Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-04-13

rights" movement Of half q century
ago the efforts
Belva Lockwood's Of Belva a
Lockwood to OBJ
as practicing attorney before the
| federal courts attracted considerable
attention. Mrs. Lock wood was not
only a persistent claimant for such
status, but she became a regular
| candidate for President Of the United
States and ran" for that Office sew
eral times, as a means of arOusing
national interest in the cause of suf-
| frage In The Star of April I, 1874
| is a news article describing the pro-
ceedings connected with her attempt
to gain recognition as an attorney
AT the opening Of the Court II
| Claims yesterday a motion was made
| in the usual form for the admission
of an attorney to the bar of that
| court whereupon Mr.. Hosmer OF the
| firm of Chapman & Hosmer arose and
said that he desired to move the adj
mission of another attorney, Mrs.
Belva A. Lockwood, a member in
!
bar of the District Of Columbia. He
then beckoned Mrs. Lockwood for
ward and presented her to the court.
Chief Justice Drake said this appil
cation was not contemplated by the
law or the rules of the court aud
read a rule requiring that an attnr-
ney TO be admitted must be man
OF good moral character. Mrs. Lock
wood thereupon spoke for herself
and stated to the court that she had
carefully examined the law without
finding anything therein disqualify-
| ing a practicing attorney from ad-
mission on the ground OF sex. The
chief justice said that the court
would examine the matter and rem
der decision next Monday. Mrs
Lock wood said that course would be
satisfactory to her if meanwhile she
could file the papers and proceed to
take testimony in the case wherein
| she decided TO appear in court, as her
client was in town waiting to go on
with the claim The curt granted
leave to file the papers and informed
Mrs. Lockwood that If the case was
pressing she might appear again to-
day, by which time a decision might
be reached 1t is understood that the
claim for which she wishes to appear
amounts to nearly 100000.
Mrs. Lockwood appeared in court
, gain this morning, accompanied by
her husband and Mr.. ]. X. II. Wilcox.
Just before calling the first case for
trial Judge Drake addressed Mrs
lockwood, who sat at the extreme
rear of the courtroom, and said that
the court had not been able to decide
| yet on the question of her admission.
but would do so as soon as practi-
cable. She thereuI,on advanced to the
bar and asked that leave be granted
| her to take testimony The chief
justice replied that the court could
not recognize her in any way as an
attorney-at-law until she had been
admitted, but that her client could
proceed in his own name. CMrs.
Lock wood: Her own namely If Mrs.
Lock wood was the claimant she had
a right to appear in person; other
wise she was at liberty to act for her
client outside the court, under war
rant of attorney. but not to appear
before the court for any purpose.
There were difficulties in the way OF
admitting married ladies to practice.
You have husband, have you not?'
Mrs. Lockwood-Yes
"She indicated the doctor by a grace
full wave of the hand, whereupon that
gentleman advanced and placed himself
| beside her. These difficulties the court
has not been able to consider.
livery COilOQuy followed, Mrs.
Lock wood stating that personally she
cared very little about the question
so long as her clients business went
right and asking the chief justice
| what course she had better pursue in
order to prevent her clients interests
sun ering by delay. This Judge Drake
seemed to think was no part of his
duty, but he finally advised her to
carry on outside proceedings, take
testimony, etc, in her clients name
without using the name of attorney.
This Mrs. Lockwood appeared to con-
slider satisfactory, and she, with her
| friends and a number of interested
spectators, withdrew.
| In case Mrs. Lockwood is denied
! admission by the court her friends
| express the intention of appealing to
| Congress for the passage of a, de- Z
| claratory act or resolution to the ef-'
| feet that the law is not designed To
authorize the exclusion on account of
sex OF any practicing attorney In
! good standing"