, 1897-09-21
ABOUT JUDGE BLAIR.
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE RE-
LATES SOME WYOMING
"REMINISCENCES.
His Term OF Service in the Second Judi
cial District and How He Opened
Court When He First Arrived-His
Relations With the Establishment Of
the Boomerang.

Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune publishes a
OF the judge and some "reminiscences
of a very interesting nature, as follows:
Judge Blair's present appointment
comes 10 him as one OF a long list OF
civic honors which have been conferred
upon him dui ing an extended public ca
reer. Away back before the war he was
prosecuting attorney for Rich county,
now in West Virginia, and during the
unpleasantness he vas twice elected to
from, a West Virginia district.
After the close OF the war he represent
ed his district in the state legislature.
Later he was appointed by President
Johnson as minister to COSTA Rica, and
served four years. This was in 1868.
During President Grants second term
Judge Blair was appointed associate JUS
tice OF the supreme court o. Wyoming.
He was reappointed by President Hayes.
and also by President Arthur, and serv-
ed ~ years in all.
In april, 1888. Judge Blair removed
tn ITtah. and has since resided in Salt
Lake.
In 1892 he was appointed probate
Judge Tor Salt Lake county by President
Harrison, to fill a vacancy caused by the.
elevation Of Judge Bartch TO the posi-
ton Of associate justice Of the supreme
cour; OF the territory. He held this po-
sition until succeeded by Judge McNally.
who was appointed to the office early in
1895 by President Cleveland.
PROMOTED NYE'S BOOMERANG.
There are numerous incidents connect
ed with Judge BARS residence in the
west that have never been published u
which will be read with interest by his
many friends in Utah and Wyoming.
Judge Blair was associate justice OF the
supreme court Of Wyoming at a time
when Bill Nye was general utility man
in the office O. the Laramie Sentinel,
which was edited by the present Judge
Hayford OF Wyoming. The judge and
the struggling humorist soon became in
innate friends, and in 1880 Nye suggest
ed to Judge Blair that they buy a plant
and launch a paper OF their own.
How much will it COST" Judge Blair
asked.
About $4,000" was Nye's reply.
II cannot spare that much money"
Judge Blair answered; "but I'll tell you
what I'll do. l will get up a subscrip-
ton paper and see IL we can't raise the
amount"
The following day Judge Blair started
out IN the paper. and within a few
ho' RS the 5. 900 had been subscribed.
>&ye -ho:- went to Chicago and purchased
A plant, and after his return a public
meeting was held in the city hall for the
purpose OF choosing a name for the pa
per. Judge Blair was chairman Of the
meeting, and at the close OF the contest,
which was by far more humorous thai
anything which Nye had ever been auth
or OF up to that time, 1t was decided to
call the publication the Boomerang.
Nye at once set out to make the pa
per a success, and within a comparative
" short time he had made himself IA
nous.
In a quiet way. Judge Blair is almost
as great a humhorist as was the famous
Nye. His humor is OF a keen and pene-
trating, yet pleasing variety. as is evil
ienced by a number Of incidents in his
interesting career which will bear repeat
ing.
FORMALlTY THAT FAILED.
1t was shortly after his appointment to
ne Wyoming bench that Judge Blair
went into one OF the back districts to
hold court, and in the absence OF the reg
uiar bailif 1t fell to the lot OF a raw
boned young deputy marshal to declare
the session open. The judge, h was
fresh from the traditions and the sur
roundings OF the law courts OF the Old
Dominion, was both surprised and
shocked when this young foot-servant
OF the blind goddess arose. and after
hammering the desk with the butt OF q
six-shooter, blurted out courts open,"
and then dropped into a convenient SEAT
with the air OF a man who had BETTING
ly discharged a most important duty.
This manner Of putting the judicial ma
chinery in motiop was so opposed to the
Judges training and sense OF dignity
that at the noon recess he called the
deputy to one side and suggested, in a
mild way. that it would be well to open
court in a more formal manner.
That's the way Dad Cummings al
ways opened her." the officer replied,
and" with a touch Of pity in his voice.
'the man as said Dad didn't know his
biz had to be mighty handy with his
shooting-irons."
Il have no doubt" the Judge replied,
that Dad va all right. but I prefer to
open court the same as we do in Vir-
ginia. Hereafter when I take my seat
l will nod to you, and you will then. after
rapping three times upon the bench say:
Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! The hon
orable district court o; the. Second Judi
cis4 district Of the Territory Of Wyoming
Is now in session"
Judge Blair then wrote the words up
On a slip Of paper and handed them to
the odicer. telling MIN to memorize them. !
and congratulate himself upon the sup
posed fact that the code Of judicial pro-
ceedings would NOT again be violated.