The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-01-16
NOTES FROM HARTFORD.
JUDGE HAMERSLEK WILL SOON
 REACH AGE LIHIT.

Hls successor VIII be Appointed by
 Governor WoodruG-The Effort to
 Repeal the Law Relating to TeIe-
 phone service-senator Thompson of
 West Haven for Chairman of the
 Committee on Railroads.
 Hartford, Jan. 15.-It will be news to everybody in Connecticut outside of a limited coterie of friends that Judge William Hamersley of the supreme court of errors will reach the age limit months before the general assembly of 1909 will assemble, and that the ap- | pointment of his successor will fall to the lot of Governor Woodruff Judge Hamersley was born in Hartford on September g, 1888, and will be seventy years of age in 1908. He was appoint ed on the superior court bench by Gov ernor Luzon B. Morris of New Haven in 1893, and became member of the supreme court in 1894 for a term of eight years. He was reappointed in 1901 by Governor George P. Mclean, and is now serving his second term on the supreme bench, where he is held in signal honor and esteem, being one of the most gifted judges of that court which Connecticut has had. He was educated at Trinity college, matricula- ting in the class of 1858, which con- tained that distinguished jurist, Judge William D. Shipman of the United States circuit court of New York. Judge Hamersley graduated from the Harvard Law school in 1859 and in 1865 received an honorary degree from Trinity. He became states attorney for Hartford county in 1868 ana held that position for twenty-five yeurs. His father, William James Hamersey, was mayor of Hartford during the civ- il war, holding the office from 1862 until 1854 Judge Hamersley has been mar- ried twice. His first wife, whom he married on October 1S. 1870, was Gym thia Williams of Paineville, Ohio. The second. whom he marrie1 October 25. 1892 was Jane Allen daughter If John Allen of Old SaybroolS, who was t state senator twenty years ago. Judge Hamersley was a member of the House of Representatives from Hartford l when he was appointed judge of the superior court by Governor Morris. | The fact that Judge Hamersley will be retired from the supreme court hy req son of the age limit in 1908 will place three supreme court appointments at the disposal of Governor Woodruff. 1 This has not been the lot of any goyer- nor of the state in many years, even if l it has ever occurred in the past. The retirement of Judge Hamersley will be i widely regretted by tie coutes sllti-7 people of Connecticut, He Las been a judge sans reproche and a man of ac- knowledged scholarship on the bench.
 The statement that was issued last Saturday by the Southern New Eng land Telephone company from New Haven relating to the effort that will be made during the present session of l the general assembly to repeal the law on the statute books governing the es- tablishment and conduct of public tele- phone service within the state will be read with interest by every member of l the legislature who desires to be in- 1 formed concerning the issues involved. The statement is fair and straightfor- ward from beginning to end. There is I not a sentiment tn it that can not be supported by figures and facts. There i are thousands of business men in Con- necticut who will oppose duplication in l telephone service, There will be no surprise, when the time comes, in hav- ing one of the foremost newspaper managers in the state, who has been regarded as favorable to telephone competition, taking sides against 1t. The past two years has led him to the position that competing telephone com fpanes are not advisable. But he will ask for the best available service for the company that occupies the field. The administration of the Southern New England Telephone company dur- ing the last two years has been the fulfillment of every promise that was made by it's officers at the session of 19Ct.
 There will be no regrets in a weeks time in the senate that the chairman ship of the committee on railroads has gone to Senator Thompson of West Haven. His superb personality will bear fruit through the session, and his leadership will be guarantee of good legislation. Senator Farrel of Ansonia and Senator Butterworth of New Ha- ven will be influential in the legislation of the winter, finding ample fields for the ability and sound judgment which they possess. Senator Shanley, also of New Haven, who is on the democratic side, has the confidence and good fel- lowship of the republican members. He Is a clear-headed and popular rep resentative of New Haven democracy and will be an exponent of his political faith