Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-12


ington is great that in his own state.
where he is universally popular. The APP
pointment of Col. Boyd is received here
with general satisfaction. and at the De-
partment of Justice today Col Boyd was
busy receiving the congratulations of a host
of friends
Col. Boyd's administration of his office
has been entirely satisfactory to the two
Attorneys General under whom he has
served as first assistant. After Attorney
General Mckenna was placed upon the
Supreme Court bench there was much IA
vorabie talk of elevating Col. Boyd to the
first place in the department. but the fact
that he was from the south and from a
state that was democratic operated against
him.
Col. Boyd will take the oath of office on
July IL, and in about week or ten DAYS
will leave for North Carolina.
sketch of His Career.
Colonel Boyd is a native of Alamance
county, North Carolina. and was educated
at the preparatory school at Graham, y. c..
and at Davidson College. He was a private
soldier in the confederate army for three
years. part of which time he was mem
Der of Company E, I'd North Carolina Vol
unteers, afterward the 18th North Carolina
Infantry being the regiment at first COM
manded by Gen. W. d. Pender, and for the
ba .ance a member of Company H. LIST Regi-
ment. North Carolina Cavalry. in which
he was serving at the time of the surrender
at Appomattox. He read law in the office
of the late Thomas Ruffin at Graham N c.
commencing in the year 1855; was licensed
in June. 1851, by the supreme court of
North Carolina to practice in the courts Of
pleas and quarter sessions and was licensed
in all the courts in June, 1858. He located
at Graham where he pursued his profess
sion until April Is. 1888 when he removed
to Greensboro, n. c., where he has since
resided. He was delegate from North Caro-
lima to the republican national convention
at Philadelphia in 1872; was a member of
the house of representatives of the North
Carolina legislature from the county of
Alamance in the session of 1S14-5 and
was delegate from the said county to the
convention of 1916 to amend the state con-
stitution: was candidate for Congress in
1876 in the fifth North Carolina district
but was defeated by the late Alfred NJ
Sea es- In June, 1880, was appointed by
President Hayes United States attorney for
the western district of North Carolina
which position he held until June 1855 He
was permanent president of the North Car
DINA republican state convention in 1856
and also in 1883, and was elector-at-large
on the republican ticket in the state in 1883.
He was delegate to the republican nation
al convention at ST. Louis in 1886 which
nominated President Mckinley. and took
an active part in the campaign of that year
He is also the North Carolina member of
the republican national committee. He was
appointed assistant attorney general of the
United States by Mr. Mckinley on the
18th of May, 1897 which position ne has
held until his appointment to the federal
bench. During his connection with the De-
partment Of Justice of the United States
Colonel Boyd added to his already estab-
ished reputation as a lawyer. He has rep
resented the government in the Supreme
Court Of the United States in many cases
and some of the most important, and his
arguments. both oral and written testify
to his high legal attachments. His opinions
as assistant attorney general constituting
and applying the war revenue act and upon
other subjects of public Importance have
been such as to command the commenda-
ton and approval of the legal profession
generally.
Colonel Boyd has sent to Chairman Han
his resignation as a member of the re-
publican national committee.
Col. Boyd's Successor.
President Mckinley has selected James
NJ. Beck, district attorney of Philadelphia
as successor to- Colonel Boyd. The ap-
pointment is of great interest The seec-
ton was personal one with Attorney Cen
eral Griggs. who regards Mr.. Beck's abili-
ties as of the highest order.
Mr.. Beck was appointed district attorney
by President Cleveland in 1896. He had al
ways been a democrat, but he declined to
support Bryan that year His term of four
years has expired but he was retained in
office by Attorney General Griggs. He has
for some time been republican, although
he made no public announcement of that
fact until recently.
Mr.. Beck Is about thirty-eight years old
and native of Pennsylvania.
Success as a Prosecutor
Mr.. Beck's success as United States at
torney was phenomenal. attracting wide
attention and winning cordial recognition
at Washington. to which in no small degree
| his promotion is due. 1t was his fortune to
represent the government in a number of
highly important and interesting cases. In
these his exceptional skill as an advocate
| and brilliancy as an orator won verdicts
| where the odds were all against him. He
| convicted the Cuban filibusters of viola
| ton of the neutrality laws in the face of a
| hostile local sentiment The arrest and
| conviction of the Lancaster counterfeiters
| brought out a story of crime as dramatic,
| in its incidents. as any drama or novel
| The browning proof of Mr.. Beck's ability
as a lawyer was the conviction of his pre-
| decessor in office. Ellery P. Ingham, and
| 1ngham's assistant, hewitt, of an attempt
to bride government officers. The trial will
| be for years cause celebre in the annals
of the Philadelphia bar Ingham's reputa-
| ton. his political and social standing. his
hosts friends. his eminent counsel. did
| not save him. Those who heard the trial
Il