New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-02
LORD ALvERSTONE DYING
True Facts of Illness StudiouSly
Kept from Public knowledge.
is LORD CHIEF JUSTICE
Succession to the Office Virtu-
ally Certain to Devolve on
Sir Rufus Isaacs.
TBy Gable 10 The Tribune. J

b. Gable TO The Tribune.
London. Feb. 1.-The true facts con-
corning the illness Of Lord Alverstone,
Lord Chief Justice of England. still IA
miliarly known as Dick Webster.
although his peerage is already dozen
years old. is being studiousiy kept from
the knowledge of the public. HIS con-
dition is much more grave than is gem
orally supposed.
At his town residence. Hornton Lodge,
Campden Hill. Kensington. Lord Al
verstone is lying surrounded by all the
members of the family. The King to-
day sent special equerry from Buck
ingham Palace with a sympathetic
message. and judges and leading King s
counsel have visited him.
He is suffering seriously from heart
trouble. and a critical attack of inter-
nal hemorrhage has rendered his con-
dition % Drecarious that oxygen has
since been administered at frequent in
tervas.
The general impression among those
knowing the real facts is that the LORD
Chief Justice will never return TO the
ROYAL Palace of Justice again. Tor
many weeks i'll health has prevented
Lord Alvorstone from properly con-
Quoting the business of the courts.
on frequent occasions recently he has
had danger Gus attacks while on the
bench, rendering necessary prolonged
retirements to his private chambers
TO recuperatc and the abandonment Of
public business. His private apartment
in the Law Courts resembles n NINA
ture surgery, in which all kinds of
medicines and restoratives are con-
tanned.
SO grave is the Lord Chief Justices
condition that the doctors are always
in readiness for emergencies. but the
Wcbsters come OF old fighting stock.
Richard Everard Webster was a great
athlete in the COS. when at Cam
bridge he broke all previous records oil
the running track, and until "A few
years back attended all the big foot
ball and sporting matches throughout
the country.
No doubt one OF the chief reasons
for his continuing in office has been
his desire that he reyersion OF the
appointment To the Chief Justiceship
should fall 10 the Tories. In the event
of his present retirement or deceasr
negotiation. for rearrangement ~
offices have already taken place. Sir
Rufus lsaacs. the present Attorney
General Is sure TO have the post OF
fered To- him. Sir Rufus was entitled
TO the Lord Chancellorship when that
Office became vacant by the withdraw al
Of Lord Loreburn from the Cabinet, but
obviously IL was felt that it would be
incongruous for Jew To be cxercis-
ing the ecclesiastical patronage vested
In the crown in the selection OF clergy
men for Church OF England livings.
Theoretically, too. the Lord Chancellor
is the keeper of the Royal Conscience
a fact which bars Roman Catholics
from that Office. as was shown when
Lord Russell. of Kilowen, was award
ed the second instead of the first prize
OF the English judiciary. the salary u
Lord Chief Justice being $4,000 an
nually. as compared with the Lord
Chancellor's $4,000 Il year and pen
sion Of $4,000 a year on leaving the
woolsack, even If he has only held the
Office for a day.
The last instance Of a Jew holding
high Office was that Of Sir George Jes-
sci. one Of the most distinguished Mas
tiers Of the Rolls England has ever
seen. Sir Rufus Isaacs appointment
will certainly be most popular among
the members Of the bar. The vacant
Attorney Generalship will naturally
fall to Sir John Allsebrook Simon. So
licitor General, whose rapid rise at the
bar has been one OF the most remark
able in recent history. Stanley y.
Buckmaster, X. G. and NJ. T.. for the
West Riding of Yorkshire, is marked
for early promotion.