firmness and independence of character which enables him to do that which he believes to be right. During the six years he has been on the bench many cases which he has decided have been appealed to the Supreme and Appellate Courts of the state. An investigation shows that of the cases which have been tried before Judge Hanley and which have been appealed to either the Supreme or Appellate Courts that in ninety per cent of these cases Judge Hanley's decision has been affirmed and sustained in the higher courts. When Judge Hanley’s record is compared with the general and average record of the judges over the state it is strong evidence of his ability as a capable and careful judge. The people of the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit are to be congratulated in having as their candidate for Judge this self-made man who has wrought for himself by honest and untiring efforts a most successful career. By the support of a united Republican party in his circuit and by the unanimous endorsement of the democratic party in his circuit Judge Hanley occupies indeed an enviable position. But with all honor thrust upon him Judge Hanley after his election will continue to preside upon the bench with the same fairness, with the same desire to do justice and with the same fearlessness to do right as he sees it, as has marked his career on the bench for the last sit years.