George W. English
Encyclopedia
George Washington English, Sr. (May 9, 1866 – July 1941) was a United States federal judge
.
Born near Vienna, Illinois
, English received an LL.B. from Illinois Wesleyan University
in 1891. He was chief deputy sheriff of Johnson County, Illinois from 1891 to 1892. He engaged in the private practice of law in Vienna, Illinois from 1893–1912, and in Centralia, Illinois
until 1914. During this period, he married, and his son, George Washington English, Jr. was born in 1898. He was city attorney of Vienna for a time while practicing there, and he served in the Illinois House of Representatives
from 1907 to 1912. He was a special income tax attorney with the U.S. Treasury Department
from 1914 to 1918.
On April 22, 1918, English was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois
vacated by Francis M. Wright. English was confirmed by the U.S. Senate
on May 3, 1918, and received his commission on the same day. He was impeached
by the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1926 for abusive treatment of lawyers and litigants appearing before him. He resigned from office on November 4, 1926, before his trial began. The U.S. Senate subsequently dismissed the charges against him.
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.
Following his departure from the Illinois court, English moved to South Florida, where his son, also a lawyer, had begun his law career with the firm that became Hall, Johnson & English. At the time, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
was trying to recover from a devastating 1926 hurricane. The former judge assisted his son for 14 years until his death at age 75, in Fort Lauderdale.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Born near Vienna, Illinois
Vienna, Illinois
Vienna is a city in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County, and the site of two well-known state penitentiaries. Heron Pond - Little Black Slough Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark, is nearby. The...
, English received an LL.B. from Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
in 1891. He was chief deputy sheriff of Johnson County, Illinois from 1891 to 1892. He engaged in the private practice of law in Vienna, Illinois from 1893–1912, and in Centralia, Illinois
Centralia, Illinois
Centralia is a town located in Marion, Washington, Clinton, and Jefferson Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 13,032 at the 2010 census. The town was founded because it was the point where the two original branches of the Illinois Central Railroad, built in 1853, converged....
until 1914. During this period, he married, and his son, George Washington English, Jr. was born in 1898. He was city attorney of Vienna for a time while practicing there, and he served in the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
from 1907 to 1912. He was a special income tax attorney with the U.S. Treasury Department
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
from 1914 to 1918.
On April 22, 1918, English was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois is a former federal district court for the state of Illinois. The court was established March 3, 1905, by 33 Stat. 992. The Northern and Southern Districts had been established February 13, 1855...
vacated by Francis M. Wright. English was confirmed by the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on May 3, 1918, and received his commission on the same day. He was impeached
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
by the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1926 for abusive treatment of lawyers and litigants appearing before him. He resigned from office on November 4, 1926, before his trial began. The U.S. Senate subsequently dismissed the charges against him.
John T. Rogers
John T. Rogers
John T. Rogers won the 1927 Pulitzer Prize for Reporting, based on his coverage of the inquiry leading to the impeachment of federal judge George W. English.-References:...
of St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
won the 1927 Pulitzer Prize
1927 Pulitzer Prize
-Journalism awards:*Public Service:**Canton Daily News, for its brave, patriotic and effective fight for the ending of a vicious state of affairs brought about by collusion between city authorities and the criminal element, a fight which had a tragic result in the assassination of the editor of the...
for Reporting
Pulitzer Prize for Reporting
The Pulitzer Prize for Reporting was awarded from 1917 to 1947.-Winners:*1917: Herbert Bayard Swope, New York World, for articles which appeared October 10, October 15 and from November 4 daily to November 22, 1916, inclusive, entitled, "Inside the German Empire."*1918: Harold A...
with his coverage of the inquiry leading to English's impeachment.
Following his departure from the Illinois court, English moved to South Florida, where his son, also a lawyer, had begun his law career with the firm that became Hall, Johnson & English. At the time, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
was trying to recover from a devastating 1926 hurricane. The former judge assisted his son for 14 years until his death at age 75, in Fort Lauderdale.