The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-27
BENNERS IS
 CHANCELLOR Appointed by Governor
 Last Night. SUCCEEDS J. J. ALTMAN New Judge is a Prominent Birmingham Lawyer. He Was Selected to Serve During m. ness of the hancearsr--Geverner
 cannfasham Praises Other Aspirants.

Hon. Alfred H. Beuners. of Eirming. ham. is the successor of the late Chan cellor John J. Altman. of the North western Chancery Division Acting Governor Cunningham decided upon the appointment Of Mr. Benners about o'clock last night The Governor was beseiged with delegates and recommendations repre- senting each of the seven counties Of the -Chancery Division. Nearly all of them favored either Mr. Benners or Hon. Sterling A. Wood, of Birmingham
 Yesterday the following delegation called on the Governor. presenting a petition for the appointment Of Mir. Wood: Judge J. J. Ray. of Jasper; J. c. King, Hines Peevy. Hon. Felix s. Blackburn. James A. Mitcher, H. K. White and William E. Fort, of Bir- ingham; and Romaine Boyd, City Att torney of Ensley. Mr. Wood accom- panied the delegation.
 Last Thursday afternoon" said the Governor last night, q received a mes- sage froms the Register in Chancery, Hon. J. W. Altman. that his father. the Chancellor, was unable to discharge for the time the duties of once, and re- quested the appointment of tempora- ry Chancellor, suggesting the name of a prominent attorney in Birmingham which to me was satisfactory.
 T informed him, however. that I could not consider so important a mat ter over the telephone and requested him to forward the necessary written application. etc, and that would take the matter under consideration. Early Friday morning I received a message from Birmingham that the bar would like a hearing in the matter of the appointment. It was my intention not to take up the matter until the following Monday and in the menatime to secure. if possible. supernumerary judge.
 'Tn the Ii o'clock mali that day the necessary documents arrived, which convinced me. for reasons therein con- tained. that the appointment should be
 made at once. Mir. Benners was my own ! selection without consulting anybody. believing that his appointment as tenn. I porary chancellor would give entire l satisfaction.
 ''On my return from Florida Monday l morning I first heard of the death of Chancellor Altman, and, of course. de- clined to make a permanent appofnt-
 ment for obvious reasons.
 | T did not consider the temporary ap- | pointment as binding at all upon me
 to make the appointment of the tenn porary Chancellor permanent. But I after considering the endorsement of
 all the applicants and the endorsement
 of others who were not applicants. I
 believed 1t to be my duty to appoint Mir. Benners Chancellor of the North western Chancery Division. "In coming to this conclusion have considered the amount of business in
 several counties of the division. Tn
 this connection have considered also
 the endorsements.
 '"The endorsement of Mir. Wood was
 magnificent and does him great honor | and credit"
 | Chancellor Benners has been a promi- nent figure in the Birmingham bar. He
 is the father of Hon. Augustus Benners,
 a member of the Legislature from Jef-
 ferson County and an aspirant for House Speaker.