The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-03-25

SUPREME COURTS
DIGNITY IS MOST
RIGIDLY UPHELD
How Justices File Into Court
Room and Their Presence
is Announced.
One Functionary Makes Quill
Pens.
TITLE OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE


a man on the government payroll
whose specified duty is the making
of quill pens II is a light, congenial
employment, too for he very seldom
has to fashion any new polnts-the
same old quilts have been doing duty
for several years.
Then there is another man who
draws money from Uncle Sam whose
sole duty is to march slowly and with
a digniiied manner in front of nine
other dignitaries. who. however, do
lot more to earn their money.
The supreme court of the United
States gives employment to these two
unique servants of the public.
The court of last resort of the
United States ~ the most interesting
deliberative body i'm the country
apart from It's eminence. its distinc-
tive character and its membership
The small court chamber is enshroud-
ed in the gloom of tradition. The
senate Of the United States occupied
the same room until 1859, wherefore
there clings to il something Of the
atmosphere of olden days.
On the tables reserved for counsel
in the room may still be found quill
pens, neatly arranged beside ink
stands Of ancient pattern. and the
American of today Is almost dIsap-
pointed not to find also the sand for
blotting that used to be the invarl.
able accompaniment of the Quill.
There had to be small concession
to modern taste. so steel pens are
also provided and IL must be admitted
these are nearly always USED in pref
erenee TO the goose feather. II there
have been any Of the quilts used dur
ing the last few years, the court Off
GERS don't know OF Il; but several
have disappeared. presumably carried
OF by the souvenir hunters.
Tradition clngs to every feature Of
court procedure. The entrance Of
Chief Justice Fuller and the associate
justices to the courtroom is a solemn, |
dignified proceeding. The nine high |
est interpreters of the law assemble
in a small room in the west side of |
the capitol shortly before noon. Att
three minutes of twelve. two red silk
cords are looped across the hallway
to the door OF the court room, and
headed by the usher, and in the order !
of their seniority. the nine justices !
march into the court room.
As soon as the usher appears at the
little gateway opening on the bench !
in the court room, the marsha's gavel
falls. and he announces soberly:
''The honorable the chief justice.
and the associate justices OF the SUI
preme court of the United States"
With a stately stride, slowly, like
mourners at a funeral, with their
flowing black robes adding to the pic
ture. the justices lile into their places,
IAN persons IN the room remaining |
standing until the members of the |
court are seated.
Then the crier announces; "Oyezl
Oyer! All persons having business
with the honorable supreme court OF ]
the United States are admonished to !
draw near and give their attention, |
for the court Is now sitting" These
formalities over, the court gets down
TO business.
On the bench the justices are seat
ed strictly with regard TO their SEN
iority. The chief justice. the vener-
able Melville W Fuller, with a halo
OF white hair, has the center seat. At
his right sits Justice Harlan. the SEN
Tor justice. tall and straight despite
his seventy-six years. On Justice
Fuller's left is Justice Brewer. next
in seniority: then TO Justice Harlan's
right sits Justice White; then the
next in point Of seniority Is Justice
Peckham, who sits to the left of Jus
tice Brewer: Justice McKenna is at
the right OF Justice White: Justice
Holmes Is left of Justice Peckham: TO
the right of Justice McKenna sits
Justice Day. and, last in point of
seniority. Justice Moody, the young
est as well as the newest OF the JUS
tees. has the end seat to the left of
the chief justice. beside Justice
| Holmes.
Few people know that Justice Full
Ter Is 1.-THE chief justice OF the United
lstates''-not chief of the supreme
court. HIS title is fixed by the con
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