The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-10-08

NNi't' WV SShSih OusiuSSS VI AiS
Court.
All the cases that were tried, in
some of which | had the honor to
have part, were tried with equal care
aud judgment. And we were much
impressed by the fact OF the g-eal
knowledge of the law which Judge
McCollum exhibited. his ability TO
grasp point as soon as it was stated
to HIM, and the knowledge of the law
tina, he possessed in the application o
1t to any case that came before him
In some OF these cases, one in pat c.
ular, remember the President Judge o
this Court was one of the trial Lawyers
upon the other side. | do not think
| ought to have any hesitancy in say.
ing that | was beaten in the case.
Another case that | tired before
him, which was one of very consider.
able Importance, was not decided by
Judge McCollum unit! three or -four
days before he took his seat upon the
4 bShNHs
1t is little curious in another mat.
ter, to show that the Goddess OF Good
Luck Was always with Judge Nc
Collum, tha; his term upon the bench
III Susquehanna county expired abou,
the time that tbere happened to be an
election of Justice of the Supreme
Court.
We all know that the constitution
and the laws of the State of Pennsyl.
vania were such that when there was
but one judge to be elected, as the
condition of politics is at present. the
Republican candidate was sure of an
election. But Judge McCollum's S
friends in the upper end OF the State
had rallied to his support and were in
ssting very strongly upon his nomina.
ton to that Office, although at the
time 1t was impossible in the ordinary
current OF events to elect him.
had the honor of being a member
of the convention which nominated
the Judge at that time; and when we
boarded the train here at Bloomsbury
we found it filled with delegates and
friends OF Judge McCollum from the
upper end OF the State.
1t happened, however, that not very
long before the occasion of which | am
speaking, another gentleman had, at
the instance of Judge Elwell, during
his protracted i'll health, been called
here TO hold Court, with whom we
were extremely pleased; man ofless
polished manners, perhaps, than Judge
McCollum, OF some more apparent
force of character and speech, but
good lawyer who tried cases remark
ably we'll. l allude to Judge Bucher,
of Union county.
When it came to be ascertained by
an interchange OF views between the
gentlemen from the northeast and our
selves that Judge Bucher was our can
didate, the leader of the forces of
Judge McCollum came to me and
SAID. ali you gentlemen are in favor
OF Judge Bucher and it should happen
that Judge Bucher retires from the
contest or cannot make the nomina.
ton, We would be glad if they would
go for Judge McCollum." / said to
him, after consulting our friends in
the ditferett cars, that we would do
so very gladly; that We knew him quite
well.
Before we got to Harrisburg, where
the convention was being held, word
came TO US by some messenger that
Judge Bucher had concluded to retire
from the contest, mainly because. as
the Constitution and laws are, when
but one candidate was to be elected
to the Supreme Bench, he would OF
course be the candidate of the DOM
inant party, and there was no chance
for a Democrat.
Judge McCollum, however, through
his friends stood TO the contest. and
with a little work on the part of his
friends, was nominated and he went
upon the ticket. That was another
evidence OF the fact that the Goddess
OF Good Luck was with the Judge.
II happened. as another fact in con-
nec,ion with the matter. that Judge
Turnkey. who was at that time in
Europe Tor his health, died during the
campaign. The resul, OF that death
was that there were two vacancies TO
be filed, and as no man could vote in
g case OF that kind for more than one,
thereby Judge McCollum's election
was as sure as that OF Judge Mitchell.
When the vote was counted OF course
lha, was the resul, and Judge MoCol-
lum went upon the Supreme Bench.
Another curious tact was, that under
the law. when two judges are elected
at the same time 10 the Supreme
Bench. they drew lots for the night TO