Omaha daily bee., 1911-08-06
MANY SEEKING JUDGESHTP
Fourteen Names Will Appear on the
Official Primary Ballot.
NCUMBENTs ASK REELECTION
For InfOrmation of Voters The Bee
Presents Brief Accounts of Pub
lie Lives of Those who Would
Go to Supreme Bench.

Omaha has been more or less overrun.
and probably will continue to be until the
primary election next week. by candidates
for nomination for supreme judge on the
respective party tickets. These candidates
are introduced around as a rule by local
members Of the bar, who find occasion to
put in a good word for them.
Altogether fourteen names will appear on
the official primary ballots for the repub-
lican and democratic nominations-eight
republicans and six democrats or populists.
AS only three places on the supreme bench
are to be filled. 1t goes without saying that
eight Of the candidates will have to be
knocked out on the first round and the re-
mainder contest it out at the election.
On the republican side the three judges
now sitting. whose terms expire next jan
uary. all want to be reelected. They are
Charles B. Letton of Fairbury, William B.
Rose Of lincoln and Jesse L. Root Of
Plattsmouth The general opinion prevails
that IL any OF these are retired the place
will go to Judge Francis G. Hamer OF
Kearney, who came 30 close to nomina-
ton two years ago. The other republican
aspirants are; Joseph e. Cobbey of Bea-
trice, John NJ. Macfarland, Omaha; Am
prose y. EppeTSOI, Clay ScHleEf Odtiuel
P. Davidson. Tecumseh.
Democratic and populist candidates are:
l. L. Albert, Columbus; James R. Dean,
Broken Bow; Willis D. Oldham. Kearney;
William L. Stark, Aurora Joel F.. West,
Omaha; John Everson, Alma
who They All Are.
Because of the Importance of the office
of supreme judge and the inability Of the
.f..A., lxrrNTh
than small percentage OF the voters, The
Bee herewith presents briefly some infor-
nation telling who they are
Judge Charles Blair Letton has been on
the supreme bench since 1905. and for two
years before that was n commissioners of
the same court. Judge Letton was born at
Edinburgh in October. 1853. He attended
the public schools in his native city and in
Glasgow before coming TO the United
States In 1879 he was graduated at the
Nebraska state Normal school. and two
years later was admitted to practice law.
He located at Fairbury and formed part
nership with former Congressman Hin
shaw. From 1886 to 1890 he was county
attorney and from 1895 TO 1903 Judge of the
First judicial district He has been presi-
dent of the Nebraska Bar association, in
| 1904. a member of the American Bar asso-
citation and a delegate to the lawyers con-
gress at ST. Louis in 1904.
| Judge William B. Rose went to the
supreme bench by appointment of Gov
| ernor Sheldon, December /, 1908, when
| the membership was increased from three
| to seven. He is Pennsylvania, born in
| January, 1862; his father being double
cousin of William Mckinley, sr., father
! of President Mckinley. Educated in the
public schools of Grove City. Pa, he after
ward attended Grove City college, Ad-
mitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1883,
| Judge Rose came TO Nebraska the follow
| ing year and soon became assistant state
librarian which position he held from
1889 to 1901. Then, for seven years. he
was an assistant in the office of the
attorney general. Always taking an ac-
tice interest In politics. he was made
chairman of the state republican COM
mittee in 1905, and managed the cam
paign that year. in recognition OF which
Senator Norris Brown tried to make him
United States collector of internal rev.
enue, in place of that, however. Governor
Sheldon gave him a judicial appointment.
| This is his first campaign before the
people for elective honors.
| Judge Jesse L. Root is also an ap-
| pointed member or the court going to the
supreme bench by commission of Governor
Sheldon, at the same time as Judge Rose.
He was born In Tazewell county, H.. in
November, 1850, and after going through
tho public schools took a course in busi-
ness college. He studied law and was ad-
mitted 20 the bar in 1889 at Plattsmouth,
where he practieed for ten years; in 1898
ne was elected county attorney for Cass
county, holding that office continuously
until 1905. He was sent 10 the state SEN
ate for the session OF 1907 and had an
active part in the passage of the numer-
ous reform laws passed at that session.
He ran for district Judge in 1897, but
was defeated. For q year preceding his
appointment as associate justice he served
as q commissioner OF the court
Only Republican from West Section.
Judge Francis q. Hamer, OF Kearney,
came within reach of the coveted nomina-
tion two years ago. He is an Ohio man.
born In Seneca county, in February, ls4s.
Ten years later the family moved to
Indiana where by industrious hustlinE
young Hamer had acquired education
enough TO enttle him to teachers first
class certificate. Two years later he took
up the study OF law In Indianapolis After