The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-29
a CHANGE ON THE BENCH
JUDGE p. w. BARTHOLOMEW GIVES
WAY TO VINSON CARTER.
A. C. Harris Makes Short Talk in
Behalf of the Bar Association
Court Affairs.

Yesterday at noon Judge Bartholomew re-
tired as judge of Room 3, Superior Court,
and was succeeded by Judge Vinson Carter.
Judge Bartholomew has occupied the bench
for four years. He invited the members OF
the bar and the other county judges to be
present when Judge Carter should assume
the office. Before leaving the bench Judge
Bartholomew said in part:
LAS my time drew near for leaving the
bench / felt like / would like to see the
bar of Marion county as nearly as could
be represented present on this occasion, not
only for my farewell and the kind words
that l might desire to say to you, but es.
pecially to welcome the incoming judge OF
this court The courts or every stare ana Ina
county and State make them. But the
peculiar situation in which this room was
placed under the law gave me stronger
motive for this meeting. 1 felt that a
change of judges in a court like this, a
judge that deals with, arbitrates and dis
poses of the most sacred rights of the COM
munity, was a circumstance that ought to
be recognized and that the bar ought to
be present to welcome the incoming Ju9ge,
and for that reason l took upon myself to
call this meeting, and until / had deter
mined it Judge Carter knew nothing of it.
A Judge needs, first, courage, second, con-
science, and third, learning, and / believe
that Judge Carter, who succeeds me in this
Office, possesses all these qualities, and L
believe if he does not raise the standard
of our county judges he certainly Will be
equal to those in the past. I now bid you
all farewell, expressing again lily SIdllluuS
for all the help and kindness that has been
extended to me by you during my term
of Office
In the absence of the president of the Bar
Association, "A: c. Harris was selected to
represent the bar and in part he said:
''There are some here who remember with
what pride the bar of IndianapoIis COOP
Grated in the establishment of the Marion
Superior Court. When it was organized it
was the concenSuS of our opinions that
would organize and maintain a court upon
the higher level of judicial integrity and
qualification; There was at the bar at that
time a bright galaxy, Colonel Hendricks,
Mr.. Hord, General Harrison, John NJ But
Ter, Senator Mcdonald, Senator Hendricks
and many others that will occur to the
minds of all. Coming on the bench at that
time were Judge Rand, Judge Newcomb,
Judge Blair, Judge Perkins, and draw no
unfair parallel when L say that never was
there court organized in the State of
Indiana that had a brighter bar or more
ganized. This has always been the purpose
of the bar and it has certainly always been
the purpose of the Marion County Bar As
ISOLATION by it's efforts and by every means
which lay in our power to uphold and
maintain the high character and integrity
Of this court, You will not criticise me
when l say that the members of the bar
always felt when they came into this court,
no matter on what occasion, that but
ton or badge had no influence with any
person who was engaged in the admins
tration of Justice
At the request of Judge. Bartholomew
Judge Carter then assumed the official
chair. He spoke briefly to those present.
saying:
Il fully concur in what has been said
in reference to my predecessor, Judge Bar
tholomew. My relations with him during
the time he has occupied this bench have
been very pleasant and as he goes from
here he takes with him my respect and my
regard, as judge having occupied this
bench and as an attorney at this bar, and
as he returns to the practice I have ne
doubt he goes back to it with the added
experience of four years upon the bench
which will give him even greater force and
greater ability in the practice of his pro-
coming to the bench myself 1 feel a keen
sense of the duties and responsibilities. [
know that I shall make mistakes and,
while am not here to make promises as
vention promises or inaugural promises.
yet l want to say that / have desire
and purpose in my heart to be right upon
the law of every case and to get at the
right and merit of it, and 1 invite the aid
and assistance of the members of the bar
in the discharge of my duties because I
know that without it l shall often fail but
with the aid and the learning of the mem
bers of this bar l feel that it is hard for
q judge to go very far wrong. l think we
have bar in Marion county of which this
county ought to be proud. l believe, taking
the bar as whole it has as high or a
higher standard of morality and honor as
you will find In any other profession or
always taken a high standard. While I
occupy this bench / shall require no higher
degree Of prcmptnesS from litigants and
counsel than / shall impose upon myself
that the court is here for the transaction
ana accommodation of business, and that
business Is not for the accommodation of
the court
There were also remarks by w. H. H.
Judges. -N'