The age-herald., 1897-10-03
BENCH CONTEST
Judge Head Has Announced His
 Candidacy.
JUDGE SHARPE MENTIONED
His Friends Urging Ills candidacy-B Both Men Prominently Connected With Birmingham
 Legal Afairs-Fiye Candidates Out.

Much interest i'm all portions of the stale is cenisered in the contest for seats on the Alabama supreme bench.
 As the matter now stands there will be four vaeancfss, in associate justice- ships, an7d there are already five candG- dates, who 1t is claimed would mol cfb- jecs to the hozor. The contest for the supreme juat.ceshfp Is also attraotmg considerable attention, ard the admirers Of Judge Thomas N. Mcclellan say shat he will win the race
 Frecn present indications. It is noif 'at all improbable ,tfaat Binminelnsm will fur. nis'h two candidates for asIsocfate ius- tleeshps. Both gentlemen are widely known and their friends say they are i'm every respect equipped by mental alt taGnmends and high personal worth and character for the positions. The gen.1e- men refenred Ito are Judge J. B. Head, who ds already on the bench, and Judge ti A. Sharpe. Those intimate wath the fW1o gentlemen in both legal and friendly way are authority for this state- ment. A prominent legal light said to an Age-Herald reporter last night af.er Seeing the announcement of Judge Heads plobable cand- daey ii am al. er-. neon paper:
 Judge Head of this city, who is at present. am aF.socisias jusI6ace of the state supreme court, wi1l be a candidate for re-electleuB ani his name will be presefit- ed 10 the next demociatfc state conven- ton for re-nlominaiion.
 During lthe early per,od of his present. term sickness interposed for a season with Judge Heads regular attendance upon the sessions of the count He. how ever, soon recovered and has kept fully up with his work Judge Heads head h is now fully restored, and no further cause of apprehension on that score ex- tEits. During his present term of service Judge Head has made splendid record, fully sustaining the reputation as a jur- Est which he had acquired as circuit judge
 "Tha definf.e statement of his camdi. dacy will without doubt greatly graitify his numerous friends and admirers . throughout the staIte."
 The above statement, coming from one of his friends. probably seiatles the ques- dfon thalt Judge Head VIII be a candidate for reelection as associate justice of the supreme bench. Judge Head is a native of Greene county, Alabama. He was circuit court clerk of Greene county for several years, and moved Ito Birming- ham in 1888 to practice law as the pant ner of W. c. Ward. He continued to practice for some time, until he was ap- pointed by Gov. Seay circuit judge for Jeffers'on and other counties, win oh po- siifon he held until he was elected judge of the supreme court in 1892
 It is ye rerally understood that Judge H. A. Sharpe will also be can- didate for associate justice of the su- prame couiit. An Age-Herald reporter learned ltlEls last night from reliable au- thorly. Judge Sharpe is a native of Morgan county, Alabama. In 1880 he moved ito Birmingham and became asso- clated in the practice of law with James Weatherly. The firm was Sharpe & Weaitherly, and did a large practice
 In 1885 he was appointed judge of tho city count of Birmingham, which has the sa me powers as both the circuit and cDancery courts, talking cognizance ee both law and equty cases Since then he has been elected twice by the people of Jefferson county. the last time as senior judge of the city court, the court having become So popular and the dock ct so crowded with new cases that an associate justiceship was created and Judge w. w. Wilkerson eleosed to that position.
 Judge Sharpe is man of high char a He is quielt,- dfgnified and unassAn- ing.
 'tIn fact said a prominent lawyer last night, Judge Sharpe never lection- eers. yet there is mot a man in Jefferson courliy stronger witch the bar and the people than Judge Shanpe.