The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-27
JUDGE S. 3. WITT,
Goes To REWARD
Continued From First Page.)

himself up to thoughts of his friend.
attorney James Caskie, a lifelong
friend and former law partner of
Judge Witt, came to the office TO look
up the records Of his dead comrade.
after he had recovered from his first
pangs of grief.
A hush spread over the whole city
hall. High officers Of the city and
humble janitore communed together
In grief In his Office Mayor Richard
son, who had known Judge Witt from
his boyhooa. spoke OF his friend in
grave and solemn "Reminiscences. He
spoke of his friend as another David
would have spoken of another Jona-
than Justice Crutehfield was hardly
less grieved, for he and sam" had
been friends when they We're young.
II was the same with City Engineer
Charles E. Boiling. with Judge Crump.
of the Law and Equity court; with
Judge Grinuar, of the tfanCery court.
with Major Werner and Captain Nc
Mahon and others who were in at
tendance upon their duties in the city
hall. There was not one who had not
known him personally. not one who
had not loved him for the qualities of
his soul and the loyabieness OF his
heart.
Governor Is Grisved.
Grief was manifest in all the state
buildings. Governor Mann was over
come. for he and Judge Witt had been
friends nearly all their lives and had
known each other thraugh-tA init
mate contact Of years. He was the
first to receive the news and the first
to send his condolences to Mrs. Witt.
AS soon as the sad telegram came to
him he ordered the State flag on the
capitol building to be put at half
mast.
Sorrow was everywhere manifest in
the city. Groups of people talked of
their friend on the street. each
feeling a sense Of personal loss Judge
Witt was. without question, the best
beloved man in Richmond. for he had
certain qualities Of the heart which
attracted all and made Of the stranger
friend for life. He had not a single
enemy. He had lived beyond re-
proaeh. and during his life there was
no criticism of his public or private
actions. and at his death there way
nothing but just and deserved tribute.
Az one who had been close TO him
through many years said OF him. he
was a prince among men, one or
natures gentlemen, brave. generous,
Of a temperament which made him
beloved by all. a just and merciful
Judge. faithful TO his friends and loyal
to his trust None had the confidence
OF the people more than he, and none
better deserved 1t
Judge Witt was honored as few men
are He was loved as few men are.
He was the personal friend Of all who
came into contact with him. He was
kind and considerate. and during his
advocacy of the law whom he was
Commonwealth attorney, he never
sought fame and reputation to convict
a man he believed to be innocent, and
as a Judge he inclined to leniency,
whence er il was compatible with 1us-
tee often from the bench he has
delivered lectures to young men who
had erred and been brought before
-sfts-.s4-t,f rttrt-,ir,irrg,
and. with a fearful God bless you, sent
them on their way 1t was always
his high purpose to save men rather
than to punish them for a rash mis-
deed, He dealt lenientiy with all
and the hardest and bitterest task he
| had was to sentence man to his
| doom or TO send him TO prison. He
IVES a friend OF humanity and had
| an intimate knowledge OF human
character It was said of him that
he could read all men as an open
book. and that his own intuition would
inform him as to the innocence or
guilt OF 0ne brought before him.
Lawyers and turists said of him
yesterday that he was the greatest
criminal Judge I'm the state that he
had quicker insight into the methods
of men and that he was guided by
sort OF instinct which never failed
him. witness the exceedingly few
times that HIS decisions were reversed
nv the highest tribunal in the State.
Z . Na.r n
any Judge In the city,
Friend of Coiorcd Race.
Judge Witt was especially beloved
and reSered by the colored people.
They always found in him ii loyal and
trusting friend. He himself was par
ticularly fond or the older negroes
and to them he was as open of purse
as Of heart His heart was taut with
strings Of sympathy, and the chords
OF his soul were always touched to
| pity at ii tale OF sorrow or a story
/ OF Woe He was quick 10 grasp de-
I tails. ready to sift the true FROM
/ the false, sure ana unerring III judg
/ rlent and go II was soon that the
people came TO trust and to love him
and to know that in him they always
/ had personal friend.
Judge Witt himself. IT is said, be
lieved that he would recover, and his
| own assurance served to buoy the
| Il earts of his family and friends with
| hope He was sweet-tempered, jovial
and humorous to the end. The latest
! information had conveyed the fac
! that it was thought he, would be able
] 10 return to Richmond du-ing the
| autumn. when his seat on the bench
would have been ready to receive
him. He was reelected judge OF the
! Hastings court by the last legislature,
/ and a few weeks befode his Departure
| for Hot Springs the oaath OF Office was
administered 70 him by Judge Ernest
/ ". Wells, Of the Hastings court, part
III.
/ His Career.
/ Judge Witt was born on September
/ 6. 1881. near Rice's Depot, Prince
! Edward county, the son of the Rev.
Daniel Witt. then pastor OF the Sand
+ River Baptist church, and Mary Ellen
/ Garlick. The Rev Daniel Witt was a
| famous minister Of his day. noted
| evangelist. and a close personal friend
| of another evangelist-Parson Jeter,
/ He was widely known as preacher
F, o fthe gospel. and moved many to con-
| version.
! Judge Witt received his early edu-
cation in the public schools of Prince
! Edward. and afterwards attended the
Baptist college (now Richmond col
lege). wheye he graduated in both the
academic and law departments. AL
most Immediately after graduating he
went to Farmville, where he entered