James Hay Reed | |
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| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania | |
| In office February 20, 1891 – January 15, 1892 | |
| Appointed by | Benjamin Harrison |
| Preceded by | Marcus W. Acheson |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Buffington |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1853-09-10)September 10, 1853 Allegheny, Pennsylvania |
| Died | June 17, 1927(1927-06-17) (aged 73) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Resting place | Allegheny Cemetery |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh (A.M.) read law |
| Signature | .png) |
James Hay Reed (September 10, 1853 – June 17, 1927) was aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. With partnerPhilander C. Knox, he formed the law firm ofKnox and Reed.
Born on September 10, 1853, inAllegheny,Pennsylvania, Reed received aMaster of Arts degree in 1872 from the Western University of Pennsylvania (now theUniversity of Pittsburgh) andread law in 1875.[1]
Reed was in private practice, inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1875 to 1891.[1] In 1877, he formed the law firm of Knox and Reed (laterReed Smith) withPhilander C. Knox which would eventually count the industrialist,Henry Clay Frick, and the wealthyMellon family among its clients.[2] He became a federal judge in 1891 and, following his resignation from the bench the following year, Reed resumed private practice in Pittsburgh, from 1892 to 1927.
Reed and Knox were members of theSouth Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, which had a clubhouse upriver ofJohnstown, Pennsylvania. It was responsible for maintenance of theSouth Fork Dam, which failed in May 1889, causing theJohnstown Flood and severe losses of life and property downriver. When word of the dam's failure was telegraphed to Pittsburgh, Frick and other members of the South Fork Club gathered to form the Pittsburgh Relief Committee for assistance to the flood victims.[citation needed]
As its attorneys; Knox and his law partner Reed were able to fend off four lawsuits against the club; Colonel Unger, its president; and against 50 named members. Each cases was "either settled or discontinued and, as far as is known, no one bringing action profited thereby."[3] Despite a history of neglect andDaniel Johnson Morrell campaigning to club officials, especially to Ruff, its founder, regarding the safety of the dam, to no avail;[4][5] the club was never held legally responsible for the disaster. Knox and Reed successfully argued that the dam's failure was a natural disaster, which was anAct of God, and no legal compensation was paid to the survivors of the flood.[3] The perceived injustice aided the acceptance of “strict, joint, and several liability,” so that a “non-negligent defendant could be held liable for damage caused by the unnatural use of land.[6][7] He also achieved some fame fromsettling a "bitter dispute" between fellow club members, business partnersAndrew Carnegie and co-founderHenry Clay Frick, a decade later.[8]
Reed was nominated by PresidentBenjamin Harrison on February 10, 1891, to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania vacated by JudgeMarcus W. Acheson. He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on February 20, 1891, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on January 15, 1892, due to his resignation.[1]
He died on June 17, 1927, in Pittsburgh, and was buried atAllegheny Cemetery.[1][9]
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania 1891–1892 | Succeeded by |
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