The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-31

is an Improbable and laborious one. and
of sort not coveted by lawyers. To do
the thing successfully requires much no
tience and considerable technical skill,
Mrs. Werner will have to make bsrsa,t
conyersant with the liquor business !,
order to make her work successful and
| there is little doubt that the iob was
given to her, as we'll as the receiyershins
to the other two women lawyers, largely
as test of their ability in that branch
of the law.
Naturally this new departure on the
Fart Of o Supreme Court Justice was
much discussed at the time, and Mrs
werner's appointment caused much COM
! ment when it became known. The
newspapers spoke of it and in that way
| the Friends heard that one Of their num-
| Der had been ordered by the Supreme
Court to take charge of the business of a
saloon keeper. They felt confident that
| they would read the next day that Mrs.
Werner had declined the honor. They
didn't read any such thing. however,
and the days went by withou5 any indi
| cation from Mrs. Werner that she would
not do the work imposed upon her by
the Court.
Then it was that the matter came up
for discussion at meeting in the
Friends Meeting House in Stuyvesant
square. The unanimous opinion was
that Mrs. Werner ought to decline to
serve as receiver for Strauss. There was
nothing formal about the discussion,
and no talk of notifying Mrs. Werner of
the sentiment of the meeting. 1t was
simply an informal expression of opinion,
and nevertheless Mrs. Werner heard of it
almost Immediately, and later when she
met the Rev. DR.. Phoebe Hannaford
the subject came up between them.
Miss Hannaford was at the meeting in
the Friends Meeting House when Mrs.
Werner's appointent was talked about
and in response to Mrs. Werner's ques-
tions she said in the gentle tone peculi ar
| to the Quakers:
s'Thee must do as thy own conscience
tells thee, and not be wavered by the
| thoughts OF others, sister. / think thee
can reason for thyself. Thou art law
yer now. and in the business Of reason
| ing for others. Thee should know the
right path.
Mrs. Werner told Miss Hannaford that
she was satisfied as to the Dropriety of
her keeping the appointment, but said
| that she had heard that the Friends
were opposed to 1t.
"And what has thee thought Of The
argument?'
IL have decided to keep the receiver
ship,' replied Mrs. Werner. ~ have
been appointed by learned Judge to
an eminent place, and 1t is purely le-
gal proceeding and has nothing to do
with the private life of any body
1t was at later meeting of the Sooi-
ETY. OF Friends that the matter came up
again. Mrs. Werner was present at this
meeting, and an old friend of hers, one
Of the best known Quakers in the city,
spoke to her about 1t. This was Mrs.
Anna jackson, who said:
"Thee must make up thy mind quick
ly, sister, as to the right Of this thing.
The Friends do not wish thee to be con-
neoted with the liquor business or a
liquor saloon. Ths Friends will not feel
easy about thee mixing with such
| things"
| i Jonah Rees, another prominent Quak-
er, spoke to Mrs. Werner about the mat
ter. too. There wasn't the slightest ill.
feeling displayed in any Of this talk.
The Quakers believe in individuals aot-
ing on their own conscienoes, but think
all questions open to dispute, and do moi
hesitate to express their opinions. Mrs.
jackson and Mr.. Ress had no hesitation
in telling Mrs. Werner they disapproved
Mrs. Werner had none in telling then
that she was of different way of think
ing. At any rate, as the matter now
stands, the Quakers are oppo sed to Mrs
Werner accepting the appointment, and
Mrs. Werner is determined to do go.
Mrs. Werner is a good looking woman
IS years of age. She first attraotsd public
notice in 1891, when she was graduated
at the head of the woman's law class Of
the University of the City of New York
In October, 1891, she entered the mons
law class, consisting of 10 men and fivs
women. and won the faculty prize Of
500. She was graduated in June, 1893
ranking fourth In her GLASS, despite eigh1
weeks of illness just before the exami
nations. For year she was a clerk IL
the office of ]. 81. Hildreth, and in Jun.
1894, she passed tho bar examina tion be-
fore Justice Van Brunt. staining fourth
in class OF eighty eight, and winning
the honor Of being the first woman adj
mitted to the bar In New York. II
March. 1894, she was admitted to praotios
in the q nited States Circuit Court here