The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-07

matter OF much form and ceremony.
The hour Of assembling is noon. The
court meets "a the place provided by
law" so that if Congress after the adj
jnurnment of the court decided to move lis
quarters it would simply have to conform
10 the new law without special action by
the court itself. The place provided by
law this year is as usual the Suprem me
Court cham Der in the Capitol at Washing
ton. The Justices will gather at about
half past II O'Clock on Monday morn
ing in the robing-room. This is a small
room adjoining the clerks Office which is
direc ly across the hall from the Supreme
Court chamber. The clerks office was once
the offic- of the Secretary OF the Senate. In
the TobiDg-roOm hangs portrait of Chief
Justice Jay, atiired in a robe with
scarlet faclDgs. Such gaudy equipments
have not been seen In the courtroom with
in the memory of the present generation,
though there is no reason in the world
why Mr.. Fuller should not wear a robe of
sky blue if he peases. There is no regu-
latioD on the subject.
Around the walls of the robing-room
hang the black silk gowns of the Justices
and a number OF secondhand gowns. Il
is usual for new Associate Justice to be
inaugurated in an old gown. If nne OF the
old colOred attendants in the robing-room
could tell their experiences and the uses
to hlch they have been put these gowns
ought To lave an historic value. OF course
they have never hung on any but JUS
tees shoulders unless Clerk Mckinney or
some OF his people have tried them on in
sport just to see how it would lock and
feel 10 be mem Der of the Supreme Court
bench.
A Justice pays as much for his robe of
office as he would pay for a very hand
some suit of clothing. There is fixed
price for the gnwn-a price which does not
W. h.. Hin nj 10 m q Int mr.,
silk. Oae woman has made all the JUS
tees gowns for forty years, and her IN
variable prize for one is 500. Like the
tailors who make a specially Of outfits for
officers of the army and navy she knows
just what are the requirements of justice
gown, and all that her customer has to be
concerned about is the ft The gown
u lst set well across the shoulders, and it
should reach from the neck to the heels,
but 1t should not drag on the floor.
say floor. because. except on Inaugural
ton day, the Justice does not wear his
an official dinner or reception a.
the White House he wears the .garb of
everyday life; even when he calls on the
President On the opening day If the courts
81 ssion, he goes in e clothing that he
would wear at the breakfast table. Ii
you visited one of the Justices at his home
OF an evening you would find a pie tsant,
none of the solemnity Of manner tina,
cloaks the Justices when they are OH the
bench. The Supreme Court Justices are
by no means unapproachabe. They are
in tact considered very jolly after-dinneI
companions, and they are In great demand
in social Washington.
The Justice wears his robe only when
the Supreme Court as body is parlicipa-
ting in some official ceremony. He NAV
60 gowned 10 a funeral if it is an official
funeral. lie wears it at the inauguration
of q President. But ordinarily he puts il
on in the robing-room Just before noon and
takes it off in the robin groom at dusk
He does not wear it even In the consulting
room. So there is very little wear and
tear on it, and one robe outwears several
| suits of lothing.
| According to the technical description Of
! it. the justices robe is made of large
straight widths of silk. 1t is three and a
a narrow hem around the bottom and {
broad hem down the front. 1t i.
gagged at the tip to a yoke whict
is short on the shoulders and forms
deep scallOp at the back. 1ht
flowing sleeves are yard and a quartet
wide and reach 10 the wrist. A justice
usually accepts his first gown withou
| question. But as he grows little olda
TN the bench he is as fussy about the fit O.
the garment as a young woman with hel
first ball-lress.
Having donDed their robes with the ait
of the old attendants-and they are OLE
enough to be conspicuous even in this ell,
of long service-the Justices, at a few
minutes before noon, cross the hall t
the anteroom OF the court. The transit o