The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-29
Wendell Phillips Stafford
to Be District
Judge.
NEWS AT THE CITY HALL
District Lawyers Surprised
and Disappointed at Pres
ident'S Prompt Action.


has been appointed associate justice of
the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia, to succeed Jeter c. Pritchard.
recently appointed judge of the Fourth
United States judicial circuit
The appointment was announced by
the Attorney General this morning i'm
mediately after the Cabinet meeting.
The announcement came like a bomb
shell to the members of the Washing
ton Bar. who were assembled this after
noon at the City Hall to suggest the
name of local lawyer to the President
TO I'LL the vacancy caused by the resiG
alton Of Justice Pritchard
Since the announcement of the resig-
nation of Justice Pritchard, members
Of the Washington bar were organizing
for the purpose of sending a strong pc
tition TO the President TO nominate a
District man for the place.
Meeting in Prospect.
Within the short while they had to
work, nearly every member of the bar
was notified to attend a mass meeting
this evening in Criminal Court No. 3
for the purpose. So it was that at a
late hour. when the news of Judge Staf-
ford's appointment reached the City
Hall. the corridors were crowded with
lawyers waiting for the meeting TO
begin.
When the news was told them by
reporter for The Times. they expressed
much surprise. and many of them were
at first disincIined to believe IT, When.
however. they were satisfied of the
verify OF the report. those who had been
most active in calling the meeting, were
quite as active in calling 1t off
Formerly Considered.
Judge Stafford was seriously consider
ed for position on the local Supreme
Court at the time of Judge Wrights
appointment, so near. in fact. that he
missed the appointment very narrowly.
This is supposed to be the reason that
no more time was required for the con-
siderati0n OF his name this time. The
paper II his case Were not even brought
from the Department of Justice so well
had his record been looked up before.
Judge afford Is a native Of Barre
VI. and resides in st. JOhnsbury He Is
but forty-two years old, and has a wife
and one son, thirteen years old As a
youth he studied law under Henry c
Ide, the present vice governor Of the
Philippines, and later attended the law
department of Boston University. from
which he was graduated He then en-
Ide, severing this connection and going
INTO practice for himself fifteen years
ago.
Judge Stafford was appointed TO the
position Of assistant judge OF the Yer
mont supreme court, 10 succeed Judge
Jonathan Ross who. in turn, had been
appointed 10 the United States Senate
10 succeed Senator Morrill, At that
time. thirty-eight years old. he was next
TO the youngest judge who had ever
filled a position on the State supreme
bench.
Prominent in Profession.
Judge Stafford became prominent as
a lawyer almost from the beginning Of
his practice. and II was not long be-
fore he was well known in the courts
outside of his State. His fame as an
orator. also spread, and he is in fire.
quent demand in New York and Bos-
ton, TO deliver literary addresses. His
literary reputation is as wide as his
oratorical ana legal fame. He is best
known in this field. by his volume Of
poems. entitled North Flowers" pub
lished two years ago. and most kindly
received.
Judge Stafford bears the reputation
Of most able and most attractive gen
tleman, and his friends. which are le
gion, give assurance that the District
appointment.
Notwithstanding the appointment of
Judge Stafford, II will be interesting TO
know what the members of the local
bar purpOsed TO do at the meeting this |
afternoon. The following resolutions had |
been prepared and were 10 have been in |
troduced:
Resolved. That the chairman of this I
meeting appoint committee Of fifteen, /
including himself as the chairman there /
OF. TO prepare and report TO 4 further /
meeting 10 be held on Saturday, May Z. |
1904. at II o'clock, suitable resolutions |
expressive OF the sense OF the bar of /
this District touching the coming re-
tirement Of Mr.. Justice Prtchard from I
the Supreme Court thereof: and
Resolved further That the said COM !
mittee be directed to call upon the /
President and the Attorney General in I
the meanwhile, TO request OF them IA 1
NOraDle consideration OF a member or 4
members of this bar for appointment as 1
Mr. Pritchard's successor on the said I
bench, and 10 report TO the said meet /
Ing the result OF such reuuest ." /
AT a conference between Attorney Cen
eral Knox and Justice Pritchard this /
morning. at the Department of Justice
II was decided that the latter will con-
unue his Judicial duties on the District :
bench for some time. IL is probable
under the decision arrived at. that Jus- /
itch Pritchard will round out his work |
In the local courts by TODAY uDon an I
cases for trial now assigned ir Criro-
inal Court, No. ], where he presides
The meeting OF the Bar Assocl ttfo,,
was held a the appointed hour ana the
resolution regarding Justice Pritchor1 !
was unanimously adopted.