Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-04-05


ication to the judges. Here is copy
To the Honordble images Of the SUPREME
Court, olympia, Washington:
GENTLEMEN: 1t is with no small de-
gree of embarrassment that venture to
address you touching the manner of the
severance OF my connection with Won as
an employee OF the Supreme Court. As
you all know, | must depend upon NV
daily labor for livelihood, and in order
to secure employment, | must preserve
my good name. To maintain an honor
able and unblemished reputation is with
me not only guiding principle but a
moral duty. | must secure such re-
muneratlve employment as will enable
me TO earn an honest living and support
those who are dependent upon nv exer-
tons. Ii you will but reflect YOU will
certainly agree with me that the nom
resistance of three of your number to
the demands OF Judges Dunbar and
Scott-that be Immediately discharged,
or II not that be summarily dismissed
at the end OF this month, and that | be
not notified until that time-has cast an
lmputatlon upon my character and hurt
my feelings more than can, or care to,
express. In short, it seems to me that,
in justice to yourselves, and certainly in
justice to me, | should be specifically
and definitely informed as to wherein |
have offended. | would not have YOU
think am calling you to account for
your action or challenging your right to
employ whom you choose or to dismiss
any person connected with the court
but do think that my long service with
the court and the apparent satisfaction
L have given, entitle me to this much
consideration. Besides, | need not re-
mind you that however exalted NAV be
your station you cannot afford to do any
One-let that one be ever SO humble-an
injustice or wrong in your private or
official capacity, any more than | can
afford to rest under an implication of
wrong-doing, direct or otherwise.
Please advise me whether or not |
have been sufficiently Jealous in the
interests OF the public service; whether
or not have been competent and pains
taking; and whether or not any charges
have been made against me. In short
if deserve it, give me a letter that will
he As curative as this summary dis
missal is calculated to be damaging TO
me. | ask this as a matter of simple
justice.
am particularly anxious that all of
the Judges sign the letter, if they are
willing TO. Ii, however, any OF the
Judges does not see fit to endorse all
that may be said by the others, or if any
one of the Judges has grievance of any
kind against me, | will be grateful ii he
will be kind enough to state what thot
grievance is in this letter to be addressed
to me. have sent copy of this letter
to each of the Judges.
l will thank you for an early reply.
Very respectfully,
MAY l.. SYLVESTER.
To this. upon the next day, / re-
ceived this answer:
MISS MAY l.. SYLVESTER:
1t affords me pleasure to bear testi-
mony to the ability and faithfulness with
which You have discharged the duties
OF stenographer and typewriter of this
court during the four years that you
have been in its employ. regret very
much that circumstances have made it
necessary that you should leave us.
We shall be fortunate indeed il your sue
cessor will have the ability and faith
fulness to render as acceptable service
as you have been able, willing and de-
slrous to do. Whoever may secure your
| services in the future will be fortunate
and can rely upon the highest qualifica-
tions being faithfully devoted to his
interests Very truly yours,
JOHN p. HoYT,
Chief Justice.
And six days later, I received this:
To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Miss May L. Sylvester has held the
position Of Supreme Court stenographer
for several years last past, and has al
all times performed the duties pertain
ing thereto, carefully, promptly and
satisfactorily. And as she now pro-
poses to seek employment elsewhere, we
take pleasure in commenting her to the
favorable consideration of any and all
persons who may require the services OF
thoroughly competent and reliable
stenogranher and typewriter.
Very respectfully,
T.J. ANDERs,
Judge Supreme Court.
NJ. j. GORDON,
Associate Justice.
"These testimonials to your compe.
tency and the satisfaction your ser
vices have given are signed then by 8
majority of the court?"
Certainly. You will notice tina,
they are worded to imply that volun
tarily left their employ and they en-
tirely evade my inquiry, which wa,
wherein had offended to Justify m,
harsh discharge, and are not such as
| hQlsnun / had riuhf .,nIa~ 1a NJ
cumstances to receive. ] was no
then nor, am I now seeking, reinstate
ment, but only an opportunity simpl,
to set myself right. 1t seems to m,
nothing but my gross violation o
duty or betrayal OF the trust reposet
in me, would have justified my sum
mary discharge. If such was charged
against me, justice and courtesy de
manded that be given an opportunit,
to clear myself"
Have any complaints ever beef
made to you concerning your work."
Not the slightest. / might add
in addition to the above flatterin
testimonials that have in my posses
sion a statement by Judge Dunbar
made last November, that my wor
was satisfactory i'll every way"
Have your relations with the cler
OF the court been friendly~
Entirely 80 until within, the Ia,
six months. Here said Miss Sylves
ter, picking up paper weight upo
her table," is a trifling souvenir whic
the clerk brought me from the Cal
fOrnia Fair, stating it to be a Sigh
token OF his appreciation of the care
full attention had given his branch c
the courts business during his absenc,
Lately there has been marked chang
in his attitude towards me which
have felt keenly."
To what do You attribute this?"
Well that's long story. When
entered upon my duties, in 1891.
mad never worked for the State befor
and knew very little concerning tn