James Hay Reed

Reed and Knox were members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, which had a clubhouse upriver of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It was responsible for maintenance of the South Fork Dam, which failed in May 1889, causing the Johnstown 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.

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 and Daniel 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 an Act 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 from settling a "bitter dispute" between fellow club members, business partners Andrew Carnegie and co-founder Henry Clay Frick, a decade later.[8]

Reed was nominated by President Benjamin Harrison on February 10, 1891, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania vacated by Judge Marcus W. Acheson. He was confirmed by the United 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]