New-York tribune., 1907-10-06
BIGGER THAN THE JUDGES.
Custodians of Federal Buildings-Soms
Clashed with Oecupants.

Troubles sometimes crop up between federal
judges and the Treasury Department These arise
from the fact that the federal courts are mostly
housed in federal buildings, which in control Ot
the Treasury Department The judges become
customed 10 their surroundings, and sometimes
when Congress decides 10 rebuild another gov
ernment tenant wants more room the federal tldgs
declines 10 stir on being asked 20 move. says "Ths
Washington Post"
\ federal Judge in New England went so F8r
recently 70 imprison for contempt the custo-
dian OF a federal building who had removed soma
of the judges belongings from room in the build
ing. The Treasury Department promptly notified
the Department OF Justice and suggested that ths
judge evidently aware of the which
gives the Treasury Department conrro, over ths
apPoTtlonInent or space among the governments
tenants. law intended 10 meet just such eTer-
gencies as that presented by the arbitrary New
England judge.
Judge Lacombe OF New York got into dispute
once with the Treasury Department; an order
issued 10 the custodian directing the removal ot
certain patent models from adjoining the
courtroom in the PoStotfice Building He insisted
that the court had control Of the building He
pointed out that The building was officially deSs-
mated as United States Courthouse and POstoi-
nee and, tnaSmuch the courthouse usn-
toned firsJ. the court. II he deemed it
could occupy the whole building to the exclusion
of the postofHce
1t became necessary finally to call Judge La
COmbes attention the lease for the site. which
provided that II IL should be used for other
than postotice purposes the title would resort 10
the srantor- This effectualIy sqUeIChed the en-
croachmeut OF judicial authority.
The most recent case Of the kind has 20
light in Macon. Ga When the government began
the erection OF public building a Macon on
the old site the federal tenants We're transferred
To office building a few blocks away where
the Treasury Department rented two floors Harry
Sttlwell Edwards. the author. is postmaster and
eN-otfCio custodian Having seconded the nOuins-
tion of President Roosevelt the last national
convention he is supposed TO have drag equal 10
that of John Temple Graves.
The local ElkS' lodge had quarters on the seventh
floor OF the building. Mr. Edwards engaged the
NTH and sixth floors. The Elks of Macon stay up
late nights, and also play billiards. Fearing that
the billiards might disturb Judge Emory Speer OK
the federal court. Custodian Edwards thoUghtfuly
placed him the nth floor.
The judge did not like this because according 10
what those who pretended 10 know say. he dscov-
cred that the sixth floor commanded better view
Of the sunset Therefore the judge shifted TO
the sixth floor by the author
Soon he complained that the Elks annoyed him
by their billiard playing. and he asked that they
esteemed tenants in Macon, and they had been
favored in their lease by a condition that other
tenant should be permitted interfere with them
When the custodian explained that he could not
remove two hundred Elks under such circHnl-
stances the Judge complained u the Treasury De-
p2rtment The Treasury officials confess their m
potence IN the premises.
The situation will soon be relieved when Judgo
Speer betakes himself the mountains for the
summer. but il will be renewed In the fall when
the judge returns to hold court and view the
beautiful southern sunsets from the sixth story
window and the Elks again busy at Billiards