The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-05-01
LlTTLE'S TWO DEGREES
COST TEN DOLLARS EACH
tiilo Judge Identified With Bogus College
Scheme Which the Government is Prosecuting.
Was Advertised as President OF the Board
OF Trustees"

Judge Gilbert f. Little of the Fourth
Circuit has again been exposed. This
time he is caught attaching spurious
university degrees to his name and act
ing as one of the people who confer
such degrees for money. The following
autobiographical sketch is taken from
Who's Who in America, for 1908:
Little, Gilbert Francis, U. S.
Circuit Judge Ty. of Hawaii; apptd.,
June 5. 1900; b. in Pa, Oct. 2, 1S45;
s. Henry and Caroline L.; collegiate
ed'n, PHI. D., LII. D.; widower since
1896. Has practiced law since 1870;
prosecuting atty. 1856; candidate
for Congress, 1888; Author; The
Evening Hour, 1885; The Moon. 1896;
Music of the Bible, 1897. Address,
Hi1o, II. t.
A recent public prosecution by the
Federal authorities of an institution
variousIy called the Nashville College
of Law and the National College of Law
has brought to light that Judge Lit,
ties scholastic knighthood was confer
red by the Nashville College of Law
and that the cost of his two degrees OF
Doctor was ten dollars each. The de-
grees were conferred in September, 1899,
just before the Colonel went to
Washington 20 work for his appoint
ment as judge.
The institution with the alias has had
an interesting history. Some years ago
John William Farr opened a law coll
lege in Chattanooga and had assoeiat-
ed with him a few reputable lawyers.
These deserted him and assisted in
driving him out Of town when it was
discovered that Farr was engaged in
selling degrees to persons who had
never taken any course in the college.
From thence Farr went to Nashville
and opened the Nashville College of
Law. Few students ever came to his
classic halls and none remained long.
The head of the place was carrying on
a vigorous campaign of education. how
ever. and was sending his degrees to all .
parts OF the world.
The operation of making fun fedg- |
ed Doctor of Laws or Master of Arts l
was simple Farr would write a grand !
IIoquent letter to some man of cheap
tendencies informing him that "in ac-
with a time honored custem"
the srustees of the college at its next |
meeting would designate certain men OF
literary or sciendfic attainments 10 be |
the recipient OF some honorary degree.
The party was informed that it was
exeeedfr gIy becoming the conferrinss
such degree that the recipient be pres
ent at the ceremony but If this was
impossible it could be dispensed with.
rhe letter stated that no fee would be
asked but a charge of ten dollars was
made to cover the cost of engrossing
he diploma. A few days later the man
If cheapness would get another letter
o the effect that the board had con-
erred the degree. that the diploma is
n the process of making and that the
emittance was due. Thousands of
hese letters were sent out and Farr
nade some money out of it. Few il
my of the people holding these degrees
yer went to Nashville. Some few may
AVE been dupes but the majority are
: arrant knaves and frauds as Farr
irnself.
Judge Little had the degrees of Phi
J. and Ii. D. conferred on him in
lis absence and has never visited the
lace for the purpose of being exam
ned as to his fitness or otherwise A +
hort time after this Farr advertised