Evening star., 1915-01-20
Tender Luncheon to Commits
sioner, Who Goes on Bench
Tomorrow.
DEPARTMENT HEADS
ALL IN ATTENDANCE
Retiring Official Voices Appreciation
Of Support During Performance
of Duties.

commissioner Frederick L. SlddOnS
who tomorrow is to become an asso-
ciate justice of the District of Column
bia Supreme Court, this afternoon sew
cred his connection with the local mu-
nicipal government and bade farewell
to District building officials and en-
ployes at a luncheon given in his honor
at the Raleigh Hotel.
Heads of all the departments of the
District government attended the
luncheon. which was presided over by
Ben L. Prince, tax collector. The re-
firing Commissioner responded feel
ingly to the many tributes paid him by
the speakers, who included his asso-
ciates on the board of Commissioners.
Maj. Kutz and oliver P. Newman. and
DR.. William C. Woodward. health Off
GER; Maj. Richard Sylvester. superin-
tendent of police; John H. Sherman,
sealer of weights. measures and mar
kets: Charles F. Nesbit, superintendent
of insurance, and Conrad H. Syme, cor
poration counsel.
Voices His Appreciation.
I'm reIinquishing the office of Commits
sioner of the District Of Columbia" said
Mr. Siddons. IT cannot forbear from
expressing the regret 1 feel in severing
official relations with the officers and
employees of the municipal government,
whose loyalty and earnest cooperation
have been a source of strength IN the
discharge of the responsible and exact
ing duties of the position I vacate to-
day.
Il am deeply grateful. too. for the
support I have received from citizens
Of the District irrespective OF class.
creed or race. and this sup support orr. mas
most needed it.
II deeply appreciate also the uniform
courtesy that has been given to me by
the press of the District. 1 realize, Of
course, that in some matters of policy
differences of opinion have existed, and
it is we'll that this is SO. for 1t tends
to closer scrutiny and better weigh
ing of the reasons for or against any
policies that government official may
be attempting to carry out
Sees Promising Future.
THE future Of tha piatFtet coptafss
nothing but promise. Of greater devel-
opmsnt toward higher standards in
all that goes to make a great capital
of a great country. and I am proud to
have been permitted to share officially,
If only for a comparatively brief space
Of time, in directing and shaping its
course"
All of the speakers who preceded the
Commissioner spoke in eulogistic terms
Of his accomplishments as a District
official and predicted for him a highly
successful career on the bench. Fake
kilograms and letters and some humor-
Gus verse written by Frederick c. Lee
at the expense Of a number Of the
guests present enlivened the gathering.
The committee on arrangements con-
sisted of Frederick c. Lee, Amos Steele.
Ben L. Prince, Thomas H. Claney and
Roger ]. Whiteford.
Attendants at Luncheon.
Those who attended were the follow
ing: Commissioner Siddons. Commits
sioner Newman. Commissioner Kutz,
Thomas H. Claffey. A. A. Steele, F. c..
Lee, William Tindal1. W. NJ. Bastian,
William P. Richards, Alexander Mac
kenzie: William L. Beale. B. F. Adams,
Ben Prince, W. D. Clark, jr.; Con-
rad H. Syme. F.. H. Stephens, J. F.
Smith. G.. r. Taggart. G. A. Schuldt,
]. G. Williams. H. c. Eddy, B. A. Har-
Ian, NJ C. Hargrove, Charles Nesbit, F.
J. Wagner, G. S. Watson, p. W. Nichol-
son, T. NJ. Robinson. w. c. Woodward.
]. L. Norris. H. c. Mclean, r. l.. Lynch,
Richard Sylvester. E. B. Hesse. E. w.
oyster, r. H. Boardman, A. Tweedale,
D. Donovan. r. ]. Whiteford. L. c. Will
son, J. T. Sherman. w. S. Hall, William
c. Fowler. c. B. Robinson. William F.
Meyers. George S. Wilson. D. E. Garges.
Capt w. d. A. Anderson. Capt J. L.
Schley. Capt. r. C. Powell. J. E. Archer.
Warren Hadley. w. A. Draper. c. b.
Hunt, j. o. Hargrove. Morris Hacker.
Trueman Lanham. John Shinn, E. E.
Helm. T. ]. Fisher. T. l.. Costigan, John
Ward. E. F. vermillion, W. H. Whit
aker, J. T. Petty, E. S. Martin. Gra-
ham Nichol. NJ. F. kerbey, John Martin
and In,Iis F Zinkhap