The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-22
GOVERNOR MAY MAKE
KNOWN TO-DAY CHOICE
FOR SUPREME BENCH
Accepts Judge Harrison's Resignation
With Expressions of Personal
and Official Regret
Will. BIZ GOVERNED BY
GEOGRAPHICAL PRECEDENT
Governor ADVISES Supporter of Judge
Soutilall VIII Follow Long Estab-
liShed 'sage--Scems TO Confine
Choice 10 Byrd. Holt and Haas.

IL : likely now that the announce
Ia~;t Of the appointment OF the success
sor 70 Judge e. NJ Harrison. as mem
Der 81 The supreme court of appeals
Will lie forthcoming from Governor
stuart very shortly, what Is believed 20
have been the last of the petitions TO
ing been presented Yesterday. Cover
nor stuart will today take counsel
with himself. and. II is said. ne is to
have one important caller. after which
Il is not considered unlikely, that the
name Of the new judge will be made
known today.
IA If clearing the decks for action,
Governor stuart Yesterday accepted the
resignation OF Judgo Harrison. sending
his the following letter:
Accepts uesianation
Mn dear Judge Harrison,
[ pou nay return 20 my office after
an absence OF some days, | find Your
letter Of February Is. rendering your
resignation as a judge of the supreme
court Of appeals Of Virginia. which IS
terrhy atc-rtr-,i. effective March /
IaGI.
! desire 80 express nay personal and
official regret that YOU are TO retire
from the bench and, in behalf of the
people OF Virginia to assure you of
their genuine appreciation of the
honorable and distinguished public SER
wee you have given to your state.
Wishing you many years OF health
and happiness. | am
Very sincerely yours.
H. {. STUART.
Governor,
To stick to Precedent.
That Governor stuart will adhere
d strictly to the custom of appointing
judges OF the supreme court according
to the geographical sections OF the
state in selecting the successor to
Judge c NJ Harrison. who will retire
on March J. was shown by letter
written BY the executive to II, r. Hut
eheson. Of Boydton. Va. who had rec
Commended Judge Robert @. Southall. Of
Amelia Governor Stuart stated in this
letter tina he held Judge Southall in
high esteem as 1urist of unusual
liability. then added:
T. Rut In view OF geographical condi-
tionx which have for many years been
accepted as binding both by the legis-
lative and judicial departments OF the
state government ! could not consider
tany resident of Southside Virginia for
I the present vacancy pi INC
court OF appeals
This, then, clearly eliminates Judge
Southall and Professor w Minor Lille.
of the University of Virginia, from the
contest, leaving the three candidates
of the valley section--Judge II w
Holt, OF stanton; Judge 7. \. Haas,
Of Rockbridge. and r. r. Byrd, OF Win
chester. All of these candidates have
strong support.
( II is now believed that all ~ the pc
titious and delegations for the candi-
dates for the bench are in. Yesterday
4 Judge y. II Hairston. in company with
1 Ashby Williams. an attorney. OF Roa
7 nol>e. presented a petition from the
ma jority OF the bar of that city for Mr,
: byrd r, Lindsay Gordon, member of
the house from Louisa county. present
cd memorial from that county for
ii Judge Holt,
i Rumor has IL in some quarters that
i the. dark. horse Will make its APP
! p.arance in the appointment which
/ may he so in view OF the previous ac-
i ton of Governor Stuart in like mat
/ ters, but a ruinpr is only rumor. and
| anybody can set one afioat