The Washington herald., 1911-01-09
HUMAN NATURE IN WASHINGTON
By FRED C. KELLY.

life. He went home and told his father
Of his decision.
''Glad to hear it." said his father TIN
. graduate Of that institution myself
which was news to the son.
Strangely enough, Van Devanters
father. though an excellent lawyer, had
never before thought Of his son ~ pos
sessing any latent legal talent.
Later on. when young Van Devanter
started to practice. his father did him
q turn that. the new justice says, was
an important factor in whatever success
he has made in his profession. Among
his first cases was one in which he was
to help prosecute q man for working q
three-shell gambling device. He asked
his father to help him draw up the in
dictment, for he knew 1t would be vigor-
ously attacked by the defense and he did
not want to be humiliated.
! ''The best help I can give you," his
father told him, lis not to help you at
all, but let you study 1t all out for your
self. You draw up an indictment that
Is satisfactory to you. and may giaace
over II, but not before"
Van Devanter closeted himself with a
shower of law books and did not stop
until he had an indictment that seemed
to be copper-riveted and hardy enough
to stand the rigors Of any legal atnos-
phere 1t might encounter. He decided
then. having gone that far. no. to ask
any help from his father at all, Just to
show him.
That Indictment went clear through to
the State Supreme Court and stood every
attack On it as firmly as a stone fence
on Halloween night No single incident
in his career. Van Devanter repeats. did
him more good than having to work out
that Indictment on his own hook.
And when Van Devanter shifted his law
practice from Indiana to Wyoming. 1t was
in order to be where he would be looked
upon as a regular person. In Marion. his
fathers prestige was such that everybody
who came into the Office after advice in
quired for the elder Van Devanter. This
got on the sons nerves a lot, and he
made up his mind to start West and
keep on going until he struck a State
where no man. woman. or child had ever
heard of his father.
The most striking characteristic of
Justice Van Devanters personal appear
ance is an air of buoyant ruggedness and
beamful. bristiing alertness. Even his
hair. which is prematurely gray, has a
"dy VI CuIilHS away hc0u a.
each side, like the designs painted on a
circus chariot and jabbing animatedly out
into the atmosphere. His eyes are as
glitteringiy alert as those Of a man on
third base. and his skin is as rosy and
flawless as milkmaid's. The Van De-
vanter features are all large, we'll formed.
and firm. They exude vigor and good
humof. In fact, there is a noticeable ab-
sence Of that ponderous. reposeful solem-
nifty that one associates with the coun-
tenance of a Supreme judge.
One Of the first congratulatory letters
Justice Van Devanter received after his
appointment, was from a man named Nc
Clellan. out in Wyoming. who is be-
lieved to be the original Of Owen Wis
ter's "Virginian.''
Mighty glad to see you SO highly hon.
ored." the letter read. but I'm worried
for fear we won't get to go hunting to-
gether any more.
Van Devanter's first appearance in the
United States Supreme Court was to rep
resent the State of Wyoming IN a case in
which the government was seeking to en-
force an Indian treaty which gave the
Indians hunting rights that were in con-
flict with the State laws. The decision
in Van Devanter's favor-was prepared
and read by Justice White, who. the other
day. as Chief Justice, administered the
oath making Van Devanter a member
of the court.
Copyright. 1911. b. Fred C. Kelly)