Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-05-15

0uUKO Ik0Ck y ~@fE
Hon. Alexander Thompson presided
a Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Dis
trict OF Pennsylvania composed of the
counties of Franklin, Bedford and Som
erset) from the 25th of June, 1927, to
March. 1912. He was a just man and
: rood Judge, but toward the close OF
his public life he encountered some OPP
position. A prominent lawyer OF
Chambersburg was named as an oppos-
no candidate for the Office, and %
q warm contest arose, In which the lead
ing LAWYERS and citizens in the district
took part. David II. Porter was then in
the Executive chair. There was scarcely
O lawyer in the district who did not
visit the Governor to discuss the merits
Of tho candidates Early in the year
1912 . gentleman from Somerset called
TO oppose or to support n OF the candi.
datesEI cannot remember whom-and
in his conversation produced a letter
and read from it a paragraph. The
Governor asked to have the whole letter
read. which was done. 1t discussed
the points of difference between the two
candidates. The Governor asked to be
allowed to read the letter for himself,
which was done.
..Black," he said; ~. S. Black?
Whose son is hep
The visitor here mentioned the name
of Mr.. Blacks father.
Governor-I remember him. l sat
with him in the Internal Improvement
Convention of 1925, and no certainly
was q most intelligent gentleman. But
what can you tell me aboutthe sonP
Visitor.Well, he is a young lawyer
with some practice. He sits in his
Office, walks up and down town, sits on
tho dry-goods boxes on the corner,
makes some political speeches, and
quotes Shakespeare.
Governor-Shakespeare! Shakespeare
on the top of the Allegheny Mountains,
What can he know about Shakespeare
Visitor-Well, 1 believe he can repeat
any play Shakespeare ever wrote.
Governor-What else does he dop
Visitor-He breaches.
Governor-Preaches! What does he
preach aboutp
Visitor-He breaches as all the rest
of the preachers do, and / car tell you
he can get up in the Court House on
Sunday morning and preach and pray
about as well as any of them.
Governor-Well, so much for the
Gospel-what about the lawp Does he
do much in that way?
Visitor-Yes; and there are some peo-
pie who think he Is a very good young
lawyer.
Governor-How does he figure in
courtp
Visitor-He is rather awkward and
hesitates some. He often amuses us
very much, but I don't think he will
ever make much Of q speaker.
The visitor left, and the Governor,
after q long pause, said to his amanuen-
sis: II did not believe there was q man
In Somerset County who could write
such q letter as that. Here Is a man
who has read Shakespeare and, no
doubt, the Bible, or he could not preach
much, and he pours out his thoughts in
such English as amazes me. He evil
IDENTIFY knows what a Judge ought to be.
I must inquire further about that young
man." As visitors called, inquiries
were occasionally made about Mr..
Black, and the answers were all salts
factory as to his character, moral and
professional. OF course, advocates of
bis appointment SOC sprang up. On
tho S0th Of March. 1912, to the astonish-
,nent Of many of the friends of the
other candidates, q commission as Presi-
dent Judge was issued to Mr.. Black.
1t Is said that Judge Black was as
founded when he saw it, asked whether
the Governor had taken leave of his
senses, protested his unwillingness to
accept the Office, and generally helped
roar. He did accept the Office, how
ever, and in q few months established
his entire competency to perform his
duties, and rose high in the estimation
Of men Of all parties .-Judge Porter. in
Philadelphia Press.