Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
PENDING:::CH AN GES
W.T.
20
Retirement ofsss5Chief Justice
District Supreme Court
IliQ-
Of T..
FRIDAY MORNING g NEXT
s-G
HIS SUCCESSOR 20 TAKE THE
OATH oFl2,osFFF1cE.
New Member of the Court to Also
Swear In - Chief Justice
Bingham's Career.


Several changes of Importance in the per-
sonnet of the Supreme Court of the District
of Columbia. as heretofore announced IN
The Star. will take effect next Friday
morning May 1. Chief Justice Bingham
will then retire. Associate Justice Clabaugh
will subscribe to the oath of office as chief
justice and former Senator Pritchard of
North Carolina will begin his duties as an
associate justice. A month later Associate
Justice Hagner will voluntarily go on the
retired list. His successor has not yet been
selected by the President. Members of the
bar seem to be unanimously of the opinion
that the retirement of Chief Justice Bing-
ham will be a distinct loss to the COM
munity
Edward Franklin Bingham was born Au-
gust 10. 1928 at West Concord. VT. He is
the fifth son Of the late Judge Warner
Bingham and Lucy Wheeler Bingham and
is descendant of Thomas Bingham, who
emigrated from Sheffield England. and set
tied in Norwich, Conn., in 1853. His
brothers, Harry Bingham, an eminent law
yer and politician, and George A. Bingham.
a prominent lawyer and ex-judge of the SUI
preme court of New Hampshire, who re-
sided at Littleton, in that state, are both
dead.
Chief Justice Bingham received his early
education at the public and select schools OF
Vermont, and later at the Academy of
Peacham, of the same state. and at Mariet-
ia College. Ohio. In 1916. while on visit
to Ohio, he determined to make that state
his future home.
After spending brief period at Marietta
College he read law with his brother Harry
at Littleton. N. H., concluding as he COM
menced, his law studies under the late
Judge Joseph Miller Of Chillicothe. Ohio. He
was admitted to the bar by the supreme
court of that state in May 1850. the late
Chief Justice Peter Hitchcock presiding.
The legislature had. the preceding March.
created the county of vinton, and June 1.
1850, he opened a law office at Macarthur.
the county seat of the new county. Al
though total stranger, he soon found
warm friends and steadfast clients.
Appointed Prosecuting Attorney.
A vacancy occurring in the Office of pros
ecuting attorney of Vinton county the fol-
lowing November. the future chief justice
was appointed to that position by the court
of common pleas, and in 1851 he was elect
ed for term Of two years, and reelected
in 1853. serving five years. In October. 1865.
he was elected democratic representative
for Vinton and Jackson counties. and
served in the Legislature during the sessions
of 1856 and 1857. Although strongly urged
to accept a denomination to the legislature,
he declined, desiring to devote himself to
his law practice. He was cOmpIimented in
1858 by his party with the unanimous NOM
ination for the office of Judge of the court
Of common pleas for the second subdivision
Of the judicial district" composed of the
counties of Vinton. Jackson, Pike, Scioto
and Lawrence. The democratic party then
being in minority in that subdivision, he
was defeated by small majority.
In 1853 the democratic convention for
Vfnton and Jackson counties convened to
nominate candidate for representative in
the legislature and, meeting with difficult
ties In making nomination. in the absence
OF Judge Bingham. and without his knowl-
edge. 1t nominated him and adjourned.
Upon receiving information of this action
he declined.
He was a delegate from the eleventh
congressional district of Ohio. in 1860. to
the democratic national convention, held
first at Charleston, S. c.. and, by adjourn
ment at Baltimore. and was an witness
to the thrilling proceeding of that body
In January, 1851, he removed to Columbus
Ohio. where he resided until he removed to
this city
Judge Bingham. in 1868, became chairman
OF the state democratic executive commit
tee. and so discharged the duties of the
office in the important campaign of that
year as to receive the general commenda-
ton of his party and friends. Because of
Its interference with his professional duties
he declined further service in the position
From 1867 to 1871 he was by election So
lcltor or the city of Columbus, Ohio, and
from 1863 to 1868 he served as a member
or the board of education of the same city
and was reelected to the board in 1872 In
March. 1873. he was nominated by his party
as a candidate for Judge of the court of
common pleas for the fifth judicial district
and at the election the following month was
elected without opposition. He was twice
reelected. each term being for five years,
TO the same position without opposition.
Nominated for Judicial Office.
Judge Bingham was a delegate to the
democratic national convention at St. Louis
In 1876. which nominated Samuel ]. T1lden
for president The democratic state con-
vention in 1881 nominated him for the Ohio
supreme court bench. but with the balance
of the ticket he was defeated. In 1886, he
was very strongly recommended by the
bench. bar and citizens of Ohio. irrespective
of party. to President Cleveland for Judge
of the sixth United States judicial circuit
Judge Howell E. Jackson. then United
States senator from Tennessee. however. re-
ceived the appointment.
April 70, 1887. while occupying a place on
the ONO common pleas bench. Judge Bing-
nam was appointed by President Cleveland
chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia
AS lawyer Chief Justice Bingham rank
ed among the foremost of the Ohio bar. He
was earnest and forcible, Industrious and
thorough, and while he had marked Sue
cess In his cases, whether to the court or
jury, he seemed more at ease in the argu-
ment or legal propositions to the court.
On the bench his success has been more
pronounced than as a lawyer. He is Gull
tured, honest, humane. and on and Off the
bench is quiet and unassuming His knowl-
edge OF jurisprudence in both the law and
equity is extensive. 1t may be said Of him
that exceptionally few Of his decisions have
been reversed. isSl j.
Chief Justice Bingham was married No
vember u, 1885, to Susannah F. Cunning
of Fayette county. !Ohio. Mrs. Bingham
died August 2. 1885, leaving two sons and
two daughters. The Judge was next mar
ried August 8. 1888, 10 mrs Lin c. Patton,
daughter of the latei United States Senator