Evening journal., 1911-01-04
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Story Of q Chief Justice
Of the United States
BY "HOIIand."

One evening. in the early autumn OF
1888, I went 10 the old Baltimore and
Ohio railroad station in Washington
to take a night train for New York
! When the ticket window was thrown
open | fell in line behind a man OF
broad girth and shoulders whom l did
not recognize until no had reached the
window in his turn and asked for a
ticket to New York. He was chief JUS
tice of the United States. Morrison L..
/ Waite, appointed by President Grant
/ to the bench in 1874 to succeed Sal
mon p. Chase. and destined to be its
head until his death In 1888.
The ticket agent, in reply to the
chief Justices request, passed out a
| ticket in a perfunctory manner, aud
! the next moment / observed that the
chief justice was in some embarrass-
ment He felt first IN one pocket aud
then in another. Even TO the inside
pocket Of his waistcoat he dived, and
at last. in a voice which betrayed his
concern and a certain moedsty, even
timidity, OF manner, he explained 20
the ticket agent:
"I find that l have come from home
without q cent of money; / must have
left my pocketboOk upon the table or
my desk. I walked from the house to
/ the station because the evening was
pleasant. or | should have discovered
4 before that ! had no money with mo-
The ticket agent made no response,
and the chief justice, i'm a manner
even more hesitating and with his
embarrassment vislbly increased,
asked:
I 1t is very important that 7 go TO
New York tonight; is the-e any way
in which / can secure my passages"
Before the ticket agent had time to
reply a man who stood beyond the
ticket window rail stepped forward,
and as I pulled out my pocketbook and
held it before Chief Justice Waite the
stranger did the same. both he and
saying almost simultaneously Judge
Waite. ] should be glad II you would
accept what you need from my own
purse"
Never did man appear more great
/ ~ embarrassed over, or more keenly
appreciative Of. the kindness then
shown him. But berore the chief
justice could accept eithe- Offer, the
ticket agent thrust his head through
7
/ and myself aside.
Gentlemen" he said, "this is my
privilege" Then turning to Chief
Justice Waite-of whose identity no
had been in ignorance a moment be-
fore-the agent smilingly continued:
The rules of the railroad company
do not permit me to sell "a ticket upon
credit, Judge Waite, or I should be
very glad to do that. But there is no
rule Of the company which prevents
me buying a ticket"
He took out his pocketbook, with
drew from It Ave dollars and placed
the bill in the money drawer. Then
he handed a ticket TO the chief JUS
tice. and before the latter could say
anything a five dollar bill followed
the bit OF pasteboard into his hands
You will want a sleeping car ticket
and you shouldn't go to New York
without a cent i'm your pocket" or
planned the agent. $50 please let me
offer you this money"
The chief justice Of the United
States looked gratefully at the rail-
road man. Il thank you most sim
cerely for your very great courtesy"
he said. And as you know who T
am, you may be assured that upon
my return to Washington you viii be
REPAID"
! Thereupon, Justice Waite passed on
and I ventured to remark TO the
ticket agent: "That was a very hand
some thing you did"
"Oh, no." was the reply. "I was
proud to be able TO be of some service
to Chief Justice Waite. would
cheerfully have assisted him, or any
other member of the Supreme Court,
even though knew / would never get
my money back. I consider it a great
honor for any man to be able TO do
anything for a member OF the Su-
preme Court And have been more
than repaid for what have done by
the manner in which Justice Waite
received the little courtesy"
Then it was that -calized as /
never had before the respect and VEN
GRAFTON that tho average American
holds for the supreme Court Of the
Republic
] rUff l..