Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-01
NOT ADMITTED.
Miss Gillette's Application Goes
to State Board.
A Protest from Fitchhurg Causes SEN
sation-other Business Transacted
at Local Courts.

At the opening of the superior civil
court before Judge Bond, Friday morn
ing. at $50 o'clock, fourteen of the can
didates for admission to the bar who
had successfully passed the last exam
ination, were formally admitted to the
bar. District Attorney Herbert Par
ker, chairman of the examiners, adj
dressed the court, stating that the men
had passed the examinatio and the
board recommended their admission to
practice. The applicants then took the
oath of attorney, being sworn in by
Clerk of the Courts Theodore s. john
son. Those sworn were as followsi
Chandler Bullock, Thomas c. Carrl-
gan, George C. Douglass, Stephen F.
Littleton, w. w. Macomber, John W.
Mawbey, Michael J. Lyden, Elmer c..
Potter, Thomas L. Nelson, Jr., all Of
this city; George H. Olney Leicester;
Frank H. Dresser, Southbridge; Mi
chael T. Flaherty, Northbridge; Henry
w. Jackson. West Boylstoni David
Stoneham, Boston.
Two of the successful applicants, Err
nest Topper of Fitchburg and Brian j..
Dunn of Worcester, were not present,
but a telegram was received from MIR.
Dunn that he had been unavoidably de-
layed at Boston and would not reach
Worcester until later. He appeared in
the afternoon, and was formally sworn
as attorney by Col. johnson.
Throughout the day there had been
an air of suppressed interest in all the
court circles, and the attendance OF
lawyers at the court was larger than
usual, because of the announcement that
Miss Addie Frances Gillette of Fitch
burg was to be admitted to the bar in
the afternoon, but she was not allowed
to take the oath, and there was some
thing of a sensation among the legal
fraternity Miss Gillette appeared with
Associate Judge Charles S. Hayden of
Fitchburg, in the afternoon, and the
goal of her ambition seemed about to be
realized. AS court was in session, her
case was postponed until the closing OF
the case then on trial. Before the case
was ended at $50 o'clock, however,
telephone message from Fitchburg
came to the board of examiners, pro-
testing against the admission of Miss
Gillette The announcement of the
message was shock to the lady. but
as she has become experienced in fac
ing trials and annoyances since she
commenced her study of law, she brave
ly controlled herself and waited. The
message came from Mrs. Effie Hartwell
widow of the late Judge H. c. Hartwell
of F'itchburg, who is the president Of
the Woman's Club Of that city, stating
that she wished to enter an objection to
the admission of Miss Gillette. Later
however. Mrs. Hartwell telephoned that
she would like to sign a paper obJecung
to Miss Gillette's admission, but as
there was no such opportunity, she
would withdraw her protest
Judge Charles S. Hayden of Fitch
burg, in whose office Miss Gillette has
been employed as stenographer, and
| ferences with the bar examiners and
| the court officials. After the counter
message from Mrs. Hartwell had been
received and there was no business be-
fore the court, Miss Gillette went inside
| the bar with two friends who had ac-
companied her from Fitchburg, and
awaited the action of the court. Her
bert Parker, chairman of the board OF
bar examiners, then held a consultation
non of the board, signed by each MEM
| Der, was given the court, the recon-
mendation for admission being as fol-
lows:
| County of Worcester,
| w. S. Sitting, December, 1897
Upon the petition of Addie F. Gillette
| for admission as attorney, the board of
standing examiners, pursuant to the or
| der of the court, have examined said
! petitioner and make report that they
find her qualified for admission to prac-
! tice as prayed for, and accordingly the
| said examiners recommend that she be
admitted (SigneO
Herbert Parker,
lockwood Hoar,
| Charles F. Baker.
| After Mr.. Parker gave the recon-
| mendation, he told Judge Bond of the
message which had been received from
Mrs. Hartwell of Fitchburg. After a
short conference, Judge Bond announced
his decision, which was that as Miss
| Gillette had been recommended Thurs
day, and as it was proposed to admins
ter the oath to her Friday, he consid-
cred the time too short, as there would
T, be insufficient opportunity for the fill
ing of objections to the candidates ad-
mission. For that reason, he referred
the question Of Miss Gillettes admission
to the state board of bar examiners.
Miss Gillette discussed the case with
| District Attorney Parker and Gen.
Hoar. While there was evident disap-
| pointment, she betrayed no emotion, but
smiled to her friends when all hope of
| being admitted to practice this term
] was dashed. She had been notified to
| come to Worcester from Fitchburg, and
after waiting the full afternoon with the
| expectation Of being admitted, she was
| obliged to return without the coveted
honor. The bar examiners did not
take kindly to the telephone protest,
| and the lawyers at court were filled
with indignation at the protest coming
from Miss Gillette's own sex when the
| members of tie bar favored her admis-
Sion and mao smoothed her course, es-
pecially after she had demonstrated her
ability and courage in passing a bril-
| liant examination.
Each candidate for admission pre-
sents a certificate of good moral
character, and that Of Miss Gillette,
which was accepted by the bar ex-
aminers, was signed by City Solicitor
! Edward P. Pierce of Fitchburg, ex-
Mayor Samuel l.. Graves of Fitchburg,
| and ex-Mayor and Associate Judge OF
the Municipal Court Charles S. Hay
| den.
Miss Gillette was born in Plymouth,
| VT, "a years ago, and Is an orphan.
She is a graduate of Vermont Nor
NAL school, and taught with marked
success for some years in Windsor
county. Judge Hayden lost by death a
! daughter Of the age of Miss Gillette
! and she became a member of his house
| hold. She has been his stenographeI
and has studied in his office. What ac-
ton the state board will take is not
known, or the time they will meet tc
| consider the matter. Edward p. Pierce
of Fitchburg, who signed Miss Gillette