The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-08
SUPREME COURT CHANGES.
Judges Who Retired and Their Successors
Who Have Begun Duty on the Bench.

The Supreme Court bench underwent
considerable change yesterday, Judges
Allen collars, William Z. Niblack and
George V. HOwk retiring and Judges S. ID.
Coffey, John G.. Berkshire and Walter Odds
succeeding to their places. This leaves, as
members of the court who hold over, Judge
Byron X. Elliott and Judge Joseph A. s.
Mitchell, whO with the three new members
above noted, constitute the full bench.
Of the retiring members, Judge Nib
lack has made for himself long and
faithful record as public officer. He was
born in Dubois county, in 1922 got his early
education III a log schOol-house, attended q
few terms at the State University, studied
law and surveying, and settled down to
practice law IN Martin county In 1S45. Four
years later he was chosen to represent that
county III the Legislature. In 1850 he was
elected to the State Senate. In 1854 he was
appointed circuit judge by Governor
Wright, and was subsequently elected to
the same office from the Vincennes district,
where he had removed. He resigned his
circuit judgeship in 1857, to accept
a. seat toa III Congress sss, serving ,s IN
he was in the Legislature again from Knox
county, and III 1866 was again elected To
Congress, serving for five consecutive
terms. In 1876 he was elected judge of
the supreme Court, and was reelected IN
1882.
Judge HOwk is native Of this State,
having been born in CharlestOwn, Clark
county, in 1924. He graduated from Indiana
Asbury University in 1876, was admitted to
the bar in MS 1s45 was city Judge OF New AL u
Common Pleas of Floyd county in 1851. In
1863 he represented that county in the Leg
islature, and from 1866 to 1870 was men,
Der of the State Senate. He was chosen to
hn SrrYa II. and in
Judge collars is native of Ohio, having
been born in Licking county in 1889. tie
graduated from Dennison University, at
Granville, O., in 1868, and from the law
school OF the University of Michigan In
1866. Locating at Fort Wayne, he repre-
sented Allen county in the Legislature III
1862, was city attorney of Fort Wayne
from 1859 to 1875, was appointed judge OF
the Superior Court of Allen county in 1877,
but resigned in September of that year. and
praeticed law successfully until hiselectlon
to the Supreme Bench III 1882.
OF the new membership of the court,
Judge s. ID. COffey was born in Owen cOun-
ty, Feb. %, 1889. He was the son of Hodge
X. COtfey, of that county, and Anna VIII
son, of Kentucky. His education was ac-
CURED IN the common schools, which at
that time were incomplete. In 1860 he en-
tered the State University, but upon the
opening of the war he enlisted in Company
III, Fourteenth Indiana, April 10, 1861. He
never rose higher than q private, and was
hOnOrably discharged June Z, 1864. He then
practice with Allen p. Rhodes, Spencer, re-
manning with him four years. He then
formed q partnership with Major w. w.
Carter, of Bowling Green, which was main
tanned until his appointment to the bench
of the Circuit Court, in 1882, by Governor
Porter. His practice had been a very ex-
tensive one before the opening of his court
duties as Judge.
Judge John G.. Berkshire was born in
Bourbon county, Kentucky. Nov. IL, 1881:
Rising Sun, and graduated from the law
school of Asbury University in 1857. In the
spring of that year he removed to Versailles,
and there practiced law until 1864, at which
time he was elected circuit Judge, and was
twice reelected by reclamation. No other
he was nominated for Supreme Judge, but
was defeated He then removed to North
Vernon and engaged i'll the practice of law
until his election as Supreme Court Judge.
Judge Walter Odds was born in 1847. His
earlier education was one of home training
until the age of fourteen, when he entered
the Observation-Disclosures fourth Ohio.
After his discharge from the army, at the
pursued his studies until 1867, when he com
menced the study of law in the Office of hi.
brother, Maj. James 0lds and Judge Dickey,
Of the firm of Olds q Dickey, of Mt. Gil
cad, o. In January, 1869, he applied to the
Supreme Court of Ohio for admission to the
mended and admitted: In the spring of
1869, immediately after his admission to the
bar, he went to Columbia City, and formed
partnership with the Hon. A. Y. Hooper,
of law, devoting himself assiduously to his
books and the duties of his profession.
The judges have selected Judge Byron X.
Elliott as chief-justice for the present term.