Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-18
OUR SUPREME Judges.
Judge Bradley's Wealth-Judge Field
and His Rich BrOthers-The Next Re-
tIrey,euA


anu MS Nun brotners-Ihe Next he
tIrement.
Nel0 York World
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-The Chief JUS
tice of the Supreme Court has been too
ambitious. His illness this winter Is
wholly attributable to OyerwOrk. When
be came on the bench 10 years ago he
found the docket about two years
and half behind. 1t has been his ambi-
ton to catch up with the work of the
court so that an even balance sheet could
be struck upon his retirement. But in
spite Of his push and drive he has sue
ceeded in advancing only a few steps in
the direction of catching up. One of the
Justices, in speaking of him yesterday,
said: Mr.. Waite has worked each year
as if his salvation depended upon his
making a record of one or two more
cases than were considered the preceding
year. The result is that he has put too
great strain upon his capacity for en-
durance, and he has broken down under
the work"
The Chief Justice has much more work
to do than any of his associates. Every
Monday there are lot of motions sub
mitted to the court. The Chief Justice
considers all Of these motions alone, and
while his ultimate decision upon them
may range only from two or three lines to
half page, yet there is often as much
labor involved in looking up the authori-
ties as there would be in cases requiring
more elaborate decisions. The Chief JUS
tice has never been willing to ask any of
his associates to help him with this class
Of work. His double burden has proved
too much for him. He is older than one
would suppose from his appearance. He
is in his SiXty-ninth year. He is within
one year of possible retirement upon a
full pension. This year winds up his
tenth Of service upon the Bench. There
are few who have seen the Chief Justice
who would think that he was much if
any over sixty years of age, as his thick.
vigorous hair and strong, full beard are
of an irOn-gray color, the black
still predominating He is a very
energetic, active man, too, and until
his present illness he has enjoyed good
health. He was born in Connecticut. His
family were in that State hundred years
before the revolution. Congressman Wait
of that State belongs to the same family,
although he has dropped the ''e'' from the
end Of his name. The Chief Justice is a
graduate of Yale College. He was in the
same class with William NJ. Evarts, Ed
wards PierrepOnt and Prof. Siliman. He
removed to Ohio in 1889, from which State
he was appointed to the bench. The first
time that Mr.. Waite was brought into ma
tional notice was through his employment
as associate counsel with MIR. EYarts and
Caleb Gushing before the Geneva Board of
Arbitration. He was appointed to the
bench by Grant. He was Grants third
choice, George II. Williams and Caleb
Gushing having first been nominated and
rejected. 1t is an interesting fact con-
nected with this that bfr. Waite had only
been admitted to practice before the Su- /
preme Court one year before his nominal
ton, and that he was presented to the /
court by Caleb GUShIUu.
Mr.. Waite IS one Of the most successful I
Of the Justices so far as the transaction /
of business is concerned. There are /
other Justices upon the bench who rank (
higher as Judges, but not one of them is
his equal in point of executive ability. /
He has enormous pride in his position
and has pursued the labOrs connected
with it almost with passion. 1t is not
generally known that there are three
Justices upon the bench who will be
eligible for retirement in a little over a
year, besides Justice Bradley, who could
be retired now if he SO desired. These
Justices are Waite, Miller and Field.
Miller is called the great Justice of the
bench. He has a more positive character
than any OF the other Judges and he de-
serves his reputation for superiority.
Justice Field ranks next to him,
While Stanley Matthews comes
third. The remainder OF the
Justices stand nearly upon an equal foot
ing. with the exception Of Woods. He
IS at the tail of the procession. They say.
however, that he has been improving very
much within the last year and that his
association with the other Justices is
him up to a higher grade. Brad
ley is the best lawyer upon the bench.
He can from memory refer to more deci-
si0ns by page, and even paragraphs, than
almost any other member OF the legal
profession. He is invaluable in the con-
room, for where point has ever
been decided before or anything remotely
relating to it comes up. Bradley can in
5tautIy recall the case and give the point
)f the decision without single reference
to book.
Bradley is perhaps the richest member
lf the bench. He is supposed 10 be worth
sos, 900. He has the largest private law
and miscellaneous HbraryFin Washing
ton. His large house is packed from
basement to garret with rare and valu-
able books. Justice Blatchford is nearly
his equal in wealth. They are the only
two rich members of the bench. Justice
Field is generally supposed to be very
rich, but this is an error. His own
fortune is moderate, but his two brothers
In New York are very rich, and the |
between the three brothers |
are so close that the Justice /
between his fortune and theirs JUS |
tice Field does more miscellaneous read /
ing than any of the Justices. He is very |
fond of richly bound books, and has a |
beautiful private library. lie is the only I
Democrat upon the bench. His theory of /
States rights has made him often dissent !
from the other Justices, but he is no such |
dissenter IS Justice Harlan. Harlan was |
called last winter the dysentery Justice |
(dissent-ery J. on account of the thin legal !
footing of his opinions. HedOes not rank I
as a Judge, but IS rather regarded by the
profession as jury lawyer out of place.
B Bradley, as he is now eligible for retire
mant, naturally attracts more attention
than the other justices. Through his de-
cisiOns in the electoral commission affair
he has acquired more nOtorlety than any
other member of the court. Although he
is 20 years old, he looks as if he would be
good tor ten years more work. He GER /
tainly will be in no hurry about retiring. |
He is of a very obstinate turn Of mind. |
Since he has gotten it into his head that /
some of the aspirants for his place are /
trying to hurry up his retirement, /
he may not 90 out until his
death. He is passiOuately devoted /
to mathematics. He flies TO figures
for relaxation from the law. He is one of
the most accomplished mathematicians /
in the country. He has very hot tenn |
per- He was originally intended for the |
ministry. He was born in Berne, New /
York State. He was the eldest of II sons. /
He was a farmers boy. He graduated
from Rutgers College with Frederick t.
Frelinghuysen and CORTLAND Parker.
He was a railroad lawyer during the
greater part of his New Jersey career.
He was appointed to the bench by Presi-
dent Grant in 1870.
ROSA TO SQUELCH PHELAN.
He Says he Can, in Three Columns,
49,. A. L zFaD r-aftor