The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-08-11
Gave Up Judgeship That He Might Be
Free to Accept Nomination
PRESIDED AT ALBANY LAST TIME
Without Any Advance Announcement
He Arrived at Albany, Took Part in
Clearing Up Practically All the
Cases Before the Court of Appeals
and Then Sent in His Resignation
to the Secretary Of State.

Albany, N. Y, Specialization B.
Parker ceased to be Chief Judge Of the
Court Of Appeals of this State at 1920
D. m. Friday, and became the untramel-
ed candidate Of the Democratic party
for the presidency of the United States,
lacking only the formal notification Of
his nomination, which will take place
at Rosemount next Wednesday after
noon.
Without any advance announcement
Or intimation of his purpose, he came
to Albany, took part with five Of the
other judges in clearing up practically
all of the cases which had been argued
before the court, and then sent mes
senger to file his formal resignation in
the Office of the Secretary of State, as
the constitution and public officers law
required.
He left Esopus at 1926 a. m. accom-
panied by the newspaper men who
have been on duty at Rosemount ever
since his nomination. Until after the
train had left Kingston, he would not
divulge his destination. Few people In
the day coach in which he rode appear
ed to recognize him, though there were
one or two Ulster county acQuaintances
with whom he chatted until the train
reached Kingston. He arrived in AL
bany Just after l o'clock, and after
luncheon went to the capitol and at
once joined in consultation with his
colleagues over the cases pending be-
fore the court. The consultation lasted
q little over one hour, and at 3:05 the
judges fled into the court room and
handed down to the clerk 66 decisions
which practically cleared up the busi-
ness before the court. The only cases
remaining are two or three In the
hands Of Judges Gray and Bartlett, who
are in Europe. All Of the cases in
which Judge Parker was assisting
Judge were disposed Of. An interesting
feature Of the session of the court was
that the judges were without the long,
black silk robes which they ordinarily
wear. This was owing to the fact
that the session was unexpected and
there had not been time to get the
robes, which had been packed away for
the summer.
The judges present were: Parker,
0'Brien, Martin, Vann. Cullen and
Werner.
The court was in session less than
two minutes, and adjournment was
taken until October 3. 1t Is a long
time since any such number OF dects-
ions has been handed down at one sit
ing Of the court.
His business as Chief Judge being
thus completed, Judge Parker then
took up the matter upon which he had
come to Albany, the filing Of his resig-
nation. He called in all the newspaper
men, took them through the court
chambers and consultation rooms, and
introduced each one to his Associate
Judges. In his own room, which he
has occupied SO long, he stopped and
looked out Of the window to the dis
tant hills across the Hudson. His voice
trembled perceptibly as he said: This
room, boys, was mine"
The very slight emphasis upon the
word "was" was the first indication he
had given Of his intention to resign.
Returning to the consultation room,
he took a long envelope from his
pocket, and, turning to Buell. c.. An
drews, one Of the officials Of the court,
said Andrews, will you do kind
ness for me? Just take this down.
stairs and file it with the Secretary OF
State"
The document read:
Hon. John F. O'Brien, Secretary Of
State.
"Sir: hereby respectfully resign my
Office as Chief Judge Of the Court OF
Appeals Of the State of New York, such
resignation to take effect Immediately.
ALTON B. PARKER. "a
"Rosemount, Esopus, N. T., Aug. VI
1904"