The times., 1899-03-04
HIS FAREWELL TO THE BENCH
Justice Louis T.. McComas Retires to
Enter the Senate

Justice Louis T.. McComas Retires to
Enter the SENATE.
Justice Louis Emory McComas. after
serving more than six years as an Asso-
ciate Justice of the Supreme Court of the
District. yesterday severed his connection
with the judiciary of the District Of Co
lumbia, and will today be sworn IN as
United States Senator from the State of
Maryland, TO succeed Arthur T German
Justice McComas was appointed associate
justice of the District Supreme Court by
President Harrison. during his last Ad-
minstration. He took the oath of office
on February 20, 1892, and entered upon the
discharge of his duties a member of
the Supreme Court and in November fol-
lowing was confirmed by the Senate His
nomination for the position was not con-
sdered political one, but was recognized
as an acknowledgment of the high dppre-
citation In which President Harrison held
him as a man and jurist
Prior to his appointment as member of
the District Court Justice McComas was
for four terms member of Congress from
Maryland. and served in the Forty eighth,
Forty-ninth, Fiftieth, and Fifty-first Con-
crosses. He was defeated for reelection
to the Fifty-second Congress. When he
declined to be candidate again for politi-
cal honor and accepted position as a
member of the District Court. IL was sup
posed by his friends that he had retired
permanently from political life.
Before leaving the City Hall yesterday
Justice McComas was called TO attend a
meeting of the other justices of the court
| which took place during the recess hour
| The members of the bench took occasion
| to express their regrets. and wished him
! success in his new field of labor He also
| expressed great regret at Scvering his re-
! lations with those with whom he had been
| connected so pleasantly during his term
! OF service as associate member of the
| Supreme Court of the District
| Judge McComas, whose home is at VIII
| Transport, Md, was born in Washington
! county that State, and was educated at
! St James College Maryland. and Diekin-
| son College, Pa He was graduated from
the latter in 1866; studied law and was
admitted to the bar at Hagerstown, Nd.
| in 1868, and practiced Law there until he
! went upon. the Federal bench He was a
| Republican candidate for the Forty fifth
! Congress, was elected to the Forty y-eightb
| Forty ninth, Fiftieth. and Fifty-first Con
crosses, and defeated for reelection to the
| Fifty second He served rs a delegate-at-
large TO the Republican National Conven-
tion in 1892, and during the Presidential
campaign was the secretary OF the Repub-
lican National Committee On November
| II. 1892, he was appointed by President
Harrison, an Associate Justice of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
| succeeding Justice Montgomery. His res
gnation was rendered last December. He
| was elected to the Senate by the State
Legislature on January -, 1895 on the
tenth ballot, to succeed the Hon. Arthur
| 7. German. His term of service expires
| March g. 1905.
The faculty of Dickinson College con
ferred the degree OF LII. ID. upon him
| While "a member of the District bencf
| Justice McComas was d lecturer on Law
and evidence before the law department
of the Georgetown University.
Carroll NJ. Downs, who has been boti
private secretary and clerk of the branci
OF the Supreme Court of the District ovel
which Justice McComas presided, has re
signed his clerkship TO accept the position