White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-06-01
As Youth Prosecuted Famous
Murder Trial in Kentucky
Fued Case.
FEDERAL JUDGE AT Age 46
Candidate for office Seven TImes,
Never Defeated; Youngest Supreme
Court Judge in State.

CdlcoIS III tAo uOIIAWcSI IodCucu q
climax In the early part of the pres.
ent month when J. Stanley Webster
was appointed and sworn in as
United States District Judge for the
eastern district of Washington. The
term "a climax" Is used advisedly, for
to say "the climax" would be beside
the question. Considering his start,
his career, and his youth, the SUI
preme court of the United States and
even the presidency are still within
the range of possibilities for ]. Stan
ley Webster, and In all probability
the climax of his career Is not yet
reached.
Judge Webster Is now 46 years Of
age, having been born in Kentucky on
February %, 1877 He is now enter.
ing his 21st year as public official.
During this period he has faced the
public for election to office seven
times, not counting primary cam.
paigns, and In these campaigns has
never known the taste of defeat.
His first political experience was In
1902, when at the age Of "a he was
elected the prosecuting attorney of
Harrison county, Kentucky. During his
term of office, the famous murder
trials which grew out of the Hargis-
Cockrell feud, of Breathitt county
"Bloody Breathitt" transferred
to his jurisdiction on change Of VEN
ue. Thus upon the shoulders of the
youngest prosecuting attorney that
Kentucky had ever known fell the
burden of trying one of its most fam.
GUS murder cases. The defendants,
Curt Jett and Tom White, who were
on trial for three separate murders,
were backed by one of the most fear
less and most lawless clans OF noun
taineers in the state. But despite
threats against his life and other at
tempts at intimidation, the youthful
Webster fought their cases to the end
and obtained conviction with a SEN
tence Of life Imprisonment.
Judge Webster Is not of robust
physique, and about this time his
health required change of climate.
Consequently he came to Washington
in 1906, and took up tract of land
II miles north of Spokane. When he
went onto this little ranch in May of
that year he weighed lit pounds,
when he came away year later he
tipped the scales at 1853.
Upon his return to Spokane he was
appointed as special deputy prosecut.
or under Richard M. Barnhart, and
became chief deputy when the latter
was succeeded by Fred M. Pugh. His
work in this connection was In the
trial of criminal cases in the super
ior court, and 1t attracted such at
tention that when the Fifth superior
court district was established for
Spokane county in March, 1909. he
was appointed to the bench by Gov
ernor M. q. Hay.
He was twice later a candidate for
reelection to this position, and upon
his second election received 76 per
cent of the total vote In the primaries,
which constituted an election. He was
the only Judge to be so elected in the
state, and the high percentage of the
total vote has never been equaled by
any other judicial candidate In this
state.
In 1916, Judge Webster became
candidate for the supreme bench of
Washington, and was elected by the
largest majority on record. He car.
ried every county in the state, with
one exception, and that exception was
the home county Of his opponent He
served in this capacity until in May
1918, when with four years of his
term unexpired, he resigned to be-
come candidate for congress from
the Fifth district.
In the election of 1915 the district
had elected democrat to Congress,
every county going democratic, and
giving the winner majority Of 5000
votes. Judge Webster reversed this
to the extent of $500 majority, and
two years later was reelected by H.
900. In the primaries of 1922 he was
unopposed and was reelected In No
vember
During his term in congress Judge
Webster spoke but seldom on the
floor of the house, but did tremend-
GUS work in the committees and with
his personal Influence. Among other
things, during the latter days of the
session Just closed he forced through
the 100000 appropriation for the
Columbia Basin survey, which was
due to be sidetracked until the next
session. This has resulted In speed
ing up work on the project and means
that 1t will be in actual operation
much sooner than otherwise It would
have been.
He also obtained an appropriation
Of 100000 for the Okanogan irriga-
tion project, which is one Of the big
wealth producers of the state. two
appropriations totaling $4,000 for
the suppression Of White Pine Blister
rust in the forests Of the northwest;