Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-05-23
STORY OF AN APPOINTMENT.
Newspaper Seryea to Save an Office Seek
er From Disappointment.

Law III Iht gNtll vi lVOO IL was 49,
ed by the powers that be that Mr.. Dan
iel H. Mcmillan, ex-state senator of
New York, was to be appointed asso-
ciate justice of the supreme court OF
New Mexico
This appointment had been urged
not only by those who knew Mr.. Nc
MILAN in the state of New York, but
by lawyers of Santa Fe and of othef
cities in New Mexico. who knew him
and desired to see him obtain the place.
Toward the close of 1900. with Gov
ernor Otero of the territory, Mr.. Nc
MILAN was on a Lake Shore train
speeding to Washington. When the
train stopped at Painesville. Ohio,
newsboys boarded it, and one of them
called out: "All about the new supreme
court judge of New Mexico, Silas Alex
ander appointed" The governor of
the territory and Mr.. Mcmillan looked
at each other. and they bought pap
er, and in that paper they read in glar-
ing headlines that Silas Alexander of
Santa Fe, had received the appoint
ment of the vacant judgeship.
Mr. Mcmillan, the morning after his
arrival in the capital went at once to
the Office of the Secretary of War.
How did it happen l was not ap-
pointed?" he asked.
Why" said Mr.. Root, you are ap'
pointed
why, said Mr.. Mcmillan, you are
mistaken" and drew from his pocket
the Cleveland newspaper of the day be-
fore. Secretary Root turned all colors.
This is a mistake he said: IAN alb
surd strange mistake, for | have it
from the presidents own lips, corrobo-
rated by Mr.. Griggs, attorney general,
that your name was sent yesterday to
the senate for action, and that the rec
oinmenuation was duly signed by Pres
ident Mckinley"
Then the men went to the state, war
and navy buildings and found Attorney
, General Griggs.
"But you have been given the ap-
pointment,' said Mr.. Griggs.
Then what does this newspaper
report mean?' was the reply.
The attorney general was dumbfound
ed. Il cannot conceive what il
means" he said. He tapped his bell
and when a messenger came in rer
sponse he requested the attendance ol
the clerk, in confidential relations with
him, whose duty it is to fill in upor
appointment blanks, the names o.
those who are designated for appoint
ments by the executive.
The clerk appeared. "Mr. Blank,
said the attorney general, find out a
once whose name was sent yesterda.
to the senate with the accommodation
by the president that he be appointed
associate justice of the supreme cour
of New Mexico"
Il will look" said the clerk. HI
soon returned with memorandum
slip in his hand.
"Mr Alexander he said, the mai
from Buffalo,
Then glimmering of the truti
dawned upon the group. Are yo'
sure" said Attorney General Griggs
lat the name was not McMillan?'
Certainly" VAS the reply; tn
name was Silas Alexander"
The situation was remarkable IN,
lime was important.
The te'Cer OF the United State
had. lnaG' ertrntly, by the error OF
subordinate, been made to set aside III
man wIicm il. bat intended to nam.
There was a pause. Mr.. Grigg
broke the silence.
well, gentlemen he saId, "th
fat is in the fire, but we must get
out My subordinate has made thi
mistake, and l must do my best to &c
it rectified, and perhaps the fault /
partly mine, for | told him to fill il
the name of the Buffalo man. and h
probably, seeing the name AleXande
and Identifying 1t with the congress
man of that name, prominently know
in Washington as coming from Buffa
10, thought that he was to be the ap
pointee
And so the three went to tn
President and explained matters; an
as consequence a messenger, preced
ed by telephone message, sped rap
idly toward the capitol with instruc
tions to seek Immediately the leader il
the senate and prevent any action o.
the mistaken nomination, and to max