The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-26
DEPUE RESIGNS. .
He Will Retire From the
States Service Novem-
Der l6.
AFTER 50 YEARS ON THE BENCH
Political Gossip Is Now Busy
With His Successor.

Especial to 'tThe Jersey City News'D
TRENTON, Jan. 26. 19O1.-Chief Justice
Depue yesterday filed in the Governors
onice ms resignation as a member of the
supreme Court bench, to take effect in
November next
The announcement, first made in ves-
terday's True American that the ven
cradle jurist had agreed to tender his
resignation, created sensation all over
the State.
With the resignation OF the Chief I,s-
tice in hand, the Governor will shortly
name his successor. the appointment to
date from the time that the RESIGNATION
goes into effect. 1t is almost certain tfat
one of the present associate Justices will
De advanced to the head of the Supreme
Court, thus creating a vacancy for a Re-
publican.
Ihat Senator Pitney viii be named as
Associate Justice. to fill the place made
vacant by the promotion of one of the
justices to the Chief Justiceship. goes
without saying. One of the most cozent
reasons for Justice Depue's resignation
IS the fact that the Republican leaders
feit that it was necessary to make a place
FOR the Norris Senator.
There will be much regret all over f1,a
State over the fact that the Republican
managers deemed it necessary to have
Justic Depue step aside in order to make
way for Pitney and placate what he has
regarded as his claims on the office Of
Governor. Justice Depue is still a hale
Old man, in full possession of a rare mem
tality, and his continuance on the bench
until such time as the great Shadow
should end his life work was regarded as
a certainty up until short time ago
But the Republican managers decreed
otherwise. They found it expedient to
make place ON the bench for Pitney.
and it became necessary to immolate the
old Chief Justice His advanced years
were used as an argument against his
continuance on the bench and it seems to
have worked successfully. When he was
named ad interim to succeed Chief JUS
tice Magic. the Republicans tried to have
him understand that he was to have the
place but temporarily. At that time,
Chief Justice Depue frowned upon the
peanut politics. of the managers, but
he has since been changed, in some way.
and will now step aside
1t is likely that the same things as oper-
ated against the promotion of Justice
Gummere to the Chief Justiceship last
year, VIII work against him at this time
The chief ground of objection urged
against his advancement was his unfor-
tunate decision in the now famous Graz
ham case, where he passed upon the value
of a childs lite in a rather harsh man
ner The Republican managers were
fearful that if Justice Gummere was pro-
NOTED that decision would materially in
jure the party vote in the State last fall.
The coming fall will ind the party man
ayers with guberDatOrial fight on their
hands, and as the slated candidate, Frank
lin Murphy, is not very strong anyway,
every effort viii have to be made to keep
the pathclear for him. This will mean
that it viii be necessary to keep the IDOL
lar Child decision in the background.
Justice Gummere will undoubtedly have
the influence of General Sewell with him.
while Justice Collins, who is said to be
Governor Voorhees, natural favorite for
the place will likely be opposed by the
Camden boss.