The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-20
NINE VERY BIG MEN
PEN PICTURE OF THE JURY THAT
DECIDES THE INCOME TAX CASE.
Peculiar Traits of the Different Menu
bers of the Supreme Court Bench
from jackson To Fuller.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal


Supreme Court decides the constitutonality
of the income-tax law. General rumor has
1t that the law will be wiped out. but IL is
cision in the income-tax case itself nat
urally centers the nine men in whom
is vested the power TO decide this weighty
matter of the limit of the taxing power of
the government. They are undoubtedly the
most interesting body OF men in Washing
ton. The Supreme Court room itself is a
great stage, set for an effective picture
supported as it is by the historical assoc
Citations connected with its early occupation
by the small, but powerful, Senate of the
United States. Long ago outgrown for this
use, the apartment has been set aside for
the supreme Court. Semicircular in shape
the room sweeps around to a straight wall
against which is erected the bit of carpen-
try known as 1.-THE BENCH a place On
which is the ambition of every lawyer in
America. 1t is an impressive arrangement.
The great raised PLATFORM, with the mass
I've, solid railing rising in front of the
Justices. and behind them the severe row
of pure white marble columns forming the
background of the scene.
Above this is the little gallery that in the
early days of the United States Senate was
probably all sufficient for the accommoda-
ton of the few who cared to witness the
proceedings of that youthful body. A few
sood-looking pages and court officials move
mysteriousiy about back in the columned
recess behind the justices, and at the door
leading into the court room stands an i'm
pressive colored official, who swings the
baize-covered door to and fro at the indi-
cation of an approach. without ever let
ting it be touched by any other hand than
his own.
. The justices themselves are the most
interesting feature of the scene, however.
ROBBED in black silk gowns, they sit mo-
tionless in the characteristic attitudes that
have become habitual to them. Chief Jus
tice Fuller is, of course, the central figure.
on which interest centers at once. He is
a small man, in fact understood and gives
the impression of a strong. forceful INTEL
l lee Gagged aged in a weak, ALMOST puny body.
tioed when he is sitting on
the bench, and he seems almost the equal
head is topped with the shaggy mass of
white hair, while a heavy wnIte Dragon
mustache that falls far below the chin
gave promise OF wrecking the happiness
OF several Of the judicial sticklers for the
preservation of the traditional propreties:
the venerable Field, who Is behind only
three men in point of long service. On
this memorable Monday he celebrates the
thirty second anniversary of his introduce
ton to the duties of the Supreme Bench.
He appointed to his position on the
10th of March, 1858, but did not enter on
his duties until the 10Th of May, as he
was then Chief Justice of the supreme
Court of the State of California, and had
some business with that court to settle be-
fore entering on his greater career at
Washington. Chief Justice Marshall. who
served thirty-fOur years. five months; JUS
tice Story, who served thirty-three years
and nine months, and Justice Wayne, who
served thirty-two years and five months,
have longer terms 10 their credit, but JUS
tice Field hopes eventually to achieve the
record of the longest term on the Supreme
Bench, and seems in fair way to reach
his ambition. for, while now seventy-nne,
he is still sound and healthy, with force
man might envy. He has served with four
different Chief Justices, beginning with
Chief Justice fancy. He has a long. full
white beard that hangs down upon his
breast, making him in appearance. as he is
in reality. the patriarch of the bench
On Chief Justice Fullers left sits the
er. Brewer is a nephew of Justice Field
and on the day that Lawyer Field was re-
ceiving his sheepskin. with all the glories
Brewer was born in far off Asia Minor. He
is the youngest man on the bench; smooth
shaver as a priest, and looked on as one
Gray, who sits on the right of Justice
Field. is the giant of the bench. His exact
weight will probably never be known, as
he does not daily with the penny -in-the-slot
machine. 1t is a safe guess to say that he
is above three hundred. He moves ponder
ously about the court room. his massive
and his huge gown hanging loosely, con-
tributes to his elephantine grace. He has
for his right hand neighbor the courty
Brown, the literary light of the bench
and withal the most delightful and pleas
ant member of that illustrious family. He
is the president of the University Club
and the most charming after-dinner speak
err in Washington. Mr.. Chauncey Depew
not excepted.
Harlan is also heavyweight. physically
but has a force and vigor that is lacked
by Gray. He looks like a man of agrees
sive force and action and it is easy TO be-
lieve that he was judge at twenty-five
and that his decisions were famed through
out the State OF Kentucky for their fair
ness and justice.
White. who by reason of having been the
latest appointee on the bench, sits at the
extreme end on the left of the Chief JUS
tice and is well remembered by his sena-
torial friends as a big. handsome fellow
with a splendid set of teeth and "A genial
smile. on his right. looking like pros
porous bank president, sits Shivas, with
his short, black emnently respectable side
whiSkers.
The most interesting figure on the bench.
however, is that of jackson, the thin
wizened little justice, who sits Gt the ex-
treme right of the bench. and whose back
ing, distressing cough breaks on the Mono
tony Of the court room win the :egJlarity
of a pulse beat. He has a sharp. fquiline
countenance, a chin beard and stiff wiry
whitish hair, brushed straight rack from
his temples. He sits shrung up and with
cred and sunk far down in his chair, max
ing him appear much smaller than he really
is. He has been very i'll, and it was his i'll
ness from the original sitting on the in
come tax case that caused the tie Vote
TO be cast.
All the justices have characteristic atti-
tudes. Jackson sits with The tips O. his
fingers 10 his lips, apparently listening in
tently Gray leans far over the bench while
Brown sinks back into his leather covered
chair fondling some mnsty look,ng legal
tome Field writes many notes and never