Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-12-12
JUSTICE BREWER.


Circuit, Appointed by the President I.
! FIJI the Vacancy ON the Supreme Bench
Caused by the Death of Justice STANLEY
/ Matthews-A Sketch OF the New JUSTICE
/ Career.
/ WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The Pres. den
yesterday sent to the Senate the nomi
nation of Judge David j.. Brewer, o.
Kansas, to be Associate Justice OF the
Supreme Court of the United States His
qualifications for the position were
heartily Endorsed by the sitting Jus.
tees of The Supreme Court.
The appointment of Judge Bre wer to
| the Supreme Bench was received with
expressions of favor by the lawyers whe
have met him in the five years he has
been Judge of the United States Cir
cult Court for the Eighth circuit.
He has made SO many friends and
is so thoroughly admired by all who
have come to know him, that his sue
cess brought more satisfaction than
| could the appointment of any other law
yer.
He was assigned to the Eighth circuit
in March, 1884, with areputationwhich in
sured him great respect in his new posi-
lion. He was known to be a Thoroughly hon
est and thoroughly fearless judge, as
well as sound lawyer. He had been
, for fourteen years on the Supreme
Bench of Kansas, and knowledge of his
capabilities had not been confined to
that State. Judge Samuel Treat was
then District Judge, but since that time
he has retired and Judge Amos NJ.
Thayer, of st. Louis, has been appointed
and has occupied the place.
DAVID JOSIAH BREWER
was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, June 20,
1887. His father, a Congregational minister,
was at the time of David's birth a missionary
to the Greeks. During his infancy his pa
rents returned to the United States and set
tied in Connecticut. David was educated in
the schools of Hartford, East Hampton, Mid
dleton and New Haven, Conn. He entered
Wesleyan University in 1851, and at the close
of his junior year went to Yale, entering as
junior, and graduated in 1856.
One year was passed in the law Office OF
his mothers brother, David Dudley Field,
brother of Justice Stephen Johnson
Field, of the Supreme Court, in New
York City, and then he entered the
law school at Albany, N. Y, where
he graduated in 1858. He settled in
Leavenworth, kas., in 1852 and began the
practice of law. His first position was that
of United States Commissioner, to which he
was appointed in 1861. He was elected Judge
of the Probate and Criminal courts of Leav-
enworth County in 1862, and in 1864 was made
Judge of the First Judicial district of Kan
saS. He was president of the Leavenworth
Board of Education for year, and in 1866 he
left the law to become superintendent of the
Leavenworth public schools. He held the
position for three years, and was then elect
ed prosecuting attorney for Leavenworth
County. In 1870 he was elected Associate
Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court for six
years. He was elected in 1876 and again
In 1882. In 1884 he resigned to accept APP
pointment at the hands of President Arthur
to the position of United States Circuit
Judge for the Eighth circuit.
He was married on October 8, 1861, to Miss
Louise r. Landon, of Burlington, VT, and
has four daughters-Harriet E., Eta L., Fam
ME A. and Jennie E. Brewer-the eldest OF
whom was recently married to A c. Jet
more of Topeka
Judge Brewer has had the active support
of Senators Ingalls, and Plumb. numerous
personal friends and the influence of the
Field family. The most strongly supported
OF the other candidates for the appointment
was George w. McCrary, whom Judge Brew
er succeeded his appointment to the
United States Circuit Court. Mr.. McCrary
resigned the judgeship to accept a more
lucrative position as attorney for a corpora
ton. He has had in the presentation of his
name for the Supreme Bench the support OF
his life long friends Justice Miller and Secrc-
tary of the Interior Noble, as well as other
men of prominence. Among others mentioned
prominently for the appointment were Henry
of ST. Louis, president of the
American Bar Association, Secretary Noble,
General W. III. Ii. Miller and Judge
Walter Q. Gresham, of Indiana. knowing
ones had conceded the appointments to Mr..
IcCrary. Two classmates of Judge Brewer
Judge Brown, of Detroit, and John Mason
Brown, of kentucky-have also been men
TONED for the place.
Judge Brewer succeeds the late Stanley
Matthews and will probably have super |
-s,.<. - T.,l;
Justice Matthews. This district includes the |
States of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky a nd Ten |
lessee. The compensation of an Associate |
Justice of the Supreme Court is $4,000 per |
annum. This sum is not considered large, as |
'he customary entertainments very ex- |
Densive.
Judge Brewer is Congregationalist in re-
igion, and was for many years superintend-
,nt of Sunday school in. Leavenworth. He
g Republican, though not fierce partisan.
He is most companfOnable man,, and is
very fond of laying aside his judicial char
lcter to talk with people on theirown level.
He is thoroughly democratic, and will prob
ably create as much excitement as did bluff
samuel Miller when he was, elevated to that
bench.
The judicial circuit which has, for five
years been under Judge Brewers superviS-
on embraces the states of Missouri Ar
KANSAS, Colorado. Nebraska Iowa., Mnne-
sofa and the two Dakotas. Els salary has
been S. 900, per annum, and from. this sum he
has been compelled to expend large amounts
or travelling expenses. notwithstanding
he extent of his circuit, and notwithstand-
ng the immense interests that have been in
litigation in the courts of his circuit, the bus
ness has not been allowed to fall behind
since Judge Brewer took hold of it, He is a
worker, and will be a great addi-
ion to the Supreme Court. He has been
Known to leave St. Louis after four or 1--WE
Eases had been submitted, go to other points
IN the circuit. hear other cases, and return
opinions ON all the cases submitted there
within a week. In September, 1883, he heard
arguments for and against the appointment
II a receiver for the Missouri, Kansas &
Texas railway one day in St Louis, and the
,ext day delivered an opinion in which all
he questions of that very complicated cause
we're reviewed and decided. Within few
months after he went upon the bench he was
,alled upon to appoint receivers for the st.
4ouis, Wabash s. Pacific railway, and during
be time that road was in court had to decide
many questions of great Importance. In the
curse Of this great litigation he added much
O the law of receiverships. Beside this case
here were very many other receiverships
a his circuit which called for the exercise OF
much learning and were satisfactorily adju-
Heated by him. His decision in the district
# Iowa that the State could not confiscate
he property of brewer under the Prohib-
tory law without compensation, attracted
;reat deal of attention.
Singular Accident.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Dec. A terrible
abroad accident occurred at the Halle
street depot of the Jersey Central rail