The Detroit times., 1910-12-16
MISS ANNA &. KELTON.


did not hold him long. He resigned
TO become the law partner OF J. w.
Lacey, then, as now, attorney in leg
islatures as well as courts, for the
Union Pacific railroad. The bond of
partnership was strengthened by
family ties Lacey and VanDevanter
are brotheIs-in-law.
Three years OF practice as attorney
found N0nDevanter in command of
the Republican party OF the state. He
earned o reputation for being a good
politician. TO him is accredited the
victory CT defeating Joseph NJ. Carey
for the senate. and for sending to
thai body. Warren and Clark, 20
make their records of service to Aid
rich and the Union Pacific
This victory soon brought its re-
ward. VanDeyanter was called 30
Washington TO give legal advice TO
the department OF the interior in
1897. Six years later he was pro
noted by Roosevelt to a judgship in
the circuit court OF appeals. It was
here that the gaze of President Taft,
directed by Warren and Clark, sup
plemented by Republican Senator
Guggenheim and Democratic Senator
Hughes OF Colorado. fell upon him.
In his six years OF private practice
his old neighbors recall but few in
cidents. They remember that he par
ticipated in the acquittal of 25 rich
cattlemen, whose bloody invasion of
the range brought murder charges.
They recall that two trappers who
saw the murders grew fat i'm Rhode
Island hotel, over 1000 miles from
the witness chair. They. of course,
wildly remember also that as state
chairman he elected Warren and
Clark and shelved Carey, the insur-
gent, who after t6 years OF retire.
ment has Just been elected governor.
Carey in his campaign charged
without denial that VanDevanter as.
sisted in the cheat of the Australian
ballot law. and made it easier for the
Union Pacific coal interests to vote
their foreign employees.
On the bench VanDevanter parti-
cipated i'm the Northern Securities
case. stopping James Hill from merg-
ing his roads.
He concurred in UNFOLDING de.
cision OF the lower federal court dis
solving the Standard Oil Co. of New
Jersey, the case now pending before
the supreme court.
In the paper trust case he sentenc-
ed officers of subsidiary companies
10 jail for refusing TO bring their
books into court
He sentenced Senator Burton of
Kansas for graft.
These decisions VanDevanter' 5
friends say, show that notwithstand-
ing his associations with Warren and
Clark, which still continue. and his
relationship with Lacey, the railroad
lawyer, his judicial record is unbias-
ed and beyond the reach of influence.
Attorneys OF the west say that he
is good lawyer. This may be glad
news to the lemon raisers of Califor-
mia. In the most recent recent i'm
portant decision in which VanDevan-
ter participated, the reduced rate on
lemons, ordered by the interstate
commerce commission. was held in
allegiance. The railroads were given
the advantage of the old high rate
until the new commerce court is or.
ganiZed and can hear the case. The
court made sure that no injury
should reach the railroads through
nasty enforcement OF an order made
by the commission.
VanDevanter has taken no open
stand in the politics of his state. He
has always been regular" but he
has maintained the standards of
judicial decorum which bars judges
from mixing. His life has been such
as 10 remove him from any close con.
tact with the lives of ordinary men.
He has never had struggle to get
on.
He is accredited with boundless
capacity tor work His only diversion
is daily horseback ride He may
not be expected to shatter any tradi-
tons of the court or TO depart in the
slightest from it's presidents.