Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-08
THE NEW MINISTER 10 BELGIUM
some Of His Personal ChHrnctsAlFt'cS-
a Man OF Wide Culture and NreSt
Wealth.

b
From tie Ee,o Tork World.
WASHINGTON, July 3.-Judge Lambert
Tree, of Chicago, the new Belgian Minis
ter, IS at present at the Clarendon Hotel
in New York. lie is expected in Wash
ngton the drst Of this week. HIS APP
pointment is one OF the best in Mr.. Bay
ards list. judge Tree is a scholarly gem
tlemau Of great good sense and judgment,
while the fortune Of bis family is very
great. lie is in the neighborhood OF
30 years of age, although ne
would not be thought by the
casual observer to be over 40. Re
is lust above medium height, while ms
figure is fairly rounded. He has a keen,
clear-cut. treshly-colOred face. His eyes
are a dark brown. deeply SET under
strong, well-dedned eyebrows. His ore
head is wide and high. Underneath MS
Roman nose there Ia q heavy brown, care
fully trimmed mustache, which hides his
mouth. The lower part of bis face is
most rgidly and scrupulously clean
shayen. During his working moments be
Is almost Invariably engaged in chewing
the end of small, unlighted cigar. rms
il his only use OF tobacco. He dresses in
black summer and winter, but his clothes
are always carefully and fashion
ably cut. He has been resident OF Chi
cago ever since he was admitted to the
bar there in 1850. He rose to one Of the
highest places in the judiciary OF that
state, and only retired on account Of the
poor condition OF his health, brought on
by poison from the foul condition OF his
crowded and lily ventilated court room.
His salary as Judge when he resigned
was $1,000 a year. When he resigned his
father-in-laW, Mr.. Magee, one Of the larg-
est real estate owners in the city, settled
a life annuity upon him, one equivalent to
the Judges salary. After his resignation
he went to Europe and remained several
years. During his absence he made
special study of cases of atmospheric
poisoning. lie il now more susceptible to
the injury from bad air, and attributes the
greater part of the maladies of life TO the
breathing Of unwhOlesOme air. Two years
ago he made careful tour, with his only
son, Of all the principal watering places
upon the Atlantic coast. He has since
said that he found in some Of the most
fashionable places perfectly horrible con-
ditions, In the rear fOne ofthe most noted
ofthe hotels at Nantasket Beach there was
an open sewer, which carried oil all the
dirt and refuse from the hotel. discharging
each day into the salt air Of that popular
resort millions OF fever spores. The cases
Of typhoid fever which followed later in
the season were directly traceable to this
death trap living in wait for misguided
health-seekers. If the new Minister to Bel
GUM could be persuaded to write a
treatise upon the subject Of his observs-
lions upon this one special topic he would
confer great benefit.
Judge Tree was born in Washington,
the birthplace of but few who have ever
reached prominence. His fortune is said
to be in the neighbOrhood of $4,000,0O0,
mostly invested IN highly productive real
property in Chicago. He has one Of the
handsomest houses in Chicago, which is
noted for the number aud beauty OF its
private residences. II is very large
house, built in the dull-red brown
stone which has been used so much
Of late. 1t is in the style of an old
/ English country place and is almost the
/ first residence upon the boulevard, facing
/ the lake as you cross To the north side OF
/ Chicago. Judge Tree has a handsome,
most agreeable wife, who is thoroughly
! familiar with entertaining. AS they al
/ ready have "A wide European acquaint-
/ ance and have a knowledge OF the French
/ language, their return To Europe will I'M
/ doubtedly Ice source of pleasure To
/ themselves and Of popularity IN the Bel
] gan CAPITAL.