The Weekly Gazette

Henry Hunt Refuses
Post of Deputy Judge

In a letter Saturday to Governor Wilbur L. Cross, Judge Henry H. Hunt of the Glastonbury Town Court, who will be replaced by Walter F. Foley on July 1st, said that he could not accept the appointment to the deputy judgeship. In his letter Judge Hunt said: If I have shown myself unfit to continue as judge of the court of Glastonbury, then by the same circumstances I am unfit to be deputy judge.

Upon this declaration by Judge Hunt, Democratic leaders held a special meeting Sunday to learn if they might also capture the deputy judgeship.

The text of Judge Hunt's letter to Governor Cross follows:

"This morning I received your formal commission appointing me to deputy judge of the Town Court of Glastonbury, which appointment is in effect a demotion. I note particularly that portion of the commission which states: 'reposing special trust and confidence in the skill and integrity of Henry H. Hunt.' You consider me competent to fill the position of deputy judge in the court where I have filled the office of judge since it was created.

"This court was established in 1929 following the earnest efforts of the people of Glastonbury to put its administration of justice on an organized judicial basis. I have been honored to preside over its deliberations for a period of eight years and, while there may have been errors of judgment, there was at all times an honest effort on the part of myself and all officials of the court to keep it free from criticism and political interference and, so far as I have heard, it has been done.

"A deputy judge exercises the same functions as a judge. From every point of view, the qualifications of judge and deputy judge should be identical. If I have shown myself unfit to continue as judge of the court of Glastonbury, then by the same circumstances I am unfit to be the deputy judge. The converse is equally true.

"You have preached the doctrine of the merit system, advocating the practice of executive appointments to judgeships of lawyers in good standing in communities where there are town courts, in preference to inexperienced laymen. You have criticized legislative deals and advocated the keeping of politics out of the judicial system. Your party's platform and your own political utterances urged the establishment of a district court system with executive appointments, yet you have created a situation that has occasioned one of your own appointees to a minor court judgeship to express to me that it was part of the 'spoils system.'

"I believe I express the opinion of many of the citizens of the State of Connecticut when I regret that your Excellency has seen fit to disregard the fundamental principles underlying judicial appointments by demonstrating the inability of their chief executive to disregard the heat of party politics

"Because of my inability to reconcile your promises to the people with your executive conduct and because I feel that I can serve the people of my community better, in connection with legal matters, free from the restrictions that the office of deputy judge would impose, I must respectfully decline your appointment in order that I may retain a semblance of my self-respect.

"If courtesy was intended in your act, I desire to express my appreciation to a degree equal to the courtesy shown.

"I beg to remain, Sir,

"Respectfully yours"