The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-05-12
MELVILLE W. FULLER.

The president has nominated Mel
vile w. Fuller, of Chicago, to be chief
Justice of the supreme court of the
United States. A dispatch from Chi
cago says of him
The nomination of Melville w. Full
Ter, of Chicago, as chief Justice OF the
United States, is regarded here with
unbOunded satisfaction by the leading
men of both parties. Mr.. Fuller is in
every respect fitted to fill the high office
to which ho has been nominated. Mel
vile Weston Fuller was born in
Augusta, Me, Oh February IL, 1888.
His father was Frederick a. Fuller his
mother, Catherine Martin, daughter of
Chief Justice Nathan Weston Mel
vile w fitted for college in Augusta,
and graduated at BowdOin in the class
of 1858, his classmate being f. }.
Phelps, our minister to England. Mr..
Fuller. after leaving college, began the
study OF law at Bangor. Alter attend
ing lectures in the law department of
Harvard University, he began TO lArac-
tice his profession in Augusta in 1876.
While waiting Tor 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 rcaliZ-
ing that his native city did not afford
that scope for effort which he stood in
need OF, Mr.. Fuller came west and
selected Chicago. Here he did not
have to wait long for practice. His
| ability was speedily recognized and
properly rewarded. For thirty years
he has enjoyed lucrative practice and
has won distinction among the fore
most lawyers at this bar. In 1861 he
was elected member of the state con-
stitutional convention In 1862 lie was
chosen to the Legislature, and although
a democrat, running each time in a
republican district, he was victorious
by large majorities. lie was a delegate
to the democratic national conventions
of 1864, 1872, 1876 and 1850. In 1SG(
he was selected by the citizens to de-
liver the address of welcome to SIephcl
A. Douglas. In 1853 Mr.. Fuller mar.
ried Calista o. Reynolds, and after hel
decease Mary Ellen, daughter of III,
distinguished banker, VIM f. Cool
baugh. He has eight daughters. Ii
the Supreme Court of tho Unitet
States Mr.. Fuller has repeatedly COM
In contact, both as colleague and as III
opponent, with Messrs. Elmunds
Thurman, IIoadley, lngersoll and othc
admittedly great lawyers, and ha
never failed to hold his own against tn
greatest of them. lie is familiar witt
, the decisions of that court and well in
formed OH the history of our country
and especially Oh constitutional ques
, tions. Not content with the vas
, amount of reading and writing whic
. of necessity results from the ac,iv
= practice of his profession, Mr.. Fulle
. does an immense amount of miscGlanC
: Gus reading and considerable writin
: by way of recreation. lie is an ON
nivorous reader, resembles Macaula
' III his liking for u good novel, rs well a
, in the swiitness with which he grasp
y the contents of book and the tcnacit
!, with which his memory clings TO i
: Mr.. Fuller was dining with som
;, friends at the lroquOis Club, whc
r found by an associated press reporter
= He had no intimatiou whatever OF th
. nomination and was So overcome d
: the announcement that for som
- moments he could utter nothing MOI
/ than an exclamation of surprise. ii
: requested that he he not pressed for a
= extended interview, saying that he VIZ
: not in condition to talk on the subjCc
:, as the nomination had come SD uncS
y poctedly. lie, however, stated that
would not decline the nomination.