Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-19
Former Senator to Go on
Court Of Appeals Bench.
ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY
WILL BE SUCCESSOR OF JUSTICE
MARTIN F. MORRIS.
Formerly Served as a Member of the
Supreme Court Of the
District.

1t was announced at the White House
today by Attorney General Moody that ex-
Senator Louis E. McComas of Maryland
will shortly be named as an associate JUS
tice of the Court of Appeals of the District
of Columbia. He will succeed Justice Mar
tin F. Morris, who has written to the Pres
ident of his intention to retire. Justice Nor
ris was appointed to his present position at
the time the court was created, April Is,
1893, and has been eligible for retirement
for two years.
+ Mr.. McComas was at the White House
yesterday and had talk with the Pres
ident- 1t was pretty well understood then
that he would probably return to the
bench. He was one Of the judges Of the
Supreme Court of the District at the time
he was elected senator from Maryland, and
his return will be pleasing to his friends
Members of the local bar although hav-
ing high opinion of Mr.. McComas pre-
ferred to see District man named for the
honor, and delegation called upon the
President today before the announcement
was made. 1t consisted of George E.
Hamilton. A. H. Worthington, R. Ross
Perry and Walter V. r. Berry. They had.
IT. is said, concluded that j. j. Darlington
would be most suitable man for the DO
Nstion and had decided to present his name
When they did they learned the bent
Of the Presidents mind and did not press
the question any further Mr.. Darlington
was in no sense a candidate. but the high
esteem in which he is held by the local
bar made the leaders conclude that the
use of his name might induce the Presi-
dent to give the vacancy to a local man.
Justice Morris Statement.
1t was recently reported that Justice
Morris was somewhat indifferent to retir-
ing and that he would not do so unless he
felt that a District man would be named
to succeed him, but this was evidently In
correct, as in his letter to the PresiC( mt
notifying him of his intention to leave the
bench he said that it was his understand
ing that Mr.. McComas would succeed him.
This would Indicate, therefore, that JUS
tice Morris retirement had been made that
Mr.. McComas might be the beneficiary.
The President has felt friendly to Mr.. Nc
Comas for years and would have taken the
first opportunity to place him upon the
bench anyhow. The retirement of Justice
Morris simply fastened his purpose.
Former Service on Bench.
Louis E. McComas Of Maryland sub
scribed to the oath of office as an associ-
ate justice Of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia November %, 1892
He served on the District Supreme bench
until the early part of 1885, when he re-
signed. in order to take his seat in the
United States Senate, to which he had
been chosen.
Therefore, the individual who is to sue
coed Martin F. Morris as an associate JUS
tice of the Court of Appeals of the District
OF Columbia is we'll known to the members
of the bar here.
The personnel of the Supreme Court Of
the District of Columbia has changed COM
pletely since Justice McComas resigned as
a member of that tribunal The vacancy
created when he entered the senate was
filed by the appointment of Justice Ga
baugh, now chief justice and the senior
Supreme Court.