Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-01
Madison. July 30.


Judge Hastings, of Green Bay, has
not vet accepted the vacant supreme
court iusticeship and whether ne VIII
or not is still matter OF very lnuch
doubt. When he parted from the gov
ernor at Lakeside a little before nld-
night he stated positively that ne
would give his final decision Fhls
morning.
Gov. Upham and Judge Hastings
were in conference yesterday morning.
AIT noon as he boarded Lakeside
steamer Judge Hastings was asked:
Twill you accept the appointment!
ct is very doubtful" he replied.
"As yet l have not been able to see
my way clear to an acceptance. am
to meet the governor again this after
noon. and then the matter will prob
ably be settled
At 3 o'clock another conference was
held but no result was reached. Judge
Hastings said the question was still
being discussed, but would perhaps be
determined during the evening. Gov.
Upham and family attended the con-
cert and afterwards went to the Hast
ings tent. Here they staid until few
minutes before midnight It was then
given out that no determination would
be reached until this morning.
Judge Hastings admitted last even
ing that he had four times given the
governor a negative answer. The
pressure being brought to bear upon
him by friends and particularly by his
immediate family is very strong. The
judge himself feels that he should per-
emptorily decline, but ~dislikes to in
the face of the wishes of those who
are nearest and dearest to him. Mrs.
Hastings, besides approaching the
honor rendered to her husband with
out the slightest solicitation ON his
part, would it is said, like very much
to come to Madison to live On the
other hand it is understood that the
judge is strongly disinclined to leave
Green Bay, and breads the task of
disposing of his handsome home and
locating anew in Madison. Besides
he is quite worm out with a number
Of complicated cases tried before him
of late, and needs and wishes a rest.
To accept the justiceship would mean
more than a months labor and tur-
MOL in breaking away from Green
Bay connections and settling here and
at the end of that time a plunge into
new responsibilities and very arduOuS
duties. And so the matter hangs in
the balance, with the prospects either
way according to the oracle one con-
cults.
Judge Hastings does not fear the re-
suit of an election next spring and
that matter has no influence with
him. 1t is said that he has been as
sured by Senator Villas and other
party leaders that he would be sup
ported by the democrats.
A close friend of Judge Hastings
last n ght said: Il do not believe he
will accept Who will be appointed?
That is hard to say. Several days
ago | thought Judge Marshall had no
chance. Now, however, it looks diff
ferent, nd | fully believe that he
stands an excellent chance | know
that Judge Hastings has the highest
opinion of Judge Marshall as a man
and a juriSt and | think it would
please him to see a judge of the
eleventh circuit elevated to the SUI
preme bench. You may depend on
one thing-an appointment will be
made very soon. The man named next
will accept very quickly"
Several of Judge Marshall's warmest
adherents are in the city. They are
still hopeful and seem to thirk that
the delay is all in their favor
There are others who think that the
appointment will be from the bar and
not the bench. In this connection
George C. Green and Charles E. Vro-
man, both of Green Bay, and ex- JUS
tice Lyon are still mentioned. There
has also been a little talk among law
yers about w. NJ. Thompkins, of Ash
land. 1t is understood that his name
has not been presented to the gov
ernor, but it is suggested that his
appointment would solve the problem
by pleasing the northern part of the
state and Marshall's friends without
at the same time anita gonizing the
Clementson men.