The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-20

terest In him was his attack In 1882 on
the financial system of Newark. He wrote
freely on the subject, showing that the
methods in use were cumbrous. expensive
and unnecessary, repeating his opinions
before large audiences in the old Library
Hall. As a result Of his agitation, legis-
lation was procured end the methods OF
the sinking fund commissioner which
he had attacked were reformed. By rea-
son of this there was a large drop In the
tax levy.
After Judge Fort quit the District Court
bench he practised law for ten years. In
1884 he was elected a delegate-at-large 10y
the Republican State convention to the
national convention. held at Chicago. AT
that place, with six others. he acted in
dependently and voted for George f. Ed
munds, Of Vermont, for President, until
the latter was dropped, and then voted
with the rest of the Jersey delegation for
James G. Blaine. In 1889 he was chair
man of the convention which nominated
General E.. Burd Grubb for Governor, and
toured the State with him.. He was also
chairman OF the Griggs convention in
1896, and was a speaker with the latter in
the "whirlwind" campaign Of that year,
which resulted In the election of the first
Republican Governor in thirty years. BY
u curious IuTldDOul MI. 0IiBbs was
| chairman Of the convention that nomi-
mated Judge Fort for Governor. In 1896
Judge Fort was a delegate to the national
convention at st. Lou at which Nc
Kinley and Hobart were nominated. and
he placed the name of Carrot q. Hobart
before the convention. He was also chair
man of the committee IN credentials.
Judge Forts speeches denouncing Addieks
and later nominating Hobart gave him a
national reputation as IN orator. Judge
Fort served on important State commits
sions. He helped to codify the grimes
act, a work of great labor, and made
other Qualifications. and he served on thu
Interstate commission to revise the mar
riage and divorce laws and make them
uniform.
Governor Griggs appointed Mr.. Fort
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas OF
Essex County in December, 1896, and on
NAV 4, 1900. he was appointed a Justice
Of the Supreme Court by Governor Voor-
hees, and in the following year he was ap-
pointed for the full term.
Since his appointment to the Supreme
bench, Justice Fort has presided over the
courts of Morris, Sussex, Monmouth, Nit
dlesex. Ocean, Union and Hudson counties,
While in Monmouth County he directed
the movements which drove the gamblers
from Long Branch in 1902.
AS a member of the Supreme Court he
participated in the decision by which
Judges of the court that the value of street
franchises was taxable as part of the reaI
estate. which decision the Errors Court
overruled, He also wrete one of the two
recent decisions sustaining the Perkins
railroad tax law OF 1906. He was the frs
one to advocate indetermlnate sentences
and the probation system In New Jersey,
and drew the bill under which the latter
is now operating throughout the State. In
1899, when he was law judge In Essex, he
made a tour Of European prisons under a
commission from the United States, and
reported on them upon his return. The
idea of probation and indeterminate sen
tences was a new one. AS Essex law
Judge he was particularly severe on wife
heaters, giving them the extreme penalty,
and such was the effect that the offenst
became rare IN the county.
Justice Fort has been identified with