George W. English
George Washington English (May 9, 1866 – July 19, 1941) was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois.
George W. English | |
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![]() George W. English, during his impeachment hearings | |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois | |
In office May 3, 1918 – November 4, 1926 | |
Appointed by | Woodrow Wilson |
Preceded by | Francis Marion Wright |
Succeeded by | Fred Louis Wham |
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
In office 1907-1912 | |
Personal details | |
Born | George Washington English May 9, 1866 Vienna, Illinois |
Died | July 19, 1941 75) Fort Lauderdale, Florida | (aged
Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
Education | Illinois Wesleyan University (LL.B.) |
Education and career
Born on May 9, 1866, near Vienna, Illinois,[1] English received a Bachelor of Laws in 1891 from the now defunct law school at Illinois Wesleyan University.[1] He was chief deputy sheriff of Johnson County, Illinois from 1891 to 1892.[1] He entered private practice in Vienna from 1893 to 1912.[1] He served as city attorney of Vienna.[1] He was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1907 to 1912.[1] He continued private practice in Centralia, Illinois from 1912 to 1914.[1] He was a special income tax attorney for the United States Department of the Treasury from 1914 to 1918.[1]
Federal judicial service
English was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson on April 22, 1918, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois vacated by Judge Francis Marion Wright.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 3, 1918, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated on November 4, 1926, due to his resignation, after being impeached by the United States House of Representatives on April 1, 1926.[1] The five articles of English's impeachment were:
- Tyranny and oppression, and abuse of the powers of his office.
- Partiality and favoritism, particularly to Charles B. Thomas, his referee in bankruptcy, to whom he was “under great obligation financial and otherwise.”
- Improper and unlawful conduct in connection with a “bankruptcy ring” operating in his district.
- Manipulation of bankruptcy and other funds, in conjunction with his referee in bankruptcy, for the pecuniary benefit of the referee, himself and his son.
- A general course of conduct constituting misbehavior and misdemeanor in office.[2]
The House voted to impeach by a vote of 306 to 60, but the charges were dismissed following English's resignation.[3] He had been accused of abusive treatment of attorneys and litigants appearing before him.[3][4][5]
Coverage
John T. Rogers of St. Louis Post-Dispatch won the 1927 Pulitzer Prize for Reporting with his coverage of the inquiry leading to English's impeachment.[6]
Death
English died on July 19, 1941 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[1][7] He was interred in Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale.[7]
References
- George Washington English at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- "Impeachment of Judge George W English Dismissed After Resignation". Constitutional Law Reporter. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- "Impeachment Proceedings Not Resulting In Trial" (PDF).
- "JusticeLearning : Articles". 5 October 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-10-05.
- "Wayback Machine" (PDF). 30 September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-30.
- "Reporter Rogers". Time magazine. 1937-03-15. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- George W. English at Find a Grave
Sources
- Justice Learning Timeline
- The New York Times, November 5, 1926
- George Washington English at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- "Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida"
Legal offices | ||
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Preceded by Francis Marion Wright |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois 1918–1926 |
Succeeded by Fred Louis Wham |