The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-06-03
THE SUPREME COURT JUDGE.
The Right Man-JudgeG. w. Thomp

son,
Editors OF the Reg ster. se,N~s va, l....
The'death of Judge PAUL, that Upright
and pure Christian man, makes it neces
sarv TO look for his successor, We have
no doubt the State has many men who
I would fIil the place creditably, but per
haps none more so than Judge g.. w.
Thompson. He has been tried and well
tried, and has proved himself well fitted
for any emergencies where skill, talent,
/ learning and patience were required
We know him well rs Judge, ana IN
nine wears on the bench he never failed
in attention to duty, in keeping the dock
! OF welt cleared up, in preserving order
I without harshnesS, and maintaining the
nr,prirtic, of the bar By y tirmness that
w.s so courteous that it did not give Of
fence. We profess TO know something
of his history as a Judge in the counties
of Brooke and Hancock. One Ofthe first
important chanccry cases decided IN
Brooke was one of long standing, In
yulying many interests. Ono Ofthe par
ties was I'm old personal and political
friend. The morning the opinion was to
be delivered, the court room was crowd
ed. After the opinion was delivered, Mr..
Adam Kuhn, n political opponent OF the
Judge land the State then had no better
Judge of men and their charae-
tersl spoke of the opinion in the
highest terms OF eulogy and said that a
man who could decide Il case Of that KIND
SO square against such II friend was emf
nentlv entitled to the respect and con-
fidence OF the public, and we know that
Mr.. Kuhn maintained during his life
that opinion Of Judge Thompson.
After the Judge had closed his third
or fourth term OF court in Hancock, and
gone from Earview down to NewCum~
berland and was waiting for the packet,
the following incident occurred As the
conveyance came 10 the hotel 4 small
crowd was around the door. The Judge
got out ON the opposite side and walked
up the river and sat down to reflect on
the term Just past He was followed by
u gentleman OF the crowd who approach
ed and said Judge, you wi / be down
to dinner? ~ es, that Is my Intention
Near dinner time he came to the hotel.
When he arrived the crowd was still
there and he was ushered into the parlor
up stairs. The crowd followed, and
ranged themselves around the room.
The Judge having been conducted to a
large chair, Col. Ball said: Judge
Thompson we have proposed to our
selves TO take you little by surprise.
You see around you number of the cit
izens of Hancock, who have always been
/ n
son present belongs to that party, except
this venerable old man Father Brandon.
He has been lifelong Democrat, and
We know him as your true and firm, per-
sonal and political friend. We have in
vitcd him To be present while we tender
to you dinner Mt this house In testimony
of the regard and confidence with which
you have inspired Us 10y your ability, I'M
partiality and fairness rs Judge. Every
one of US, except your old friend here,
voted against you for the office. we
knew but little Of you, and what We did
know was that you were an active, zeal
Gus member OF your party, and we fear
ed that IN your election to the bench, We
would have partisan Judge. We have
watched YOU closely; We have scrutinized
your learning and your rulings in court,
and your relations to parties and counsel
in causes tried, and so lar as your judicial |
conduct is concerned, we do not know
you are II Democrat or Wing. |
We believe that the administration of !
Justice i safe in your hands, and If You
are ever candidate again for Judicial
honors, you may expect each one OF US
to vote for You.
, Fairly and fully did Brooke and Han
cock keep that word, when in SUBJ
sequent election Judge Thompson was
chosen by majority Of very nearly |
two to one over his competitor. Perhaps |
no man in the State did more work |
than he did, with the seven counties in !
his circuit, and the docket always kept |
worked down close. If any one has ever
questioned his ability or his learning or
his fidelity to the trusts of the office,
have vet 10 hear it, or u hear of 1t.