Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-19
Selected to Succeed the Late
Andrew B. Duvall.
LOCAL LAW OFFICER
SKETCH OF THE DISTRICTS NEW
CORPORATION COUNSEL.
Names of Attorneys Suggested for the
Post Of Assistant in Legal
Department.

| Mr. Edward H. Thomas this afternoon
was appointed corporation counsel to NIL the
vacancy caused by the death of Andrew D..
| Duvall.
Commissioner West settled oil speculate
regarding the successor to the late Mr.. Du-
vail, and COMMISSIONERS Macfarland and
Biddle readily acquHesced IN their associ-
ates choice of Mr.. Thomas. few minutes
after the order wes written 1t had the ap-
proval OF all three Commissioners. Mr
| Thomas was notified of his good fortune in
telephone message from Commissioner
West. and the appointee expressed his
thanks to the Commissioners.
Edward H. Thomas. the new corporation
counsel. was born in this city forty-eight
years ago. and like his predecessor, Mr..
Duvall, all of his life has been spent here.
He attended the public schools of the city.
graduating in 1873 from the Grammar
School of the second district. Soon there
after he began the study Of law at George
town University, and earned his degree
from that institution in 1877.
Although not then twenty-one years OF
age, Mr.. Thomas at once entered upon the
practice Of law, and, as he said today, mas
been at 1t ever since" For a few months
each Mr.. Thomas had his offices at 319 AZ
street and in the LIE Droit building, but
after short experiments In each place ne
decided that the point for him was In the
center OIL 1ne DuSlI1eSS poIlioH VI ZIG SieS
and he moved into 916 F street northwest.
and in the same room at that address has
since maintained his office.
Like all other positions which he has
filed during his professional career, that or
assistant to the United States attorney,
which Mr.. Thomas held from 1884 to 1855,
came to him without solicitation. In that
place he acted as prosecuting attorney for
the United States in the Police Court. ana
his service there was ended only when he
found the duties too arduous to permit OF
his attending to other business and he re-
signed.
First Assistant Counsel.
Mr.. Thomas on October 81. 1901, was
chosen by Mr.. Duvall to fill the post as
first assistant to the corporation counsel,
made vacant at that time by the resigna-
ton on account of Ill health Of Clarence A.
Brandenburg. Until today Mr. Thomas has
served continuously as first assistant in the
Districts law department.
AS to filing the vacancy in his Office Gre
ated by his promotion, Mr.. Thomas said
that he IL not yet prepared to speak. How
ever, speculation was increased rather than
| diminished by the report of the moving up
of Mr.. Thomas. Names mentioned fire.
quently in connection with the post Of first
assistant to the corporation counsel were
those Of Andrew Y. Bradley, John G. Git
tings, Lorenzo A. Bailey. Philip Walker.
Walter Davidge, Levi David, D. o. c. Cal
laghan, Frank H. Stephens, the present Sec
ond assistant in the office, and several
others, but which one will eventually Sc
cure the preference is not known.
Unwritten Rule May Prevail.
1t was intimated that the unwritten
rule of the District government would OBJ
tain in this matter and that the only ap-
pointment to a post in the corporation
counsers office would be that Of one OF the
cIs MI In plr fhop tcf-
ant. That would mean the promotion of
Mr. Stephens to the post of first assistant
| which Office carries with it salary of
81. 800 per year, and that the new appointee
will probably take the position of second
assistant For this latter position the
name most prominently mentioned is that
of Andrew Bradley Duvall, son OF the late
corporation counsel in whose behalf 1t can
be said that the influence Of at least one
of the District Commissioners has already
been sought.