Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-04-13


the state of Pennsylvania for two years.
In 1877 his name was presented for nomina-
ton as district attorney on the Republican
ticket, but he did not secure the prize. The
legislature of his state considered him among
other candidates in 1881 for the United
States senate.
When President Garfield was disabled by
Guiteau's shot the question came up as to the
performance of the presidential duties by the
vice president. All the prominent jurists
ana attorneys in the country, except Mr.
Brewster, interpreted the Constitution to
mean that the vice president did not succeed
to the office under the circumstances Mr..
Brewster held firmly to the contrary When
Garfield died, and the vice president, Mr..
Arthur, became president, Mr. Brewster was
retained for the government in the star
route cases. On Mr.. MacVeagh's resignation
from the attorney generalship shortly after,
Mr.. Brewster was nominated and confirmed
to the position.
He was twice married. His first wife was
Elizabeth Won Meyerbach de Reinfeldts
They did not live happily together and
separated. In 1868 she died under the care
of the Sisters of st. Francis, of Philadelphia,
and Mr.. Brewster followed her to the grave
in one of the close carriages of the funeral
train. Every year afterward, as long as the
good Sisters of St. Francis needed the aid,
the great lawyer gave a lecture for their
benefit, and filled the Academy of Music
with the rich society people of Philadelphia
to hear him speak in behalf of the kindly
women who had soothed the last hours of his
wife. His second wife, to whom he was
married in 1870, was the daughter of Robert
j. Walker, secretary Of the treasury under
p,-,-, L., d.
and fascinating woman and an acknowledged
leader Of society. While Mr. Brewster was
attorney general she was one of the most
brilliant ornaments of the White House re-
ceptions and was popular. not only on
account of her beauty and attainments, but
for her true womanly qualities She died
about eighteen months ago, leaving one
child.
Mr.. Brewster was not regarded a man of
amiable disposition. He and his brother
were not on speaking terms for twenty-five
years.
Mr.. Brewster's peculiarities of personal
appearance were recently described by a
Philadelphia paper: "He was one of the
most familiar and the most conspicuous
figures on Chestnut street. His Scared feat
ures, popularity of dress and stately bearing
attracted attention wherever he went. He
was almost invariably attired in a light
brown or gray coat, low cut velvet waist
coat exposing a rutfied cambria shirt front of
immaculate whiteness. Light colored per-
fectly cut trousers gracefully fell over white
cloth CATERS which topped pair of bright
patent leather shoes of the neatest fit From
the wrists of his coat sleeves peeped tiny
cambria ruffies snugly fastened by plain gold
buttons. A broad brimmed, bell crowned
white beaver hat always surmounted his
head. Peculiar as the dress was there was
always an air of elegance about it, and no
one ever thought of calling Mr.. Brewster
anything but well dressed. No dandy was
ever more particular about the cut and
quality of his wearing apparel, and from the
fancy silk hosiery to the high hat every
article was expressly manufactured for the
wearer and imported from Europe. There
are many stories told about the cause of Mr..
Brewster's eccentricity in dress, but his own
reason for it is that he had become accus-
toned to it and could never make up his
mind to change the style"
Mr.. Brewster was SO intellectual and such
charming conversational that despite
his marred countenance he was great
favorite with the ladies. He was scholar, a
connoisseur in art and possessed a collection
of rare engravings and etchings. He was at
one time quite wealthy, but during the past
few years he met some heavy losses His law
library was one of the finest private libraries
in the country Last fall he sold it to the
University of Pennsylvania.
He was the most relentless of all the attor-
ney generals of the United States, and it is
not recorded that he ever recommended the
pardon of convict, no matter how moving
the plea put forth by friends.