Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-04
JUDGE BUCHANAN ENTERS
upon HIS FINAL TERM
Begins Last Sitting of Twenty.Ycar
Service on Bench To-
Morrow.
TO RETIRE ON JANUARY 81
Distinguished Jurist VIII BE Sue
ceeded by Judge Joseph l.. Kelly,
Of Bristol, Who Was Elected by
Last General Assembly.

Whom the State Supreme Court OF
Appeals convcnes tomorrow for its
January term, Associate Justice John
a. buchanan VIII enter upon the final
sitting or his twenty-year service in
the Commemorative highest tribunal
On January 81, Judge Buchanan will
doh the judicial robe which he has
worn with distinction for score OF
years. and retire from the bench
judge Buchanan. after serving in tho
state Legislature and In Congress. had
retired to private life in Smyth County,
when he was elected by the I.egisla-
ture to seat on the Supreme Court
bench. He entered upon his high du-
ties on January |, 1895. and has served
continuously since The Constitutions
al Convention fixed February as the
uniform date for the beginning OF all
1udSeships. When he retires at tho
END OF this month. therefore, Judge
Buchanan will have served exactly
twenty years and one month.
NEW LAW WILL PROVIDE
SUBSTANTIAL PENSION
An act passed by the last General
Assembly provides pension Of three
hfths of the regular salary for all
judges OF the State Supreme Court,
who retire from the bench after twelve
consecutive years of service. provided
they have reached the age Of seventy
Judge Buchanan was born in lS43, and
has served twenty years. and will,
therefore. be eligible for the pension,
which will be payable for the rest OF
his life. The salary OF the associate
judges OF the State Supreme Court Is
$4,000 year.
Judge Buchanan will be succeeded
by Judge Joseph l.. Kelly. of Bristol,
who was elected by the last General
Assembly. when the incumbent de-
clined to stand for reelection Judge
Kelly was at the time of his election
Judge of the Corporation Court OF
Bristol, but resigned several months
ago. He will begin his service as asso-
ciate Judge, OF tho state Supreme Court
OF Appeals on February |. but his Of
fetal duties will not begin until the
converting of the March term.
Few public men in Virginia have hod
a more DISTINGUISHED career than Judge
Buchanan. He served in the Stoncwall
Brigade. Confederate States Army. dur
ing the four-ycar period of the War
Between the States and was taken
prisoner at Gettysburg. He was grad :.
uatcd from Emory and Henry College
in 1870 with the degree OF 4. g., and
studied law at the University Of vir-
ginia.
WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS
FROM NINTH DISTRICT
Judge Buchanan served as member
OF the House OF Delegates in 1851
TWO years later he was elected to Con-
Sress from tn" Ninth District. serving
in the F'fty-hrst and i'ifty-second
congresses. lie declined to stand for
reelection. Ninth District Democrats
stili believe that il Judge Buchanan
had consented TO stand for recollection
ana continued to represent the district
IN Congress, the Ninth District would
have been saved TO the Democratic
party.
Ills work on tho bench has loft
Judge Buchanan little time for other
interests. He has found time, how
ever, to make an exhaustive study of
John Calvin and his work. and is re-
Gard"d to-day as an authority on the
lic and activities of the founder of
the PRESBYTERIAN Church