Francis Gordon Caffey
Encyclopedia
Francis Gordon Caffey was a United States federal judge
.
Born in Gordonsville, Alabama, Caffey received an M.A.
from Howard College, Alabama in 1887, an A.B.
from Harvard University
in 1891, and another M.A.
from Harvard University
in 1892. He was an attorney in private practice in Montgomery, Alabama
from 1894 to 1902, and served as a Lieutenant Colonel, Third Alabama Infantry, in the Spanish American War.
He was a Judge advocate general in the Office of the Governor of Alabama from 1900 to 1902. He returned to private practice in New York City
from 1902 to 1913.
He was a Solicitor, U.S. Department of Agriculture, from 1913 to 1917. He was a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1917 to 1921. He briefly gained notoriety when his name was associated with possible political advocacy on the part of the Department of Justice. Just two weeks before the 1920 election, John R. Rathom
, publisher of the Providence Journal, charged that the Democratic candidate for Vice President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had acted improperly while Assistant Secretary of the Navy in releasing sailors convicted on morals charges from Portsmouth Naval Prison
. Caffey, once the Attorney General had telegraphed his authorization, released a lengthy document from Justice Department files that discredited Rathom. A report in the New York Times suggested that he may have acted with undue enthusiasm: "Some surprise was shown at the [D]epartment [of Justice]...that District Attorney Caffey had given the entire Rathom letter to the newspapers. He had been authorized, it was said, to make public 'excerpts'".
He returned once more to private practice in New York City
from 1921 to 1929.
Caffey was nominated by President Herbert Hoover
on April 18, 1929, to a new federal judgeship created by 45 Stat. 1317 and confirmed by the United States Senate
on April 29, 1929, receiving his commission on April 30, 1929. He assumed senior status
on October 31, 1947.
He served in that capacity until his death in Verbena, Alabama
on September 20, 1951.
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 in Gordonsville, Alabama, Caffey received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from Howard College, Alabama in 1887, an A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1891, and another M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1892. He was an attorney in private practice in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
from 1894 to 1902, and served as a Lieutenant Colonel, Third Alabama Infantry, in the Spanish American War.
He was a Judge advocate general in the Office of the Governor of Alabama from 1900 to 1902. He returned to private practice in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1902 to 1913.
He was a Solicitor, U.S. Department of Agriculture, from 1913 to 1917. He was a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1917 to 1921. He briefly gained notoriety when his name was associated with possible political advocacy on the part of the Department of Justice. Just two weeks before the 1920 election, John R. Rathom
John R. Rathom
John R. Rathom was a journalist, editor, and author based in Rhode Island at the height of his career. In the years before World War I, he was a prominent advocate of American participation in the war against Germany...
, publisher of the Providence Journal, charged that the Democratic candidate for Vice President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had acted improperly while Assistant Secretary of the Navy in releasing sailors convicted on morals charges from Portsmouth Naval Prison
Portsmouth Naval Prison
Portsmouth Naval Prison is a former U.S. Navy and Marine Corps prison on the grounds of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard . The building has the appearance of a castle. The reinforced concrete naval prison was occupied from 1908 until 1974....
. Caffey, once the Attorney General had telegraphed his authorization, released a lengthy document from Justice Department files that discredited Rathom. A report in the New York Times suggested that he may have acted with undue enthusiasm: "Some surprise was shown at the [D]epartment [of Justice]...that District Attorney Caffey had given the entire Rathom letter to the newspapers. He had been authorized, it was said, to make public 'excerpts'".
He returned once more to private practice in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1921 to 1929.
Caffey was nominated by President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
on April 18, 1929, to a new federal judgeship created by 45 Stat. 1317 and confirmed by the United States 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 April 29, 1929, receiving his commission on April 30, 1929. He assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on October 31, 1947.
He served in that capacity until his death in Verbena, Alabama
Verbena, Alabama
Verbena is an unincorporated community in southeastern Chilton County, Alabama, United States. Named for the indigenous flower, Verbena developed into a popular resort location for the more affluent citizenry of Montgomery, the state's capital, during the yellow fever outbreaks of the late 19th...
on September 20, 1951.