The times., 1901-04-06
lR. KNOX'S APPOINTMENT
His Commission as Attorney Gen
eral Made Ont and Signed.

The Acceptance of the Portfolio by
the PittsburG Lawyer Announced
by the President-Expectcd Here
Soon-A sketch OF His Busy Career.
The President announced to the mem
bers of the Cabinet at the session yester-
day that Philander c. Knox has accepted
the offer extended to him TO become At
toruev General to succeed John w. GriSgs
His commission was made out and signed
by the President yesterday and is await
ing his arrival here. 1t is expected lHa'
Mr.. Knox will be in Washington TO as
sumo charge of his duties as the head OF
the Department of Justice early next
week.
Philander Chase Knox was born in
brownsville, Fayette County, Pa, May o,
1853. His father was David 5. Knox,
banker at that place and had lived there
for many years. Young Knox was averse
to becoming a banker, and was sent to
the West Virginia University and later to
Mount Union College, at Alliance, Ohio.
1t was there that he first met William
Mckinley, jr. strong friendship
sprung up between them which has con-
tinued and was the primary cause which
led the President to invite Mr. Knox to
become a member of his Cabinet. Young
Knox had not decided upon the profession
which he intended to adopt when he first
met Mr. Mckinley and it was entirely
due 10 the influence Of the latter that he
finally resolved TO become a lawyer. Mr..
Mckinley had decided to study law and
impressed upon his friend the wisdom of
like action. and urged him to make up
his mind to do so before leaving col
lege He evidently found the advice good
for he has made fortune at the prac-
tice of his chosen profession.
Mr. Knox graduated from Mount Union
College in the class of 1872, and immedi-
ately went to Pittsburg to begin the study
OF law. He has always since that time
made that city his home He entered the
office of II. B. Swope, then United States
District Attorney for the Western dis
trict of Pennsylvania, and afterward
studied in the office of his successor. Da-
vid Reed. In January. 1875, Mr. Knox
was admitted to the Allegheny County
bar. Two years later he formed part
nership with Judge J. II. Reed, which
still continues.
Mr.. Knox succeeded in his profession
from the start, and his ability as an at
torney is attested by the fact that he has
been chief attorney for Andrew Carne-
gie's steel interests for a number OF
years and is also identified as counsel for
a number of very large and powerful
corporations.
Mr.. Knox has the reputation Of being
a very close student, especially of the
cases at law in which he is interested
and while he has maintained an elaborate
suite Of Offices in the Carnegie Building
a Pittsburg he has always spent much
time in studying his cases at his home.
Another diversion which Mr.. Knox has
followed when studying a case or prepar-
ing argument for a brief has been TO take
a big bundle of papers and his tackle and
quietly steal away TO the Cataline Club,
near Sandusky, Ohio, of which he is
member, and there, while following the
stream for fish. to carefully weave out
the line of thought which he is to in
corporate in legal opinion. He is fond
Of outdoor sports. especially fishing and
driving. He is fond of fine horses and
maintains valuable stable of blooded
and good driving stock. A pole team, for
which he paid $9,500. recently broke the
worlds record. Mr.. Knox does not care
for golf as does his predecessor, Mr..
Griggs.
The new Attorney General lays no
claim to being an orator or an after
dinner speaker. While he makes a forci-
ble argument before court. he is not
jury pleader. and never has posed as a
public speaker. His work as d lawyer
has been chiefly as counselor and ad-
wiser. and in this he has been eminently
successful. Mr.. Knox has never before
held public office save that Of Assistant
United States District Attorney for the
western district Of Pennsylvania, 10
which he was appointed shortly after
being admitted to the bar. He resigned
the next year TO engage in private prac-
tice. When Mr.. Mckinley was first
elected President. Mr.. Knox was men
TONED as the possible head Of the Depart
ment Of Justice. At that time, it is said.
he did not feel justified in relinquishing
his private practice. He has now amassed
a fortune, however. and can afford to do
So
The new Attorney General IS member
Of the Duquesne Club. Of Pittsburg. the
Pittsburg. and the Pittsburg Country
Clubs, Of the same city; the Union
League Club and the Lawyers Club, Of