Las Vegas optic., 1912-01-12
The TERRITORIAL
court CLOSED
FORMALLY
AFTER SIXTY YEARS OF EXIST
ENcE SUPREME TRIBUNAL
GIVES WAY TO NEW.

court and the organization of its sue
cessor, which occurred Wednesday
night in the Ancient capital:
Hear Yel Hear Yel The honorable
supreme court of the territory of New
Mexico is adjourned sine die" With
these words spoken by Ireno Chaves,
deputy United States marshal, the
court which existed for sixty years,
closed its records and passed away
forever.
The impressive ceremony of swear
ing in the new supreme court OF the
State of New Mexico drew a large
crowd last night to the supreme court
room in the capitol. Shortly before
the judges of the territorial supreme
court took their places on the bench,
the judges-elect cast losts, which gave
them the following classification, ac-
cording to length of term: Clarence ].
Robertst, the short term of five years,
Richard H. Hanna, seven years, and
Frank w. Parker, the long term of
nine years. Judge Roberts having
drawn the short term was thereby
made chief justice. The respective
terms were written on slips Of paper
which were tossed into hat. Judge
Hanna drew first, Judge Parker next
and Judge Roberts last.
At $3.50: o'clock, the judges of the
territorial supreme court took their
places on the bench with John R.
McF'ie presiding in the place of Chief
Justice William H. Pope who is alb
sent at Washington, D. c. This ar
rangement was a fitting compliment
to Judge McFie in recognition of his
IS years of service on the supreme
bench of the territory. Besides Judge
McFie, Frank w. Parker, Edward R. |
Wright and Clarence j. Roberts, asso-
ciate justices were present William
H. Pope, chief justice, Ira A. Abbott
and Merritt G. Meachem, associate JUS
tees Were absent.
After the opening of the court,
Judge McFie spoke briefly and in ap-
propriate terms of the record of the
old court and of his qualification that
the old regime had given place to a
newer and more popular one. After
presenting the regrets of the absent
members of the territorial court at
their inability to attend, in part he
said:
Existed Sixty Years.
"The territorial supreme court of
New Mexico has existed for sixty
years but it meets tonight in final ses-
SION In few minutes it's record will |
be closed and it will adjourn sine die. |
The members of the court about to |
pass away are gratified that popular
government has come to the territory.
They give place to a state court which
the retiring court welcomes and
wishes well.
"The territorial supreme court has
always stood high in the estimation
of the supreme court of the United
States. Few of its decisions have
been reversed by the United States
supreme court. Judge Henry B.
Brown, of the supreme court of the
United States, once said, at a dinner
given in the house of L. Bradford
Prince, ex-governor of the territory,
that New Mexico was to be congrat-
ulated on the work accomplished by
its appellate court"
In closing, Judge McFie extended
the congratulations of the retiring
judges to their worthy successors and
wished them success in the admins
tration of justice in the new state.
Oath Administered.
At the close of the remarks, Judge
McFie called on the judges-elect to
take their places before the bar and
the oath was administered. Judge
Roberts stood in the center with
Judge Hanna and Judge Parker to the
right and left respectively. The oath
was repeated in concert The final
minutes of the territorial court were
then read and approved and the mem
bers of the retiring court fled out
and the members Of the new state
supreme court took their places on
the bench.
The first session of the new court
was then opened by Supreme Court
Clerk Jose D. Sena, he being chosen
again, and John R. McFie, Jr., being
selected for bailiff. The court then
took a recess until 10 o'clock a. m.
January IL.
Final Entry.
The final entry in the record book
of the territorial supreme court
reads as follows:
Third day. Wednesday, January
10, A. d., 1912 The court met pur-
suant to adjournment. Present:
Hon. John R. McFie; Hon. Frank w.
Parker; Hon. Edward R. Wright; Hon.
Clarence J. Roberts. Minutes of
Thursday, January 4. were read and
approved
Associate Justice John R. McFie,