The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-03
THE CHIEF JUSTICE APPOINTED.
The President Has Found an Able Man and
Sound Democrat for the Head of
the Supreme Court.

WASlIlN,iroN. il. G.. april ;H.--rhe
President to-day nominated Melville
w. Fuller, o! Chicago, to be Chief } us
ticc OF the Supreme rtcultoithe United
States ThcS .lur't.o.. o, ir. Fuller was
ssumewhal OF Il surprise. for, although
his name has lrc'i oc 'asonl;ly men,
toned in connection with the Chief
Justicr>llip. none ~ in" members ofthe
Senate judiciary rn!::..::ltre had I'll"
sli"ilt,S, in,imuiiun tn:l ne Was to be
the l'r >ilrni'S riiuicr. When the
Presidents private secretary presented
the nomination L. the i:cliatr 1O-t'aE,
together with several other Executive
communications BY Il singular c0lncl-
dencc Minister Phelps and Senator
GRAY were converSing together in the
Senate chamber The presiding officer
glanced over the list of nominations and
Immediately notified Senators Ed
munds and Pugh, the leading members
of the judiciary committee. The news
spread rapidly. and in less than five
minutes Mr.. Fuller's nomination was
known throughout the Capitol.
Republican Senators who know him
say they know Of no reason why he
should not be promptly confirmed.
Senator EdmundS, when spoken to on
the subject, said he could say nOthingas
to what action the Judiciary committee
would probably take, and cat off all
further questions by declaring that he
was a blank so fur aS the nomination
was concerned.
In personal appearance Mr.. Fuller IS
unusually handSUmc; his hair and
mustachc are Slvery and his features
arc clear cut and intelligent. In stature
he is short and slight compared with
his associates on the Supreme Bench.
Mr.. Fuller is 4 man Of high scholastic,
as well as legal, ;ttainmentS, ana as an
orator his talents have won him the
title Of the Chaunccy VI. Depew of the
West. In politics he is best described
as an old school Democrat. He was
loyal III feeling during the war, is 4
believer in an advanced doctrine OF
States Rights and all advocate ofsimple
government. He is 4 member OF the
Protestant Episcopal Church and has
been prominently identified with that
organization and CONSPICUOUS in the
Cheney and other famous ecclesiastical
trials. His wife is :; refined, quiet lady
and the seven daughters OF the family
are all superior young ladies not only
in point of beauty. but in their accomp-
liSlInentS.
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Melville Weston Fuller was born in
Augusta, Me, on February II, 1888.
His father was Frederick 4. Fuller, his
mother Catherine Martin, a daughter
of Chief Justice Nathan Weston. Mel
vile ". Fuller was fitted for college in
Augusta and graduated at Bowdoin, in
the class of1S53, his class-mate being E.
J. Phelps our minister to England. Mr..
Fuller after leaving college began the
study of law at Bangor After attend
| ing lectures in the law department Of
! Havard University he began the prac-
! tice of his profession in Augusta, in
1856. While waiting for clients he acted
as editor of the. Age, and won his
spurs in journalism. Feeling that his
true field of work was the law, and
realizing that his native city did not
afford that scope for effort which he
stood in need of, Mr.. Fuller came West
selected Chicago. Here he did not have
to wait long for practice. His ability
was speedily recognized and rewarded.
Fer thirty years he has enjoyed lu-
crative practice, and has won distinc-
ton among the foremost at this Bar.
In 1861 he was elected 4 member of the
State Constitutional Convention. In
1862 he was chosen to the Legislature,
and although Il Democrat, running each
time in Il strong Republican district, he
was victorious by large majorities. He
was a delegate to othcDemocraticNatiOr-
Ill Conventions of 1864, 1872, 1876 and
1850. In 1860 he was selected by the
citizens to deliver the address of well
come to Stephen y. Douglas. In 1856
he married Calista 0. Reynolds, and
after her decease married Ellen, daugh-
ter of the distinguished banker, WIN.
+. Coolbaugh. He has eight daughters.
In his practic" in the Supreme Court
OF the United States Mr.. Fuller has
repeatedly come in contact, both rs
colleague and as opponent, with Ed
munds, Thurman, Hoadly, Ingersoll
and other admittedly grear lawyers,
and has never failed to hold his own
against the greatest Of them. He IS
familiar with the decisions of that
Court. and wcli-informcd in the history
of our country, and especially on con-
stitutional questions.
HOW MIR. FULLER RECEIVED THE NEWS.
Mr.. Fuller was dining with some
friends at the IropuOiS,Club when found
by an Associated Press reporter. He
had no intinlatinn Of the nomination,
and was 50 overcome ut the announce
ment that for some moments ne could
utter nothing more than an eXclama-
ton Of surprise. He requested that he
be not pressed for ali extended inter-
view. saving he WAS nJt in condition
to talk on the subject. as the nomina-
ton had come 50 unexpectedly. He
however, stated that he would not de
Il: . L.,