The age-herald., 1901-02-12
From" Mcclellan.

Supreme Court Justice Thomas N. Me Cleilan, who lies painfully wounded in his bachelor home at Montgomery, the principal sufferer In great sensation not Of his making, in whole or In part. has been for nearly twenty years one of the most familiar figures In the public life of Alabama. He was for four years the at torney general of the State, an honor to which he was elected when he was only some thirty years old. He has been for fourteen years a justice of the Supreme Court, and two or three years ago sue ceeded the late Robert c. Brlckell as chief justice. He is accounted the ablest judge of law In the States highest court.
 Judge Mcclellan is now close to his fftieth year, but has never married" said an old-time friend and associate of the. chief justice last night. .FIe is a remarkably gallant and manly gentle man in his relations toward society wom- en- with whom he has always been an honored favorite. When he went first to Montgomery from the little county town of Athens. where he was born and pAOu5hl upi lle iltu llOL llltu TtdCntu llle full flower of intellectual young man. hood, being too young for that. but he was physical giant strikingly hand some, with the face of Greek god, and he was then distinguished for his wit and learning, qualities that appealed powerfully to the young women of the most brilliant society set Alabama has ever known. He YVES then as now re- markedly slow of speech, but he had the crowning merit of always saying some thing when he opened his lips. He went much into society and as may be well believed, was esteemed by beautiful and bright women to be most admirable. and most desirable as companion and asso- ciate. He was invited to all gatherings of society, and was toasted and admired But the brilliant, learned and distin- guished judge remains to this good day uawedded, and If he has had any real romances the public hasn't heard of them. ta
 Judge Mcclellan is still slow of speech and is more brilliant more learned, Is wiser and abler as a judge greatly more distinguished as a man, than he was in the days when the Athenian village youth was petted by society; and he IS stIll gallant and manly in his relations to women and by them is still wonderful ly admired, although his head has grown whitc-sonewhat prematurely so. His health has not been the strongest of late years, but he takes most excellent care of himself In the circumstances his wound must carry dangers in a constitu- tional sense.
 "ror several iyearss Judge Mcclellan has kept house in large residence just out grounds, associated with him being MT. John P. OConnor of Montgomery, and at times, other friends including Gov ernor Johnston, and Ross c. Smith and James Crook, railroad commissioners. When Hon. John Mcqueen was in the Legislature he stopped there, he has done eevr since, during his visits to Mont gomery. Judge Mcclellan has always kept open house In a hospitable way and pronably every prominent public man in Alabama has been a guest there. The thief Justice Is a man of very strong will and epnvict!ons, and he Is adored oy his friends. He is a slow-moving, slow speaking, deliberate man, and Is Of grout size physically, being tall ard stout, with a clean-shaven classic face and a large head; altogether a very striking man.