Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
characteristics of a Member
Of the Anthracite Commission.
A PASSION FOR WORK
DEVELOPS OFTEN WHEN OTHERS
PREFER TO PLAY.
Tells Good Joke, but Does Not Care
to Have Them Played
on Him.

Written for The Evening Star.
That's the Judge" said the court attend
ant. as a dignlfied six-footer walked
through the door and a moment later pulled
light overcoat OF the shoulders of
well-knit body Of not less than 20 pounds
avoirdupois.
Then. as Judge George Gray, chairman OF
President Roosevelt's anthraci arbitration
commission, disappeared into the room In
the government building In Philadelphia
where part of the year he holds United
States circuit court, the attendant I'M
crossed his legs and continued:
"Durndest man for work 1 ever ran
across. Here he is running down from Will
mington between meetings of the coal
strike commission, and causing me to hustle
| around when looked for a breathing spell.
Bet you he'll stay here till 10 or IL to-
night-he generally does. And I'll have to
stay. too. 1 amt kicking, mind-just telling
you how he works.
A look of resignation fitted across the at
tendant's face.
Game hard at first--working this way.
and having our nice little vacation plans
spoiled-but we're used to 1t now. Why.
last summer only got few days rest and
before that used to have the whole sum-
mer to rest up in. But the judge came in
one morning about the time all Of US were
beginning to think of two months vaca-
ton. and said:
"'Well. here it is pretty near July, the
usual time for ad1ourning court till fall.
but don't feel that ought to do 1t while
there's so much work to be DONE I'm sor-
ry, but guess Well have to sit all sum-
mer.'
"And. do you know. the judge sat all
summer, and even when it was hottest and
| the rest of us and the lawyers and all
looked wilted the judge was as cool as a
| cake of ice. Lord. how he rushed through
those piled-up cases! Never had so clean a
docket before in my recollection, and I've
been here twenty years"
A Court Room Anecdote.
At this Juncture the attendants eyes
twinkled.
Let me tell you one Of the things the
judge did last summer" he laughed.
"A beer filter case was up before him
infringement Of patent. Each side had
about a dozen filters In evidence. and the
lawyers talked about em and showed 'em
under the judges nose until around about
lunchtime. Then the judge leaned over the
bench. lost his judicial dignity in that dem
ocratic smile of his. and said:
Suppose we have some lunch, gentle
| men, here in the court room, and, after it is
over, go on with the case and finish it to-
"'Agreed,' roared each lawyer, as he
grabbed the filter he represented. and Wen
get some beer and show your honor how
our filter works.
Then they all gathered around a table.
and while they ate the judge also watched
| the filters at work. When the beer had all
run through-welf, the case wasn't begun
again until all the beer was gone.
And that lunch didn't cost. the Judge
cent.
LET me pay for this said the COM
plainant. when the time came for settle
ment. '..-i
No, I'll be pleased to pay for it, pro-
tested the defendant, bluffing every bit as
much as the other fellow in his desire to
appear generous before the judge.
1.-The judge let them Wrange for a while,
then spoke up In his judicial voice, but
there was twinkle in his eyes:
I" Guess you need a referee, don't you?
Yes? Well, I'll decide the case as impair
TALLY as 1 can. AS you both seem extreme
ly anxious to part with the 5000 that the
bill calls for, and the rest of us will keep
our hands on our pocket books and gener-
bill
Then the judge got back on the bench
and was as dignified as ever again.
One Of the Judges Stories.
Judge Gray likes to tell a story. especially
If it has fact for foundation, and his
favorite has to do with the rule Of railroad
companies that only children under six
years of age can ride free.
One day when he was going from his
home to Washington, while he was still a
senator. Mr.. Gray overheard this conversa-
ton between the conductor and the occu-
pants of the seat behind him:
Pretty big girl to be travelling free,
madam"
"Ah why-what-' haltingly, as If the
mother objected seriously to sitting her
conscience at the supreme moment
Pretty big to be riding for nothing, I
said. madam. How old is she?"
"Who--oh-how old? Why" sweetly.
why, Julia Is just" and the mothers
voice died away to murmur.
How old did you say, madam
Silence for moment; then shrin voice
piped up:
Il guess mammals forgot what papa said
to tell you. He said: For heavens sake,
tell the conductor the childs only four and
a half and save me three dollars"
In recittng the story the judge always
adds:
"And papa was saved the three dollars,
not by his furiously blushng wife. but by
his offspring, whose naive speech made the
conductor lean over my seat the next time
he came through the car and remark:
Wouldn't that jar you? Never laughed
so in my life-and I didn't have the heart to
collect fare"
It is in his law offices in Wilmington and
between clients that the judge likes to
swap anecdotes with old friends.
Mr.. Gray's Dingy Law Office.
These offices are in an insignifcant-look-
ing and old brick building. and to get into
them a prospective client must climb up a
dark stairway to the second floor. Once
through the outer door of the Offices the
visitor will find two great rooms. dingy.
smelling of row after row of worn law
books hiding the walls and heated accord
ing to the style Of twenty-five years ago,
with a mantel fireplace and stove.
Sharing these business quarters with the
Judge are two of his children-Andrew, who
bears his grandfather's name. and George,
jr. Both are several years under thirty,
and both are intrusted more and more by
their father with the firms business.
Judge Grays father lived his days at
Newcastle. that picturesque town where
they have a whipping post and a park
given to the people by William Penn. and
where according to the late Levi Burd,
one Of Delaware's famous lawyers. They
don't do anything except sit on barrels and
mix tobacco juice with the waters Of the
Delaware"
How He Made His Reputation.
It was while the courts were located at
Newcastle, where Andrew Gray was looked
upon a. q man of afluence. that his son
George. several years after he left the HAIR
ward law school. In 1854. attracted the at
tention OF the entire bar OF Delaware by his |
successful conduct OF what every we'll |
H. attf3o ~fa to had cd Il