Milford chronicle., 1893-01-27
Tho Judges Must Retire.

The General Assembly has adopted
joint resolution retiring Judges comsg.
and Houston on a salary of $4,000 yea
The following is the resolution:
Whereas, Chief Justice comegys aud A
soeiate Judge Houston, ,aiter long and distil
guished public service, have become di
abled; and
Whereas, Because Of such service it
deemed just and proper that reasonable pi,
vision should be made for them by the Les
islature; therefore
Resolved, That upoa condition that III
judges named shall, within IS days after th
adoption of this resolution, resign their OFF
ces, they be entitled to receive annual
$4,000 payable in quarterly instalments
during the rest Of their lives. In case oul
one of them should resiga within the tim
spe Gifted, he alone to receive the annuity.
Hon. Joseph Parsons Comegys was bori
at Sherbourg, near Dover, Kent county, Of
Dec. 2o, 1873. His father was Cornelius
Parsons Comegys, a distinguished Delawar
eau, who served as Governor of his State
from 1887 to 1870. The son was educated al
Dover Academy. In May, 1881, he entered
the Office of his distinguished relative, the
late Tohu NJ. Clayton, as a student Of law,
aud was admitted to the bar in 1895. In
Is42 2 and again in Is48 he was elected men,
Der of the Legislature. On the death oi
John NJ. Clayton, in November, 1886, Mr..
Comegys was appointed by the governor to
fill the vacancy in the U. S. Senate. but he
held the seat for few months only, as Mr..
Claytou's term expired in March 1857. On
May I8, 1876, Governor Cochran appointed
Mr.. ComeRys Chief Justice of Delaware. He
has presided over the courts Of Delaware.
for IS years. His last appearance on
the bench was in November, 1891. The
degree ofLIo D. was conferred upon him by
the University of Pennsylvania in 1886
Hon. John Wallace Houston was born at
Concord Sussex County, May 4, 1914. At an
early age he entered Newark Academy and
afterward studied at Yale College, from
which he graduated in 1884. He studied
law under Hon. John NJ. Clayton and in 1897
was admitted to the bar. In Is41, at the age
of u, Gov. Cooper appointed him Secretary
of State. He became an ardent supporter of
the Wing party aud became one of its lead
ers in this State. In 1874 he was elected to
Congress and served three successive terms
in that body. In 1851 Mr.. Houston retired
from politics and resumed his law practice.
On May 4, 1855, he was elevated to the
bench as Associate Justice resident in Kent
County, position which he has since con.
tinuouslY and meritoriously filed.
BOTH HAVE RESIGNED.
Governor Reynolds went to Dover on Tues
day and received the resignation of Judge
Houston. The governor will transmit the
communication to the General
Assembly this afternoon.
Gentlemen offhe Senate and House oil
RebresentaffVeS: In obedience to the joint
resolution in relation to the resignation Of
the Chief Justice and the associate Judge
resident in Kent county, passed at Dover,
Ian uary 10Th, 1898, have the honor to in
form yoar honorable bodies that have re-
,eived aud accepted the designations of the
Hon. Joseph P. ComegYs, as Chief Justice,
md the Hon. John W. Houston as associate
udge residing in Kent county,
The following are copies of said letters Of
To His Etcellency, r. J. Reynolds, COZ
't1soy fkFe State Of DeIaUare. I gratefully
appreciate the action by the General Assem- |
'ly yesterday, in making provision, of which |
have had due notice, for the resignation of |
myself as Chief Justice and that of Judge |
Houston as associate judge, and hereby com. |
'ly with the legislative act by resigning my |
aid office.
J. P. Comegys,
DoYer, Del, January goth, 1893.
Georgetown, Del, Jan. 23d, 1885, His
sfcelleHcY, Robert j. Reynolds, Governor
7 the STATE Of DeiasOaTe-SIR In response
0 the joint resolution of the two houses of
he Legislature Of the State of Delaware,
dopted on the 10Th of January, 1893, here
y respectfully tender you my resignation
s associate judge Of the State of Delaware,
esiding in Kent county.
have the honor to remain your obedient
ervant, John W. Houston.
These aged and honored members of the
ench have devoted the best years of their
YES to the able and faithful administra-
on ofjustice in the State, aud retire with
ne highest respect and confidence of the
hole people, aud would suggest that your
onorable bodies take proper action to &C.
nowledge the appreciation of the State for
leir services.
Respectfully submitted
ROpupT 7 p ux1AroVD1
Copies ofthe letters of acknowledgment
INT by the governor to the retiring judges
blow. In these letters Governor Reynolds
peaks in warm praise oftheir long service,
} the high responsibility devolviug upon
i'm in filling their vacant places, and adds
lat if their successors shall be able to retire
hen their turn comes with equal honor,
E shall feel we'll rewarded indeed
The Kent county bar at the meeting held
uesday night adopted the following:
ResOIyed, That the Hon. Alfred P. Robin
IN of Sussex county Is the unanimous
ioice of this bar for chief justice Of the
tate of Delaware. to fill the vacancy caused
? the resignation of Hon. Joseph P. Com
gys.
ecretary of State D. T. Marvel will be the
overnor's choice for associate judge.
The inability ofthe Kent lawyers to unite
j one man is regarded as weakening the
1ances Of any selection from Kent county.
General R. R. KeHney. who foresaw this,
ivised that no ballot be taken, out he was
ver-ruled.
Found Dead.
Last evening person giving the name of
. R Thompson registered at Hunts Hotel,
nd desired to be called in season totake the
? P NJ train for Chicago. Being unable to
waken him, the room was entered by means
f the ventilator over the door, when the
was found to be dead. He was
dvertisiug agent for Sulphur Bitters, which