Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-07-17


pointed March 8, 1884.
One of the unusual characteristics Of what
NAV be called the new bench is the dispari-
~ in the ages Of the five older members and
the three recently appointed. All Of the |
first class are over 60, and the new members
are all under As. Judge Danforth is the |
oldest judge. and is 60 years, and Judge |
Haskell, who is the Youngest, is now 43. |
Four of the judges are graduates Of col
leges, the Chief Justice having graduated al
Yale in 1912, and Justices Virgin, Emery
and Foster having graduated at Bowdoin
College. Justices Danforth, Walton, Lib
bey and Haskell, while literally educated.
never prosecuted a college course to the
time Of graduation. All of the members
have been successful in the legal profession,
and some of them have won success in that
best of all schools. experience. and have
worked their way up from the bottom. All
the Judges but Judge Haskell have been
members of the Maine legislature. All but
Judge Peters have been county attorney OF
their respective counties. Chief Justice
Peters and Judge Emery have been attor-
ney-general. Judges Peters and Walton have
been in Congress, and Judges Virgin and
Foster have been in the army.
Without giving at length statistics OF the
Maine supreme court, yet few details and
characteristics Of the members Of such an
important body will be of interest in New
England. Judge Peters by virtue OF his Of
fee and his own powers. naturally attracts
attention. He was born in Ellsworth in
! 1922, aud after his graduation and study OF
! law, portion Of the time being at Cam
/ bridge law school, was admitted TO the bar
| in Ellsworth in 1874. and began practice in
| Bangor. where he has resided since. He has
! been State Senator. and was in Congress
/ three terms successfully. beginning in 1867.
/ He was law psrtner with Judge Hathaway
until the latter was appointed TO the bench.
and in Nav. 1873, he was appointed SUI
preme Judge. He has always been popular
with members of the bar. combining in a
rare degree a social and even humorous DIS
position with strict habits Of study. judi
cial mind, and love Of Justice. Nobody
can better appreciate the humor even OF a
courtroom. and at the same time no one
can demand more strictly that the law should
be carried out with justice and dignity.
His charges TO jury are unusually clear
and strong, and he balances the case so ex-
ac;ly and shows the law so clearly, that all
is left for the jury to do is to find out facts.
No one knows his opinions Of facts in a
courtroom. Few, If any. of his opinions
are overruled as, notwithstanding his
promptness, he has the sagacity not to know
everything, and ike all lawyers who under
stand the principles of the common law. he
generally examines the arbitrary statutes IN
question before deciding what they are
lie may be seen often in courtroom. laugh
ing over some contest between an attorney
and a witness, here no principle Is involved
but, on the other hand, when the supreme
moment for decision comes. the oldest at
,ornev would not venture 10 uiile with him
II is this mixture Of social sympathy and
judicial ability that makes him such popu
lar judge.
Judge Danforth was born in Nnrridge
wock and studied law there with Judge len
new He began practice there ia 1871. VA
county attorney of kennebec county for two
terms. and was appointed justice Of In
court in 1851 lie is the Oldest member o
the bench. and is respected among oihe
things, for his desire 10 be fair. and for tn
manner in which he has worked hIm>,l. nj
into an influential position in life.
Judge Walton. who has been ON the bencl
The longest Of an, Of the present members
j. nearly six,y-hve wears Of age and wa
born in Mexico, Oxford county. lie va
bred printer, aud was admitted to the ia
in 1913, and was attorney for his county 70
= four wears Removing to AndroscoggI
county, he was in 1860 elected TO Congress
and in MAY. 1862. esigned his seat there I
:. accep, the Office Of judge Of the supreni
l court of Maine. lie is considered one q
the best informed judges OF law on IL
bench and has the universal respect Of law
: yers and citizens.
: Judge Virgin was born in Rumford. Oh
i ford county, aud is 81 years Of age. ii
was one Of the graduates of Bo~do!n. an
began to practice law al Noruay ia Isl
; lie was for man, year. major general Ct u
5 first division OF the Sia'e militia, vi
, colonel of the twenty third Maine solul
d teers in the late war, was president of II
= State Senate in 1866, has been a reporter
!, decisions. and was appointed justice
; 1872. lie now resides in Portland. II
IT has published several legal volumes, anon
\ others .Nirlin,. hi.,nz, - -l---- "a
'ucge Libbey is as good judge, perhap
= as any on the bench. He gives a little y.
: risty 10 the personality Of the court. l..
cause he is the one lone Democrat. Ye,
= tins very connection the highest honors al
paid hun As judge. One dstingui,he
Republican has said To your correspondent
tina; Judge L5bey thinks he is a Democra
but he is not One Democratic LAWYER ha
said virtually the same thing. No highe
compliment could be paid lin. He sees 4
E tn vote certain ticket. but lie Is nei,he
: Democrat nor Republican on the bench
lie went with the rest Of the court on tn
State steal question from conscientious con
yictions, ever, body believes. neither he wa
mistaken or not. lie is a genial nan an,
IN appearance is dignifed and stately. III
IS one Of the bench over 60, began as law
yer in Albion, but has won his success il
, Augusta, where lie lives
The Young members Of the bench are b,
no means without valuable experience il
law. Judge Emery of Ellsworth. although
only II years Of age, began practcing Law
in Ellsworth, in 1861. He has been count,
attorney. state attorney, attorney-yererai
and for II years prior 10 his appointment, t,
the bench. Senator IIale's law partner. II,
began as judge at the February crimina
term In Bangor. where there were two murder
cases, and confessedly at the April civil term
had more intricate law cases than i. usual,
allotted TO one judge. Yet he presided viii
dignity and satisfaction and especially com.
So H"' HaH'tA I"i bl> l'ipuplIte> anu pa
tence. lie is one Of the most courteou,
Judges on the bench, and while attending Ia
his legal business everybody, from page to
attorney, in the court room has his rights
respected.
Judge Foster IS but little known in the
eastern part of the State He was in the
army as first Lieutenant of company II. thir-
teenth Maine, serving three years. and was
provostmarshal of New Orleans for wear.
lie has been a successful practitioner at
Bethel since 1866, and has also been state
senator and county attorney. He has been
on the bench at the law term in Bangor. and
lawyers here believe he will make a good
judge. He is generally supposed to be the
one judge who is believer in prohibition
and the amendment, although, let it be re-
nembered, the whole bench are strictly tenn
perate and believe in stric, temperance laws.
and because of their judicial position de-
cline discussing the amendment. He is -
years of age.
Thomas II. Haskell, the junior member
of the court, was formerly law partner of
Judge Nathan Webb. of Portland, the dis