Evening star., 1899-03-03
FAREWELL WORDS SPOKEN
Members of District Supreme Court Take
Leave of Justice McJomas.
The Latter Doffs the Ermine for the
Senatorial Toga - His Sue
cessOr as Judge.

After a service on the bench of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
since the 22d of November. 1892. Justice
Louis E. McComas this afternoon bade
farewell to his associates. His term as
United States senator from the state of
Maryland will begin at noon tomorrow.
In view of the departure of Justice Nc
Comas meeting of all the justices of the
court was called during the recess period
today by Chief Justice Bingham. His asso-
ciates on the bench took occasion at the
meeting to express their regret at the de-
parture of the senator-elect, to wish him
the most unbounded success in the Senate
and to say a great many other nice things.
Justice McComas, in response, also ex-
pressed regret at the severance of relations
which, he said, had been so harmonious
and pleasant throughout his entire service
on the bench. Justice McComas added that
his departure would only be a partial one,
as he would continue to reside in WASH
ington during the sessions of Congress and
would engage in the practice of law here.
Native of Maryland.
Louis Emory McComas of Williamsport,
Md, was born in Washington county, Md,
and was educated at ST. James College,
Maryland. and Dickinson College, Pennsyl-
vania. S.nce last June he has held the de-
gree of LII. D. from the latter institution.
He was graduated from the latter in 1866.
He studied law, and admitted to he
bar at Hagerstown, Md, in 1868, and prac
ticed there until he went upon the federal
bench. He was the republican candidate
for the Forty-fifth Congress, was elected
to the FOrty-eighth, Forty ninth. Fifteth
and 51st Congresses, and defeated for re-
election to the Fifty second. He was del
egate-at-large to the republican national
convention in 1882. and during the presden-
tial campaign was the secretary of the re-
publican national committee. November II,
1892, he was appointed by President Harri
son an associate justice of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia, which
office he has held until today, when his
resignation rendered last December takes
effect. He was elected to the Senate by the
state legislature January %, 1898, on the
tenth ballot to succeed Arthur 2. German.
His term of service expires March 3, 1905.
Senator-elect McCOmas is professor of evil
dence and contracts in the law department
of Georgetown University.
Judge CIabaugh.
According to present information Justice
Cla5augh will take his seat on the local
bench. to succeed Judge McComas about
the middle of the month possibly Monday,
the 18th instant. Although the assignment
has not yet been definitely decided, it is
practically a certainty that he will hold
Criminal Court No 3. Justice Cole going to
Criminal Court No. ., and Justice Bradley
at present sitting in that court. going to
Equity Court No ., to take the place of
Justice McCOmas.
The delay. If 1t may be called such. in the
matter of Justice Clabaugh reporting here
for duty is due to the necessity for him to
close up his affairs as attorney general of
the state of Maryland. He also has several
cases to argue before the Maryland court
o. appeals
Chief Justice Bingham will administer
two oaths TO Justice Clabaugh when the
latter is ready to assume the duties of the
office vacated by Justice McComas. The
first is the regular oath of allegiance as
follows:
Il. =" -, appointed associate justice
of the Supreme Court of the District Of
Columbia, do solemnly swear that | will
support and defend the Constitution of the
United States against all enemies foreign
and domestic; that l will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same; that | take this
obligation freely, without any mental res
erVation or purpose of evasion and that |
will well and faithfully discharge the duties
of the office in which am about 90 enter
The second oath Is as follows:
4, appointed associate justice
of the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia. do Solemnly swear that | will
administer justice without respect to per-
sons, and do equal right to the poor and
to the rich; and that l will faithfully and
impartially discharge and perform all the
duties incumbent on me as justice of the
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia,
according to the best of my abilities and
understanding. agreeable to the Constitu-
ton and laws of the United States.''