The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-08-09
CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY.
Some Interesting Data Of the Life
of This Distinguished Jurlst
and Gentleman.

10 tNOse VINO Knew III Tue past per
sonally or kLow by reputation al pres
eut Chief Justice Roger Brooke fancy,
We append a brief biography of this
distinguished man, written by All able
gentleman of this city, whose ION dc
plume is "Chaskeli."
Roger Brooke fancy was born
March l7tb, III, III Calvert County,
Md, and was graduated from Dickin-
son College in 1895. He read Jaw al
Annapolis with Jeremiah Chase, IA
Judge II the general court, and was All
united to the bar in 1893, bat at the
: suggestion OF his father, VINO Was am
bltIou> Of political honors for the son,
begaU 10 practice III bis native county,
whrre. Ia the autumn OF the same
year he was elected t. the House of
Delegates, helhg [ NE youngest Luenb..r
of that body Al the next election lie
was defeated oy a Republican, aud in
March, lSUl, removed 10 Frederick.
where M. a>tu,euess, thorOuguHe>s aid
eloquence soon brought hlm Il lucia
tive practice aud placed him at the
iiunt OF the bar OF y Inch John Iuulu-
sou Mason and Arthur Shaaf were
leading lights.
Ia 1903 Mr.. fancy was again defeat
ed for the House Of Delegates on the
Federal ticket, and on the TN of Jan
uary, lsU6, he married Annie Phebe
Charlton, daughter Of John Ross Key,
aud sister ii the author of the star
Spangied Banner" The marriage,
which was celebrated at Terra Ruba, "
Mr.. Key country estate in Frederick
County, proved To be u happy one In
lsll "a cOurt-luartlal was convened IN
Frederick To try General james Will
kinson, of the United States army,
upon the charge of completely with
Aaron Burr, and Mir. fancy was EN-
ployed a. COUNSEL for the accused. He
shared much OF the opprOhum at
tacheu to his client, whose acquttal he
secured, and refused to accept any
compensation for his services. He was
Federal candidate for Congress in
lsl4 and Was defeated by less than
three hundred votes, but in 1916 was
sent to the state SENATE, where he
fathered many bills relative to the
Equity and Orphans Court.
In 1919 he again made himself I'M
popular 10y his defense and acquittal of
the Rev. Jacob Gruber, who was tried
i'll Frederick upon the charge of incit-
ing slaves to rise Mr.. fancy was for
Il long period director in the Fred
erick County Bank, never missing q
meeting of its board, was for twenty
years visitor of the Frederick Acad-
envy and president of its board of
trustees. The retirement of Luther
Martin and death Of William Pinkney
created vacancy in the Baltimore
bar of which Mr.. fancy took advan-
( tage, owing to that city in 1923.
One year later he passed over INTO the
/ Democratic party and was appointed
attorney general of Maryland in 1872
and encouragement of the United
States in 1881. On September 4th
/ 1888, President Jackson appointed him
Secretary of the Treasury, when he be-
Z came special object Of scorn aud vi
tuperation, and ms nomination, which
was purposeiy withheld until the oath
OF the following June, was rejected by
the Senate, ii being the fist instance
IN which the Presidents selection of a
cabinet officer tailed of confirmation.
Secretary fancy resigned the next
day, and IN January, 1885, was nomi-
mated a. associate Judge of the United
SiBtes supreme Court, but was again
rejected 10y the Senate. Upon the
death of John Marshall the President
named Mr.. fancy as Chief Justice of
the United states, aud the political
complexion of the Senate having
changed, he was confirmed March
10Th, 1876, 10y % votes against 10, not
4 wlthstanuing the deuuuciations of
i Henry Clay and other political oppo.
uents.
1t Is not within the purview of this
article to de-cant upon his judicial ca
reer 50 familiar to the world, of which
the celebrated bred. Scott was the most
conspicuous figure, and upon which
I public opinion has long since passed
Judgment. Judge fancy wrote the
farewell address Of Andrew Jackson on
his retirement from the Presidency,
and al the age of seventy-seven began
an autobiography, which he brought
down to 1901 and which forms the in-
PRODUCTION to "memoir," by Samuel
Tyler. He died in Washington, ID. c..
October 18th, 1864, the same day on
which the State Of Maryland abolished
slavery, and is buried by the side of
his mother in the little Catholic grave
yoiu oaCh vi lile 4NoNlllale DullulnS, III
Frederick. His place of sepulture Was
selected in response to the special re-
quest OF the Chief Justice, that his re-
mains should repose beside those Of her
whom he loved with singular devo-
ton. His affection for his mother was
Almost remarkable trait of his charac-
ter and lends palliating tone to the
harsher structures of his critics, being
one Of the first instincts of a gentleman