Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-18
PERSONALITY OF
JUDGE A. M. THAYER
Facts About the Author of the
Merger Case Opinion.
IS 1MPERv1oUs TO EXCITEMENT.

A Man of Even Mind, Fair, stern, Yet
COnsiderate-In the Eyes of the ST.
Louis Bar He Is Deemed an Ideal
Judge-An Incident of His Tender
ness and Sternness.
Amos NJ. Thayer, Judge of the Unit
ed States circuit court, whose opinion
in the Northern Securities merger case
upset the plans of Morgan and Hill, is
a st. Louis man, says the New York
World.
Judge Thayer studied law in st.
Louis, beginning at the close of the
civil war, and his entire professional
and judicial career has centered in st.
Louis. The opinion declaring the Nor
gan-Hill railroad merger illegal was
written in st. Louis. Judge Thayer
delivered it from his office in the fed
eral building. During the afternoon,
while financiers in Wall street and pol
iticians in Washington were in a ire
NOR of excitement over it, he worked on
as usual in his Office and at O'Clock
went out to his unpretentious home on
West Pine boulevard.
Judge Thayer is impervious to eX-
Fitement. In the eyes of lawyers this
makes him the ideal Judge. Nothing
disturbs the trend of his thought. His
balance and fairness of mind are in
variable. He is always the same
calm, considerate, stern, yet kind.
These qualities have their outward
manifestation. Judge Thayer walks at
an even gait. Old attaches of the fed
eral building can tell it as far as they
can hear it. His talk is calm and con-
sidered. He never speaks hastily or
fast. The first word of conversation
is in the same tone and manner as the
last, and there is no variation through
out it.
His opinions bear evidence of the
same traits. They are always plain
and even, as clear and simple as bust
ness mans letter. Lawyers say the
opinion in the merger case is as intelli-
gible to the business man as to the law
yer. There is no effort after fowery
language in it. There is no attempt
to say something that will be always
remembered. 1t is simple review of
the case in style almost converse
tional. 1t is typical of the man.
Judge Thayer's career on the bench,
which began in 1876, is full of in
stances Of his self command and digni-
ty. He rarely became ruffied. In al
most thirty years of service he never,
it is said, was compelled to fine or i'm
prison a juror or a witness. His man.
ner ruled his courtroom, and the terror
of the law which many judges used
was not needed. Instances are told of
late jurors who made haSty answers
when called to account for keeping the
court waiting. Where many judges
would have ordered a severe fine Judge
Thayer merely said, Proceed with the
case" But the severity of his tone was
a punishment.
The same imperturbability went with
him to his Office, and even though deep
in an opinion an interruption did not
ruffle him. If it was matter that de-
manded immediate attention, he con-
sidered it and then returned to the
opinion as if his train Of thought had
never been interrupted.
Judge Thayer is sometimes said to be
cold and unfeeling. That is his manner
on the bench. Attorneys and court Off
Gals who have known him through
years recall many instances, however,
of his kindness. Off the bench, too,
they know him as a man Of quiet gent
atty. His appearance has something
to do with the idea that he is cold. His
expression is peculiarly stern. Judge
Thayer rarely laughs. His amusement
is expressed by a slight smile which is
as much an expression of the eyes as
of the mouth.
His eyelids are heavy and droop over
his eyes so that often when he is listen
ing to an argument they appear to be
shut except that one brow is lifted
slightly. Square jaws, a firm mouth
and the power of controlling his ex-
preston under all circumstances in
crease the stern effect of Judge Thay
er's appearance. He is short, well
built man and on the street would be
taken as quickly for successful man
of business as for judge.
His hours of work are more than
those of most business men. He
reaches his Office daily at o'clock and
never goes home until o'clock in the
evening. He works steadily all day.
He eats lunch at the Mercantile club
with District Judge Adams, but the
meal rarely keeps him an hour away
from his office. HeSnever works after
5 o'clock. His evenings are usually
spent at home. His sole amusement is
golf, which he did not take up, how
ever, until three years ago. Prior to
that time he had no diversion.
Judge Thayer was born in Chautau-
qua county. n. Y, Oct. 10, 1S41. "I'm
a Missourian by long training, how
ever" he says. He graduated from
Hamilton college, New York, in the
class of 49, In 1892 his alma mater
conferred the degree of LII. D. upon
him. The civil war had begun, and he
at once enlisted in the service, being
commissioned a first lieutenant in the
signal corps. He served in that branch
through the war and at its close was
second in rank in the corps with the
Army of the Potomac, having COM ]