Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-07-21

for it is seldom, indeed, that any second VIII
ness. much less four, can be found to guar
antee the truth of so strange phenomenon
as that just recorded.
From the Easton Sentinel
WILLIAM a. PORTER.
Some curiosity is usually felt to know the
priyatc history of men who are proposed lor
nnblic office. Judge Porter spent consld-
erable portion of his life in this town. on
| his appointment to the Supreme Bench we
nnblisbed short sketch of hin, which was
( copied by some Of our exchanges we aod
| a few more facts, well known to his TRENDS
here, which may prove interesting to others
He was born iu Huntingdon county, Penn
sylvania, in 1921, and is now about thirty
seven years of age. He is the son OF the
Hon, David r. Porter, whose name has long
been familiar to our people. HIS mother was
the daughter of Mr.. McDermott, who emil
grated from Scotland during tho last centu-
ry. for the purpose of engaging in inanuiac- ~
turing iron, in western Pennsylvania. Bong
Irish on one side and Scotch on the other,
Judge Porter has good right 20 the title OF
Scotch Irish, SO much eulogiZed IN his LIE OF
Judge Gibson.
His early life was passed in Huntingdon
but we have no information respecting 1t
He came to Easton more than twenty years
. ago, and spent several years at the college IN
= this town. His teachers speak of him as a
boy of quick and active mind; perseverlng
student and exceedingly truthful and honor
, able in his thoughts and feelings. during
= his college course he maintained position at
7. the head of his class. He early showed
= talent for debate and represented the literary
}, societies of the College, on several occasions.
:, He became proficient also, In moral and IN
). telectual philosophy. In the ancient langua-
=. ges he was particularly distinguished Sc
!. much so that on graduating he delivered al
{ original speech in Greek and Latin.
. In 1899 Mr. Porter commenced sthe stud.
u of law in the Office Of Hon j NJ. Porter, VIII
- has turned out more lawyers than some G
le our bars contain. Several years were her
III devoted to the study of the law. During TIN
= time he became a general favorlte OF our eli
u ;zens. and they will vote for him with uni
W pimitv which few public men could command
- In 1912, he was appointed by Attorne
! General johnson, District Attorney ter Pm
u adelphia, which brought him In contact wit
II some of tie ablest members of that bar. w
. have always understood that he discharge
si the duties of the ability The Sheriff
III PHILADELPHIA having died, a violent conte'
&c for the remainder of his term ensued. Uni
BILE to please either faction, Judge Porter
father, Iucu RONSALSir "SPN-HNNS 'N@'@~
uG office. This was an uncomfortable posltlo
~ 'u' for the uproar on all sides was great. Besid
~. the political discontents, proceedings we
t ~ commenced to test his illegibility, on t
..Ne Ground of age. But the character OF the
tI fice was soon changed, Order was broug
,: ont of confusion and all illegal fees abolishe
81 ~ Money was promptly paid over and the bu
u ness was conducted with an exactness
~ nrecision which are said TO be memorable
e eai. this day. The notable riots of that peri
noS commenced about this time. One OF the III
W" exciting occurred at KeDs:ngton- Depa
ino from the custom of his predecessors, ,Sh
~ iff Porter placed himself at the head of ?
Sc of several hundred citizens and against
sn remonstrarcc proceeded to the scene of c
hor turbance. The newspaper accounts are
,od. fresh in our minds. At the first dlscharg
~ firearms, the posse left the Sheriff with bu
oy handful of supporters. The testimony aft
49, 49,, wards given in Court, brought the sut
~. ouent facts prominently to view. One of
- witnesses testified that after long search
,DIs found the sheriff in the midst of the fg
~ surrounded by several hundred of the riot
"a and severely injured. On being urged to
~ tire. he replied, not until the riot is quell
ap Tn the presence of the witness he was as
be;r knocked down and very much trampled.
; 81 result was long illness. We have frequt
.a, ly heard Mr.. Porter say, that on recover
.L.t from his illness a new werl6 seemed to o
S;s- upon him, for all opposition to his admi
: of tration as Sheriff was gone, The frowns '
= of which he was formerly met were changed
;no congratulations Those whom his ami;
,pf99i temper and integrity had failed to iniue
were won by his disposition to do his duty
,,sod At the close Of his term as Sheriff,
- a-,, memburs of the bar, without distinction
hree party, presented to him an address which
, r1- reoublished in this paper. Among o
ero,, things, they say, ''we cheerfully bear
vent testimony to the faithfulness and purity
the which you have discharged your respons
,or6s trcsts, to the decorous style in which the
ocu- fairs of your Office have been managed,
,rro- to the promptness and correctness with W
;.b all its business has been conducted"
y;no turning to the list of signatures, We see
na9 names of Meredith, Randall. Ingraham,
r the lery, Dallas, Gilpin, Brown, Price, X
nter- Tyson, Campbell, Tilgman, Wharton.
been walader, Ingersoll, Scott, Hubbell Perl
Bayard, aud several hundred equally di
this guished and of all political opinions,
e;yed On retiring f.om the Sherif's office,
Yards Porter resumed the practice of the la
fer Philadelphia and continued it with succe:
hall fifteen or sixteen years. and until his app
rom ment to to the bench. His success "
vouth was almos st unprecedented, might have
tates- expected from his ability, industry and
other knowledge,
,inted In 1919 the trustees o' '"e i"'' -"