The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-21
Roosevelt PAGE PAYS
TRIBUTE TO KEITH
Bar Association presents OIL Portrait
OF Distinguished Jur1st to Court.

OF Distinguished Jurist to Court.
In the presence of members of the
virginia bar and friends. relatives
ana admirers of the family of the late
Judge James Keith, for twenty years
president or the Virginia supreme
court of appeals and for fifty-six
years member of the branch in this
state. portrait of the deceased jurist
presented by the Richmond bar as
sociAtion through a committee COM
posed OF Eppa Hunton. DIR. W w
scott and Roosevelt Page, second
auditor, was unveiled yesterday morn.
ing at 10 o'clock in the court room
Inc portrait. which now hangs on the
right wall, just behind the bench
was unveiled by James Keith, a great
nephew and narnesake of the former
preadett OF the court The presen-
tation speech was made by Rosewe,,
Page and the picture was received on
pehaIf OF the court by Judge Stat
FORD G. Whittie, president of the tri.
bunal.
Among those present were: Judge
L. \. Lewis. former member of the
court: Judge Richard II. Cardwell
former president of the court. Judge
William A. Moncure. Judge David c.
Richardson. Mrs. Carter Scott, Mrs.
Eppa Hunton, Mrs. David II. Ieake.
IM ~ John, n. Minor. .Mrs, @. T.. Hess.
Mrs. a l. Wexford. Miss Camilla
Scott. Miss Marguerite Morson. Attor-
Iney-General John II. Saunders, City
Attorney Henry K. Pollard, State SEN
ator Louis Q. Wendenburg, Charles V.
Meredith, George Bryan, Louis III.
Macher, A. Il, Guigon, John H. Minor.
ttohert -. Taltey. Morson Keith. III :
Stewart Jones, A. w. Patterson, c. T..
Cardwell, Isaac Diggs, Robert Il.
Scott. Decatur Axtell. Henry Taylor,
Z. Lee Moore. Colonel John W. VIII
liarns clerk of the house of delegates:
eoionei h. Q. James, secretary of the
commonwealth. and Willis Il, Smith.
In presenting the portrait. Mr.. Page
said:
IF your honors please: A portrait
OF Judge James Keith, former presi-
cent of this court. painted by a dis
tinguished artist, is presented to this
court by the friends of that dis
tinguished judge. To the committee
consisting OF Messrs. Eppa Hunton,
Jr, w. w. Scott and myself-was
deputcd the duty of selecting the
artist and having the work done.
Among many the committee
selected Miss VanderVeer, who had
successfully painted picture OF Judge
Keith, OF which the present portrait
may be deemed a replica--with the
modification due TO q slight reduction
In size. We believe 1t worthy OF him
and of you.
ITO this court any euIogy of Judge
Keith is unnecessary. Ii there were
need Mr.. Hunton's eloquent and elab-
crate analysis OF his life and work
mey be referred to as all that could
de desired. 1t Is sufficient to say that
when he died last year there was re-
moved from the state one Of the most
interesting and distinguished char
acters who has lived within this gem
Grafton. That he was of gentle blood
and descended from a clergyman who
had settled early in this country was
noticeable In his reverence: that he
was the relative OF John Mar
shall. whom he ever held in affection
ate remembrance. and after whom 9
always aeemed to pattern, would &C
count for his judicial worth and
dignity; thai - rode with Payne and
Hunton and We. am and Stuart and
Fhz Lee would ccount for his
courage and loyalty; 1~d that he had
been taughe by Mr.. NJ or, at the |
University, and had iiveo borioua
days in preparing himself foi , = pro-
fession would explain his know ? 90 |
OF the law, apart from the wonder !
schooling which he received at the /
hands of the bar. for he served on the \
bench continuously for forty-six |
years from 1870, when he was elected |
from the legislature to the circuit {
bench, until,~hi resignation from this
court in June. 1916. In ell that time |
he bore himself as Defitted hig great I
office. with dignity and ability. But
in addition to these qualities ne had
that Understandable quality which can
best donominate charm.
He preserved the spirit OF youth by
with young people. Once
after the finals at the University or
Virginia he told me of many Of the
pretty girls there and the list was
longer than the citations at the foot
OF a tax decision. That charm of
which ! have spoken was something
indefinabie, Young men delighted to
ssa in his presence He knew them
: Il called them by name There was
10 p&sronixing on his part, nor pre- I
Dn their part a good story 3.
Ql4 eQ egeE sxpoIG6 n