Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-20
Alleged to Be Untrue.

Alleged to Be Untrue.
In answer to a question to whether he
had written TO the President indicating
desire TO retire. Judge Morris was quoted
as saying:
That is untrue. l have written no such
letter. did write d letter to the President
some tine ago. but that is altogether a
different matter You at liberty to say
for me that | have not indicated to the
President OF anybody else an intention OF
retiring and that l consider the stories
that are being circulated under the circum-
stances to be in very bad taste.
Attorney General Moody, after reading
the statement of Judge Morris. that If the
latter had been correctly quoted, that there
was Il big misunderstanding and that some
body was very mistaken. said: Il should
think that the simplest way OF settling the
matter would be for the President to make
the letter from Judge Morris public.
This afternoon Mr.. Moody called at the
White House and talked over the incident
with the President. Later the announce
ment was made that Mr.. McComas would
be appointed TO succeed Judge Morris. and
that Il statement the case would prob
ably be given out late this a~ernoon- 1t is
believed that the Morris letter will be made
public al the same time.
Judge Morris refused himself to all call
ers at his home on Massachusetts avenue
this morning, and IL impossible to Sc
cure confirmation or denial of the correct
ness of the statement attributed to him in
the newspaper publication yesterday. 1t is
understood. however, that Mr.. McComaS
called upon Judge Morris at the latters re-
quest this morning. and that conference
of more than an hour ensued.
Declines to Talk.
Senator McComas was seen by Star re-
porter today just as he was about to take
the train for his Baltimore law office. He
said he had no Information. and politely de-
ciined To discuss the subject of the judge
ship of the Court of Appeals He had read
the newspaper statements and was exceed
lnSty grauned by the confidence expressed
by the President in his intention to make
the appointment. He added that Judge
Morris and himself had long been personal
friends, but that he had not had the oppor-
tunity 10 talk with the latter for several
months. as he had been very busy in Balti-
more
The fact that President Roosevelt yes
terday announced his intention of appoint
inT Mr.. McCOmas to the bench of the Dis
trict Court of Appeals caused no surprise
IN Washington. He has the earnest in
dOrsemcnt of 200 members of the District
bar. and the opposition to his appointment
IT such = may be called-was very weak
and based almost entirely on the ground
that u District man should have the place
In fact. many of those who asked that a
District man get the place made it plain
that If the judgeship went outside of Wash
iustOn. they wanted to see no one but Mr.
NcComas get ii. Senator McComas prior to
mis- service in the Senate, was a member
or the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia.
He took the oath of office as a member
of the Supreme bench on November -,
1892, and served on that bench until 1888.
when he resigned TO take his seat in the
Senate
In High Esteem.
Mr.. McComas. through all the years he
t.a bnI in, ba
highest esteem by his colleagues and by the
members of the bar. The banquet rendered
him on his retirement from the Supreme
hench To take his seat in the Senate was
one of the most memorable affairs of its
kird ever held in Washington, or for the
matter Of that, anywhere.
The banquet was given at Rauscher's. and
the tributes paid to Mr.. McComas We're OF
a character That probably no other member
Of the District bench ever received Since
his retirement from the Senate the num-
Der and character of the Endorsements that
have gone To the White House asking that
Judge Mccomas be appointed to the Court
OF Appeals have indicated beyond the shad
"W of doubt that the members of the bar
and the pc pie of Washington generally
want MI. McComas to again take his seat
on the bench and give TO the District the
benefit of his judicial services for which in
former years he won so much well-deservad
popularity and praise
The salary of the position is 81 600 an
huaIiS' the same as the salaries of judges
OF circuit courts of appeals. with the adj
vantage that Cle court is loo ,ted ar the
national capital. and, unlike the circuit
judges. the judges of the Court of Appeals
of the District have broader jurisd !ction
over federal questions and do not travel
1t is understood that Senltor McComas
like former Chief Justice Alvey. will retain
his home in western Maryland. His friends
throughout the state are said TO he looking
To him tn lead the campaign in Maryland
but his appointment to jldiCiai office will
bar him from that While on the bench be-
fore Mr. McComas scrupulously avoided
political matters. He refused to adjourn
his court during his sena torial contest and
was trying case when he received tele-
gram announcing his election to the Senate