The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-10

THOMAS DUNCAN, Democrat,
Princeton; term four years.
JAMES l.. CLARK, Republican,
DanviIle: term four years.
CHARLES J. MURPHY, Democrat,
Brookston; term two years.
JOHN F. MCCLURE, Republican,
Anderson; three more years to serve.
FRANK E. PAYNE, Democrat, JEFF
fersonville; two more years to serve.
BURT NEW, Democrat, Indianap-
oils, legal counsel; term four years.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April 10
Governor Ralston made the three
most important appointments he will
have to make during his administra-
ton yesterday afternoon when he
named three members of the new Pub
lie Service Commission, which is to
begin it's duties May 1.
Thomas Duncan, Democrat, of
Princeton and James l.. Clark, Repub-
lican, Of Danville were appointed to
serve four years, and the tWo-year
term goes to Charles ]. Murphy, Demo
crat, of Brookston.
The two members of the Railroad
Commission of Indiana whose terms
have not expired, are continued in
office, under the Utility Commission
act, as the fourth and fifth members
of the Public Service Commission.
| Burt New, legal clerk to Governor
Ralston, will be the general counsel
and will serve in the dual capacity of
| legal adviser of both the Governor and
| the commission. His salary will be
boosted from $4,000, which he now
receives as legal clerk, to $4,000 the
same salary to be paid members of
the commission.
others Get Increases.
Mr.. Mcclure and Mr.. Payne also
will receive increased salaries in re-
turn for increased duties under the
new law. AS members of the Rail-
road Commission they have received
81 900 annually. Under the act max
| ing them members of the Public Ser
vice Commission they will receive an
additional $4,000.
Mr. Duncan will be the chairman of
the commission. He was appointed as
successor to w. J. Wood, chairman
of the Railroad Commission, whose
term, it so happens, expires May 1, the
date on which the utility act takes
effect Mr. Wood will retire after
having served eight years as a mem
Der of the Railroad Commission. His
home was at Evansville when he was
first appointed by Governor Hanly.
Mr.. Duncan is said to have been the
| first man selected by the Governor for
place on the committee. He is one of
| the leading lawyers of Gibson County
and for several years has been active
| in Democratic politics of the First
District and of the State. He was
twice the Democratic nominee for rep
resentative in Congress, but unfortun-
ately for him in years when the Re-
publicans were in control of the First
District
Friends Since College Days.
| Governor Ralston's acquaintance
with both Mr.. Duncan and Mr.. Clark
dates back to the early eighties, when
he was a student at the Central Nor
NAL College at Danville. The Governor
and Mr.. Duncan were graduated from
the school in 1884. During the time the
Governor was attending the Danville
school Mr.. Clark was in Danville as
/ deputy clerk of the Hendricks Circuit
Court The three men have been fast
friends since they first became &C
! quainted with each other, more than
i thirty years ago.
| 1t is complimentary to Mr.. Clark,
since he is Republican, that he
should be one of the two to be named
for a four-year term. Mr. Clark is a
successful lawyer, is a former instruc-
tor in the law school of the Central
Normal College and is a former judge
of the Hendricks Circuit Court. He
was born fifty-eight years ago in Hen
bricks County, where he always has
lived. He spent his boyhood on a farm,
attended the common schools and
then Valparaiso Normal College. After
teaching in the public schools he work
ed for nine years in the freight, pas
senger and telegraph departments of
railroad work.
Admitted To Bar.
He was admitted to the bar in 1885
In 1892 he formed a partnership with
E. G. Hogate, dean of the Indiana Law
School. This partnership was contin-
ued until 1903, when Mr.. Hogate was
called to a chair in the law school of
Indiana University. Mr.. Clark taught
law in the college at Danville for six
years before his election in 1906 as
judge of the Hendricks Circuit Court
He was renominated for Judge in 1912,
and, though he received more votes
than any other Republican candidate
on the national, state or county ticket
he was defeated at the election by
nine votes.
Politics did not figure in any way in