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positively tefased to expedite business, by holding an after-nooa session, except in a very few instances. His appearance aad manner on the bench is gross and undignified to the last degree ; the proceedings of the Court being conducted frequently without regard to any kind of order and decorum.
J. D. Hambleton sworn.
Q. PO you or not reside in the city of Baltimore, and are you or aot a member of the Baltimore bar ?
A. I ^9 reside in the city of Baltimore, and am a member
Q. T)o you or not practice in the Criminal Court of Balti-moref if sx*, state whether or not you have any knowledge of the general conduct of Judge Stump upon the bench, and state, fully what that general conduct is ?
A. For the last two or three years past, I have attended the trial of almost all important cases before the Criminal Court, and have observed generally the conduct of the Judge. During that time, and that repeated! y^ I have seen him in such condition upon the bench as rendered him unfit to act ; when I speak of his condition upon the bench, I mean to say that he was so much under the influence of liquor, that it was with difficulty he could keep his eyes open, and usually folded his arms upon his desk and would motion his head in seeming approval or disapproval of something upon his mind and about which he was talking to himself ; when in this condition he seemed utterly careless as to what was going on around him, and the business of the Court was proceeded with almost without his participation. He usually reaches the bench some fifteen or twenty minutes after the other officers of the Court and the juries have assembled. Within the past twelve months I do not remember to have seen him make a single note of the testimony, although some ten or twelve murder cases have been disposed of before him, nor does he consent tq hold *n afternoon session, although urgently requested to so by the jury and all the counsel in the case. When he haj& been drinking in this way, it is then quite certain that witnesses and counsel will be harshly treated, I have never seen the. ;e stagger upon the bench, but I think I can safely say 1&aji during the time I speak of, he has not suffered % week to pass without showing, beyond all dpubt, that either the ni^h,t before or in the morning before going
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