Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04
JUSTICES TO RETIRE
Many Appointments at the
Presidents Disposal.
THE SUPREME COURT
GOV. TAFT EXPECTED TO SUCCEED
CHIEF JUSTICE FULLER.
Numerous Occupants Of Places on the
Circuit Bench Who Are Expected to
Quit Active Service Before Long.

During the next year or two President
Roosevelt will have greater number of
federal judgeships appointments at his dis
posal than any President for many years,
The probability is that in two years time,
or before the expiration of his present
term he will appoint more federal judges
than any President during four-year
term or even two terms This will be
casioned by the retirement of a large num-
Der of distinguished jurists. For num-
ber of years there was pending in Congress
a bill to secure increased compensation
for the federal judges Of the country. At
nearly every session the effort appeared to
be going through, and finally it became law
at the last session. 1t largely increases
the salary Of judges, and numbers of them
will now take advantage of the increased
salary and leave the bench to draw COM
Portable retirement pay. The retirement
OF Chief Justice Bingham and Associate
Justice Hagner of the Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia forerunners
of other retirements that are expected
Fuller himself is one Of the distinguished
men whose retirement is loked for. Gov.
Taft of the Philippines is universally re-
garded as his successor. The law relat-
ing to retirement provides that judge
must have served ten years or be seventy
years of age before he is eligible to re-
tirement on full pay. Chief Justice Fuller
has been on the bench since 1883 and Is ELI
gible both from service and age.
Although possessing the right, few judges
retire after only ten years service. Some
of them continue to actively engage in the
work of the bench long after they have
passed seventy years and have served
many years in the judicial branch of the
government Justice Harlan has been
more than twenty-five years on the Su-
preme Court, but is vigorous, phy sical-
1vy fo11 haf hA hnS
definite thought to retirement. Justice
Brewer has been on the Supreme bench
since December, 1899, and could retire, IL
he desired, as could Justice Brown, who
was appointed December y. 1880. JUS
tice White will have served ten years
next February having been appointed by
President Cleveland February 10, 1884, The
other justices were appointed since that
time.
The Court Of Claims.
A number of retirements on the Court
Of Claims are expected, as there are
number Of judges on that bench eligible
for retirement who are giving considera-
ton to the idea of doing so. Ex-Gov.
George W. Atkinson of West Virginia will
be appointed to a position on this bench
when vacancy occurs next He is now
United States attorney of the southern
district of West Virginia. Chief Justice
Charles c. Mott has had long career
ed to that bench from New York F'ebru-
ary o. 1865, and was made chief justice
December Is, 1896 He has been on the
bench thirty-eight years. Justice Weldon
is regarded as another member of the
same bench likely to retire. He was ap-
pointed from Illinois and has served twenty
years. Justice Stanton j. Peelle has serv-
ed eleven years, but at present has no
Chief Justice Mott and Justice Weldon are
regarded as almost certain.
On the Circuit Bench.
On the United States circuit bench are
numerous judges eligible to retire and
many Of them will do so. In the first cir
cult Judge LIE Baron B. Colt of Bristol.
R. l., has served nineteen years. In the
second circuit Judge William J. Wallace
Of Albany has served twenty-one years. In
the third circuit Judge Marcus w. Ache
son has served twelve years. In the fourth
circuit Judge Charles II. Simonton Will
have served ten years in December next.
He was appointed In 1893. He, however.
had served a district judge prior to
that, and consequently has more than ten
years to his credit. There has been talk
of his retirement for some time. as he is
nearly seventy years OF age: ExISenator na or
vacancy on the Supreme bench of the
District, is prominently mentioned to sue
ceed Judge Simonton, and If the latter re-
White House, Mr.. Pritchard will almost
surely succeed him.
Judge Pardee Of the = fifth circuit is
sche for retirement. He has been
twenty-five years on that bench. In the
sixth circuit Judge Lurton is the only man
eligible. He has served just ten years.
Judge Caldwell has been thirteen years on
the eighth circuit, and is expected to re-
tire next fall. The states embraced in his
district are already making fight for
the place, the name Of District Judge Hook
" 1,ar yiva<r hna MT tod n
dent Roosevelt by Kansas men, Judge San
born of the same circuit has served eleven
years So has Judge Gilbert Of the ninth
circuit.
Over Forty Years Judge.
The Judge who has served the United
States longer than any other in the judicial
history of the country. and still on the
bench, is Judge John j. Jackson of the
northern district of West Virginia. He
was appointed to his present position Au-
gust 8, 1861. and will soon have served
forty-two years. This record has no equal.
Judge jackson is still handing, down deci-
sions There has long been talk of his re-
tirement, but he holds on. 1t is believed.
however that his retirement now is only
short time off. Next to him in point OF
long service on the district bench
Judges James w. Locke. southern district
of Florida, appointed February 1, 1872:
Hoyt H. Wheeler of Vermont, appointed
March 16, 1877, and Judge Moses Hallett
of Colorado, appointed January II, 1877.
Judge Ell 8. Hammond of the western dis
trict of Tennessee, was appointed June IT,
1878. and Judge Romance Bum of the
western district of Wisconsin. October 80,
1877.
On the district bench are any number OF
men who have served as much as fifteen
and twenty years. and to whom the addi-
tional pay may be an inducement to re-
tirement.
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Demands Upon Naval Officers.
Because Of the demands upon the time