New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-29
As JUDGE AND SECREIAhf.
INTERESTING SIDE LIGHTS ON MR.. GRESH-
ANS CHARACTER
SIMPLICITY HIS MOST PRONOUNCED TRAIT b'i
DIGNITY WAS NOT WANTING STORIES OF

DIGNITY WAS NOT WANTING STORIES Or
HIS CAREER on THE BENCH.
Icy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiRuNEl
Washington Nav Secretary Greshams most
pronounced characteristic was simplicity Yet WIN
all his disregard Of what most people "ou'" '"
the social amenities. he never abandoned cer'hi"
self-respecting and rugged dignity. his poP"''''''
in a due to this trait OF nus ciia'
acter. Even those who could not agree win MIN
| In his fantastic diplomacy. those whose no
tons OF proprety he shocked AZ times. could NOT
deny the lovable qualities OF the man. ana FORGET
| In his presence the humiiiating failure OF the
| statesman. Amid the scores OF anecdotes tod OF
him within the last twenty-four hours. there are
many which bear repeating illustrating MS
character.
on one occasion while the District Court
bench in Indiana. he told a young man convicted
OF a crime and abou; TO be to the penitentiaiy
that ne might 20 horne for three days TO say Soo1-
/ by to his father. who IL his last Illness
The young man was allowed 10 so without a
| guard on his promise 10 return 10 be sent 10 the
penitent.ary. This turned out have Its comcai
side At tho end OF the three days the young man
returned TO Judge Gresham. somewha; Hurried ana
! indignant He had no; understood the Judge. and
instead OF coming straight back from his fa'her >
house he had gone direct to the peniientiary The
Warden had refused 10 admit him. lie had no
commitment papers with him. or anything else
which indicated his rights to become an inmate
OF the prison and the Warden chose 10 look upon
him as an impos;or. The young man had returned
10 report the misconduct OF the Warden In re-
fusing to admit him. He was turned Owe. 10 the
marshal who. with the proper papers. escorted
him 10 the penitentiary. where h. was promptly
and properly admitted.
on another occasion. when Grand Army man
whom Judge Gresham knew found guilty be-
fore his court Of robbing the mail Judge Gresham
! told him he might go home ana spend the night
Nth IA mil he ia he " la
/ ard receiv. sentence The faithfully returned
ard sentenced to prison for two years. Judge
! Gresham subsequently signed a petition FOR the
mans pardon. and he was released after serving a
/ year.
on stin another occasion Gresham displayed his
quick apprehension o, what going about
him A trial was In progress before him. Lands
| hs private secretary in IN" state Department
was one OF the attorneys engaged. In the midst -
tails trial there came IN tn" courtroom a lawyer
| OF high standing. who once held high place In III"
| Department 4 Justice a, Washington. He was
! guardian al Item for a couple Of millionaire chill
dren the Older ~ the Two being less than ton
/ yeas OF age. He asked permission OF Lands and
! the DINER attorneys - interrupt them .or mo-
| ment. He sad tina; be wanted 10 get ~ order
! from tho Court IN the guardianship mater. per
hitting him 10 sell certain property. Il purely
a formally he said. and 1t would only take
| moment He passed up the papers 20 Judge
| Groshan but something had served 10 arouse his
/ suspicion Instead OF hastily making the order
| Judge Gresham sat cooily back and FOR twenty
| minutes read the papers In the matter. When n
was through he turned 10 the lawyer and said
| Have YOU read these papers, The lawyer replied
! that he had Judge Gresham reached FOR his docket
and made entry II took about ten minutes
! Then he turned sternly 20 the lawyer and said
| Fl have removed you from your guardianship Of
these children. You will have nothing further To- do
with either them their property You may go
! sir" Then. turning 10 the lawyers NJ the trial
table he remarked: Proceed with your case
gentlemen" The lawyer thus abruptly removed
from his guardianship stood moment "a II n
| planet had struck him, and then left the court
room without asking n question or saying word
Nor did he af,erward ever bring the matter up
either In public or private. That attorney Is now
| practising Law IN Chicago.
| While ne was on the Bench Judge Gresham made
several decisions which gained him some notoriety at
| the time one wa IN the recevership Of the wabash
| Railroad The road H. the hands OF a receiver
appointed 10y the United States Court In ~. Louis
| IN take charge Of the entire system Gresham at
his court in Chicago. OF edval Jurisdiction with the
81 Louis Court. announced as the law that no order
| touching a railroad and It's rcceivershlp could be
made 10 extend beyond the limits OF the State the
cour, was sitting in lie held tina. the St Louis re-
ownership dld not apply 10 that portion Of the Wa
bash road lying within the State ~ Illinois and for
IN. Illinois stretch OF the Wabash he appointed an
other receiver. Not long ago reporter CHANGED 10
be in conversation with Secretary Gresham and the
| question OF the Wabash recevership was discussed
MY order acquicsced In AT the time said the
| Secretary. but II failed TO please a great many
railroad pcope II threw rIdclight on the trans
| actions OF the Wabash which they d.d not Ike
The road had been running behind FOR years II was
In debt for interest It's bonds and II owed for us
| taxes. TO the astonshmcnt Of all concerned. and
myself. for that matter. my receiver Tor that piece
| Of the road running through Illinois made proht
| OF little over $4,000 IN about two years We
| paid the taxes VITA road and made big mole IN
Another decision which had considerable fame at
the time was rendered what IL called the Narrow
Gauge case The decision the effect that the
wages OF the employees were always the first lien
Tine ago. Secretary Gresham said: 4 made this de-
c.son on the broad grounds Of public policy. Raj
roads quasi public In their character. They are
the highways Of commerce; 10 suspend or cog their
operation is a public disaster. We, to keep them
Railroads could not be kept open and operated II
empoyes in their claim Tor wages were 10 be sweat
! down by morigase which might be placed upon
nan. as is proved BY wha, he did Immediately after
the assassination Of President Garfield. At mat
holheaded people were calling for The blood OF the
assassin without trial commissoner Of Pensions
been appointed TO that place, was in Indianapolis.
and in an interview had taken the ground that
ing II a greater offence for a to assassinate
Of the pea sss ss,S slS .s%s
vigorous language from Mr.. Gresham. lie said In
, ses nS wa hat s o %a %GS this %%" % Mr.
Gresham. "all men are upon the same equality. ana
IL IL az much "A crime to kill a day la0orer as II is
the President Of the United States. This Kind OF
talk. he continued rs in the direction OF what we
are trying TO preventive creation OF class dstinc-
ton. One would suppose that a man OF Dudiey's
Intelligence would not be foolish as to make ex-
pressions Of this kind OF course II Is great Ma,
tional calamity have the President Of the United
States assaulted assassnated. but that II should
have any grade In the calendar OF crime IN not IN
keeping with the institutions OF this Government
Judge Gresham never much Impressed by the
ceremonial Of official life His easy careless plan
Of doing buslness was more than once shock s 10
the diplomatic colony In Washington. they did
not know how take his fashion OF doing busi.
ness ON occasion two secretaries or one or
the legations were ushcred in:o the Diplomatic
Room 10 make what they intended to be formal
call ON the secretary OF State IL was hot
August afternoon They found the Secretary In his
shirt sleeves and with his slppered rect placed com.
fortably in a window, where he could have the ful
benefit OF the Potomac breeze He was smoking
strong cigar. and was adding to his comfort az