The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-05-11
Wilmington Messenger. ]

through the courtesy OF Judge Walter
Clark the numbers of the Green Bag
for October, November and December,
1892, containing his sketches of the
Supreme Court of North Carolina.
They appear in the Boston magazine
for lawyers, and contain portraits of
Chief Justice Ruftin, Christopher Gale,
John Louis Taylor, Leonard Hender
son, John Hall, Archibald d. Muir
phey, John ID. Toomer, Joseph ].
Daniel, William CASTOR, Frederick
Nash, William H. Battle, Richmond
NJ. Henderson (spelt Richard in the
table of Contents), Matthias f. Manly,
Edwin G.. Reade, w. B. Rodman,
Robert p. Dick, Thomas Settle, n. A.
Boyden, w. p. Bynum, w. I. Fair
cloth, w. N. H. Smith, John H. Dill
lard, Thomas S. Ashe, Joseph ]. Da-
Wis, \. S. Nlerrimon, James f. Shep-
herd, A. &. Avery, Walter Clark and
James e. McRae. We purposed noting
these sketches long ago but other mat
ters showed them aside from time to
time. OF those named we have seen
twenty one-Judges Nash and Toomer
being the only two of the oldest
named. We knew or know personally
Judges Daniel, Battle, Reade, Settle,
Fairclo,h, Smith, Davis, Merrimon,
Avery and Clark. Our personal friends
were Smith, Davis, Merrimon and
Clark
The sketches have been prepared
with care and show research. They
are in the main no doubt fair and dis
eliminating, and not in many in
stances excessive in laudation, we sup
pose. The series is interesting and
valuable, and Justice Clark has done
much needed and desirable piece of
work in writing it. 1t is interesting
to the unprofessional reader as we'll as
to the lawyer. We suppose that take it
all in all the Supreme Court of North
Carolina through the years will COM
pare favorably with those of other
States. 1t is very certain that Hen
derson, Rufhn, CASTOR and Pearson
Wi. measure up with the greatest
iurists in any of the States.
The Supreme Court was first organ
lied in 1913. Twenty-nine Judges in
all have sat on the bench, and seven
were Chief Justices. John Louis Tay
lor was the first of these. He was born
in London, and of Irish parentage.
Chief Justice John L. I. Sneed, OF
Tennessee, was his grandson. Was he
not Chief Justice? We have long SO
heard. Judge Clark mentions him
only as Attorney General. He was
born in Raleigh.
| Chief Justice Leonard Henderson
was born in Granville county. He
was a great lawyer. Chief Justice
Pearson in one of his latest opinions
refers to him in high compliment, pro.
nouncing him the Jurist of the creates,
reflective powers of all North Carroll
mans with the exception of Judge
John Haywood. He died in 1888.
Judge John DeRossett Toomer was
born in Wilmington in 1884, wa:
graduated at the University Of North
Carolina and sat upon the Circuit
bench and was on the Supreme bench
for few months. Judge Clark say:
"he was an eloquent speaker, an agree
able writer Of fine literary attalnments
and an able and urbane gentleman.
We remember him distinctly in con
nection with a remark he made in The
anti-chamber of the old Dialectic So
ciety hall at the University. In IS4'
he attended regular session of th'
Society, and that night Victor Cla,
Barringer, of Cabarrus county, nov
Judge Barringer, Of the 1nternationa
Court, Alexandria, Egypt, made
long, eloquent and very impressive
speech, tor he was an able youth ant
| genuine orator. Judge Toomer saic
in our hearing, "There was no sucl
speaking as that here in my time"
: Judge Archibald d. Muiphey wa
one of the most accomplished ant
e gifted of the advocates and jurlsts c
, our State He was born al the wei
known Red House (Which we hav
4 often passed. five miles from Milton
, in Caswell county, I777. He too wa
S an alumnus of the University of Mort
: Carolina, and was Professor Of Ian
l guages there at one time. He was
n man Of distinguished mark and man
e gifts. He wrote perhaps with MOI
e literary skill than any other of th
s Judges. His address delivered at tn
G University is most interesting and {
unusual excellence among such pre-
0 ductions. Judge Clark mentions thu
'f Chief Justice John Marshall, the able
IS OF all Supreme Court Judges, wrote
:, praise of that address.
/ Judge Hall was Of Virglnian brit
r He was not especially eminent as
: iurlst and lived in Warren count
We will continue our brief survey
the sketches as space and opportun
h ties permit.
N, Simmons liver Rapulatnr Surply cur