Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-19
STATE HOUSE.
Two New Portraits Of Dis
tinguished Public Men.
Investigation Of a Suspicious Fire
at Norway.
Railroad Office Note-Porcupine Re.
turns Sdetracked.

u IL.
n,,l,lIe buildings, has added two new
PORTRAITS to the States gallery of dis
tjugu.sllad Men, who have served 1t in
high public positions. The first ls mat
OF pr.ntiss Melltn, first chief justice of
Mines supreme court. The name OF
Justice Mel.en is one held in the high
est esteem By the bench ana par OF
Maine, and that this picture is added
TO tbs. splendid collection in the
rapitoi's rotu1da is a matter of general
eongratulation. The picture is pre-
sented by his descendants, and is
copy frcrl the oil portrait IN the
supreme judicial court room in Port
land.
Justice Mellen was born in Sterling,
MaSs., October II, l764, one OF nine chill
dren of a Congregational clergyman.
He graduated from Harvard in 1884,
and four years later was admitted to
the Massachusetts bar at Taunton. He
practiced his profession ir his native
town and in Barnstable until 1892, when
he came to Eiddeford. At that time,
there were only two other lawyers in
re ,wnolc OF York county. His prac-
tice soon became so large that it eX-
tended through all sections OF the dis
tact Of Maine, and in 1906 he moved to
cortland. HIS devotion to his eXten-
sive practice did not prevent him from
filing succ, ssfulIy various important
public oiiceg. He was member OF the
executive council OF Massachusetts III
t90S-09, and again in 1877. He was
presidential elcctor in 1916. 1877 he was
elected to the United States senate
frcm Massachusetts, position which
he held until Maine became an indie
pendent State in 1920. He was ap-
pointed as chief justice of the Maine
supreme court in 1920. an Office which
he held until 1894, when he reached the
age limit and retired from the bench.
In these earlier years, the supreme
court consisted OF but three members,
ana his associates We're William Pitt
Preble Of Portland and Nathan Weston
of this city. A fine portrait of Justice
Weston, who later became chief justice,
hangs in the Capitol. and one of Jus
tice Preble is yet to be secured. In 1921.
Justice Melien was chairman of tbs
commission appointed to make UP a
code Of laws for the new state of Maine,
and this code was in force until the
statutes were first revised, nearly n
score of years later; and Gyhen this
revision WAS .nadc in 1s'0-;0 Iueticr
Mellon. who !..' then =, tj,c,j fran, tho
iricr. ana uis =, y..r; Of acf was
tAsift.tn OF IT,. revision committee
III $50 he WAS given thu, degree 81
IT..i.. T." :!owdoin, from which COL
i""r ,.Ntral OF his sons graduated. He
IitT i1jcemi,er 81. 1910.
or the eight men who have been cniaf
justices Of Names supreme court, Col
Stevens has now secured the portraits
OF FIVE PrentiSs Mellcn. 1920 To 1924.
Nathan Weston, 1894 To 1874. John
Searle Tenncy, 1875 to 1862; John An
pleton, 1852 "a 1853; and John A. Peters
1873 to 1870. Those lacking are
Ezekiel Whitman, 1871 to 1873; Ether
Shepleigh 1915 to 1855 and Andrew p.
WisWell, the present chief Justice.
e Se'u''d pol. ihN was received.
coy iio''I '"iiioiila. ana IS that
W ~. AMOS Nourse. VINO was ap-
POINTED 70 inc thi'ed states senate in
= lao' 10 HI the vacancy caused by the
eicc.ioii Oh Hanlits'l Hamlln TO the
soNefHorsnip. Ut. Nocrse Was a
i'i!'ouH pnSsciah' Oh MS DAY III Maine
ana was prominent III public affairs
fof over ~ years. ne was on the faculty
Oh 'ii' bo"doiii Medicai schoo', and
prac'iceu ior Il tlhle III HalloWel. and
iater III bath. ne was Il resident Of
'''' ''''..i cay Mne'i nc WAS appointed
~ inc o"i'eo Hta'eS senate lie died
'"o years "So' d. we nome OF his
- ..t''3on.' 'oih' - N'"'se' III Fresno
."iii Inc poftrai' received, yester-
""s' 10 pieNen.e" ny hiS GRANDSON ana
ny sraiooausntef' MISS Ethel
Nou' Sc hiSo VI o"i'io'lifI.
'i''e N'"ii'e oee'ii'' " otate, III mo.
.'ie.e nave peei' ~ men representing it
~ VIZ ciii'eo states senate; ana OF
'"c"e ooioiiei stevens mas secured the
r'i'i"I.s vi II lor inc Iapitol coilec-
''o,-. AAose ~. :" pe secured are those
vi r'iler Hhepieish Vi Ha'o' VINO was III
''' ''e,'''e iio'ii io"" 10 1880, and
iso'sncu ~ "etep' IN appointment on
'nt M",''e supreme COURT Juoah Dana
OF irseours' VINO was appointed in 1886
70 M ,ne Vacancy caused by
"neiieien icS's '''''ot, Johh fairhe!d
VI 'deo' "no reS's''eu ehe SoVernorSh1p
10 accept an appointment TO the senate
IL vol