The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-26
LURTON, IF CHOSEN,
OLDEST APPOINTEE
Taft Will Violate Many Prec-
edentS If He Names
IenneSSean.

II President Taft names Horace II.
Lurton, Of Tennessee, to be Supreme
Court Justice in succession to Justice
Peckham, he will give a demonstration
Of his devotion to an old friend and
his well-known admiration for the ju-
dicial attachments Of Judge Lurtoa. He
Will, however. have to commit infrac-
ton Of long-established precedents.
Judge Lurtons If appointed now. would
be the oldest man ever placed on the
Supreme Bench. He Is past sixty-iye
years old. and the oldest man ever
named to the bench was sixty-three.
Only six men above sixty have ever
been so appointed.
The average at which men have been
named for the bench has been 5l.3
years, almost fifteen years under tie
present age Of Judge Lurton. In this
connection. and ia view Of the fact
that the age consideration has always
been important. especially in later Ad-
ministrations, with Presidents seeking
appOintees for this court. the exact ages
at which all the Supreme Court jus
tees have been appOintct cannot be
entirely without interest. Here are the
ages at which the present members Of
the court were named.
William II. Moody. ......................s 8
D o.
DllFer w. HOlmes.---...s. OIL
Joseph MCkenna.. .-................-.... 55
Edward ID. WI lte........................ 40
David J. BTeWer..-........... 81
Melville w. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. So
JOuu M IdIldn- ..------ .--.---....-..-. A
Justice PcCkham was fifty-seven when
I he was appointed. The average age Of
I the present justices, at the time of
appointment, was little under fifty
three years. The ages at which all
1 the supreme Court justices from the be-
/ ginning have been appointed were:
Justice-Age Appointed.
John Jay, New YOrk......-.....--......, A
/ John Hutlcdge. South CarOlina......-. 30
/ William Cushing. MassaChusetts....s g
James Wilson, Pennsylvania. A.
/ John Blair, Virginia. ....... -....... 81
Robert II. Harrison, MarylaEd........ II
James Ircdell, North CaTOlina..-....... 80
/ Thomas Johnson. Marylaud............ 80
! William Patterson, New jersey. AZ
John Rutledgc, South CaTOllna........ 16
I Samuel Chase. Maryland .-............. o.
: Oliver Ellsworth, COunecticut.......... 3l
/ BushrOd Washington. Nirglnld......... 81
] Alfred Moore. North Carolina.......... "A
John Marshall. Virginia. 10
/ William Johnson, South Carolina SIS
/ Brocllford Livingston, New York.. ~
Thomas Todd. Kentucky. .-............. ~
IJOseph Story SSaChuscttS.......-... 81
/ Gabriel Duvall. Maryland ~
/ Smith Thompson, New Hork.......... %
/ Robert Tribe. Kentucky. .............. ~
John Mclean, Ohio. .......-....-....... A
/ Henry Baldwin, pennsylvania........5 81
/ James NJ. Wayne, Georgia.....-........ 80
/ Roger b. Tdney......--.- ...-............. 95
Philip Z. Barbour. Virginia............. 55
IJohn CatTOn, Tennessee .......-.......- 81
John Mckinley. Alabama. %
! Peter v, Daniel, Virginia ID
| Samuel Nelson, New Hork............. 5a
/ Levi Woodbury., New Hampshire. %
/ Robert c. Grier, Pennsylvania ........ 81
/ Benjamin r Curtis. Massachusetts. q
John A. Campbell. Alabama ..--...... 4.
/ Nathan Clifford, Maine......-.......... o.
/ Hoah H. Swayne, Ohio.................. 81
Samuel f. Miller. Iowa.-.............-. Al
! David Davis. Illinois. 81
stephen J. Field. California. A.
Salmon =. Chase, OhiO.-.-............. &
/ William Strong. Pennsylvania...-.. 6;
/ Joseph +. Bradley, New Jersey ....... 81
i Ward Hunt New YOrk.........,........ 81