The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-07
CHARACTERISTICS OF
JUDGE GEORGE GRAY.
How Passion for Work the Part of the Chairman Of
President Roosevets Anthracite Commission Spoiled
the Vacation Plans of Lot of Court Attendants.
Copyright, 1902, by William C. Wilson.

That's the Judge" said the court
attendant. as a dignifed six-footer
walked through the door and a moment
later pulled a light overcoat off the
shoulders of a well-knit body Of not
less than 220 pounds avordupois.
Then. as Judge George Gray, Chair
man of President Roosevelt's Anthra-
cite Arbitration Commission. disap-
peared into the room in the government
building in Philadelphia where a part
Of the year he holds United States Cir
cult Court, the attendant uncrossed his
legs and continued
"Durndest man for work ever ran
across. Here he is running down from
Washington 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. I
amt kicking, mind-just telling you
how he works"
A look of resignation fitted across
the attendants face.
Game hard at flrst-working this
way, and having our nice little vaca-
ton plans spoiled-but were used to
it now. Why, last summer l only got
a few days rest, and before that 1
used to have the whole summer to
rest up in. But the Judge came in one
morning about the time all of us were
beginning to think of two months
vacation, and said:
"'Well, here it is pretty near July.
the usual time for adjourning court
till fall, but 1 don't feel that 1 ought
to do it while there's so much work
to be done. I'm sorry, but guess
We'll have to sit all summer"
And, do you know, the Judge sat
all summer, and even when it was hot
test and the rest of US and the law
yers and all looked wilted, the Judge
was as cool as a axe 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 laugh
Cd.
"a beer filter case was up before
acknowledgement of patent. Each side
had about dozen filters in evidence,
and the lawyers talked about 'em and
showed 'em under the Judges nose I'M
til around about lunch time. Then the
Judge leaned over the bench, lost his
judicial dignity in that democratic
smile of his, and said:
Suppose we have some lunch, gen.
tlemen, here in the, court room, and,
after it is over, go on with the case
and finish it to-day
Agreed, roared each lawyer, as he
grabbed the filter he represented, and
We'll 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-well,
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 set
tlement.
No; I'll be pleased to pay for it,
protested the defendant, bluff1ng every
bit as much as the other fellow in his
desire to appear generous before the
Judge.
The Judge let them wrangle for a
while, then spoke up in his judicial
voice, but there was a twinkle in his
eyes:
Guess you need a referee, don't
you? Yes? Well, I'll decide the case
as imparitally as l can. AS you both
seem extremely anxious to part with
the 5000 that the bill calls for, l and
the rest of us will keep our hands on
our pocketbooks and generously per-
NIT each of you to pay half the 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 a fact for founda-
ton, 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 conversation between the conduc-
tor and the occupants of the seat be-
hind him:
Pretty big girl to be travelling free,
madam"
"Ah, why-what-" haltingly, as If
the mother objected seriously to sti-
fling her conscience at the supreme mo-
ment.
Pretty big to be riding for moth
ing, 1 said madam. How old is she?"
"Who-oh--how old? Why" sweet
ly, why Julia is just" and the mo-