St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-07-04

learn that new judge was to preside
over the adjourned session of court.
The session had been adjourned to 1890
o'clock but at that hour recess was
taken until o'clock.
1t was 2 30 o'clock when the members
of the bar rose to their feet as Judge
Wendell P. Stafford entered the court
room and took his seat. He was accom-
panied by Assistant Judges Temple and
Anderson.
Judge Stafford at once began the con-
sideration of the business of the court.
Col. A. A. Hall was the first attorney to
address him.
The new judge was calm and selt.pos-
sessed. He spoke in rather low voice,
but his words were clear and distinct.
The suggestion that Mr.. Stafford be
appointed came not from himself, but
from the supreme court judges who
unanimously recommended his appoint
ment. AS soon as their action had been
noised about the state, prominent mem
bers of the Vermont bar heartily en-
dorsed him and in few days petitions
for his appointment were sent to Gov.
Smith signed by all the lawyers in Addi-
son, Caledonia and Chittenden counties.
The appointment will meet with univer-
sal favor.
In connection with this appointment
we are glad to print most appreciative
sketch of his life which one of bis init
mate friends wrote for the History Of
the Republican Party book which has
just been published in New York:
Wendell Phillips Stafford was born in
Barre, May 1, 1861. The qualities he
inherited were firm and fine grained like
the granite of his native hills. His an
cestry was distinguished tor intellectual
gifts and force oil character. John Stevens
Stafford, his grandfather, was Vice
President of the Massachusetts Anti
Slavery Society, and his home in Cum
mington, was a resort tor men like Gar
rison, Pilsbury, and Wendell Phillips.
When the boy of 1861 was born there
was a name ready for him, and it proved
there was a nature to fit it. An inter
esting bit OF family story is told of the
casting vote OF his father. ]. F. Stafford,
at Cummington, in 1850, resulting in
the election Of Charles Shaw to the Leg.
islature, whose vote on the fitty-tourth
ballot sent Charles Sumner to the United
States Senate in 1851.
Wendell p. Stafford went to st. Johns
bury in his isnneteenth year, and was grad
uated with the clase of 1880 from St
Johnsbury Academy. Three years later
he took his degree of LII. D., with higt
rank at the Law Department of Bostor
University. He was elected class orator
and his address elected complimentary
notice from Wendell Phillips. Thougt
denied the opportunity of a tull collegiate
course, his passion for good letters anC
continuous application to liberal studies
have given him an education of unusua
breadth and finish, the practical value o
which is more than doubled by a phe
nomenal power OF memory. He was ad
mitted to the Vermont Bar in 1882
Sixteen years later he was President c
the Vermont Bar Association. His frs
legal practice was in partnership wit
Hon. Henry c. Ide, lately Chief Justice {
Samoa, and now member OF the Phi
ippine Commission. Subsequently b
opened an independent office and ros
rapidly to front rank OF ability an
success in his profession. He represente
the town of st. Johnsbury in the Legisl
ture of 1892, winning quick recognitic
for expertness on the floor of that bod
In November, 1896, by unanimous re
ommendation of the bench, he was a
pointed reporter of the Supreme Cou
| of Vermont. One cannot open the a
nual volumes of Supreme Court decisio
lGnntin1ed q n fiftE ~ cre ]