The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-07-02
WILLIin 4. PORTER.

! Some curiosity is usually felt 10 know the
private history Of men who are proposed for
public office Judge Porter spent considera-
ble portion of his hfe in this town. On his ap-
pointment 10 the Supreme Bench we published
short sketch Of him, winch was copied by
some Of our exchanges. We add a few more
facts, well known to bis friends here, winch
= NAV prove interesting 10 others.
He WAS borni Huntingdon county, Penn
sYlvania, in 1921, and is now about thrly-sev-
en- years Of age He is the son Of the Hon. Da-
vid r. Porte, whose name has long been iam.i-
lar 10 our people. His mother was the daagt-
ter of Ma flcDtrmolt, who emgrated from,
Scotland during the last century, for the pur
pose ol engaging in the manufacture Of Iron, il
Western Pennsylvania. Being Irish on one
side, and Scotch on the other, Judge Porter has
good right to the title OF Scotch-Irish, so much
eulogised in his life of Judge Gibson.
His early life was passed in Huntingdon, 5ut
We have no Information respecting it. 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 4 boy Of
quick and active mind; peEavefing student,
and exceedingly truthful and shonoBble in his
thoughts and feelings Daring bis college
c9urse, be maintained positioG at the head oi
his class lie early showed talent for debait,
a4asl t7ia =1ri-'s, -f4piar af' ie DOL
lege on several occasions. H. beeama prof.
eieut also in moral aud intellectual philosophy.
In lhc ancient languages he was particularly
distinguished, SO much So that on graduating he
delivered an original speech Ia Greek and
Latin
Ia 1889 Mr.. Porter commenced the study Of
the law in the otiicz Of Hon. ]. NJ. Porter, who
las turned out more lawyers than some Of our
bars contain. Several wears were here deyo-
ted TO the study Of the law. During this mne
be became general fayoIte Of our ciIzeas,
ana they viii vote for him with uuauimhy
which iew public men could command.
In 1912 he was appointed BY Attorney Gen-
eral johnson, District Attorney for PuIlaIeI-
phia, which brought bjm in contact with some
OF the abrst members Of that bar. We have
always understood that be discharged The duties
Of the office with ability. The sheriitoi Phila-
deIphia having died, violent contest for the
remainder Of his term ensucd. Unable to please
either faction, Judge Porter's father, then Gov
ernor, appointed him TO the Office This was
an uncomfortable position, for the uproar en all
sides was great. Besides the political discon-
tents, proceedings were commenced TO test his
eligibility, on the ground of age. But the char
acter of the Office was soon changed. Order
was brought out of confusion, and all illegal
fees abolished. Money was promptly paid over.
and the business was conducted with an exact
ness and precision which are said to be memora-
bic TO this day. The notable riots of that peri
cd commenced about this time. One OF the
most exciting occurred N Kensington. Depart
ing from The custom ofhiS predecessors, Sheriff
Porter placed himself at the head ola posse Of
several hundred citizens, and, against all re-
monstrance proceeded 10 the scene OF diSur-
bance. The newspaper accounts are still fresh
n our minds. At the first discharge OF fire
arms, the posse left The sheriff with but hand
full Of supporters. The testimony afterwards
given in court brought the subsequent facts
prominently 10 view. One OF the witnesses
testified that, after long search, he found the
sheriff in the midst ofthe fight, surrounded by
several hundreds ofthe rioters and severely IN
iured On being urged to retire, be replied,
/ not until the riot is quellsd. In the presence
of the witness he was again knocked down ana
very much tramped. The result was a long
| illness. We have frequently heard AIr Por-
fer saw. that on recovering from his illness a
new world seemed to open upon him, for all OPP
position to his administration as sheriff was
gone The frowns with which he was former
ly met were changed for congratulations
/ Those whom bis amiable temper and integrity
/ had failed to influence were won by his DISPOSE
ton to DO his duty.
At the close of his term as sheriff, the mem
bers fthe bar, without distinction OF party,
presented TO him an address which was repnb
Ished in this paper at that time. Among other
things. they say "That we cheeriully bear
our testimony to the lalhfulness and purity
with which you have discharged your reSpon-
sibIe trusts, TO the decorous manner in which
the affairs OF your office have been managed,
and to the promptness and correctness with
which all its business has been conducted."-
On turning to the list ofs;gnatures We sec the
names of Meredith, Randall, Ingraham, Mai
lory, Dallas, Gilpn, Brown Price, Reed, Ty-
son, Campbell Tllghmoo, Wharton laira'a