Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
Judge T. Munford Boyd Wins
School HonorS Through
BrillianCe.
PLAYS GAMES SKlLlFULlY
Considers His Achievements
as Commonplace and
''Insignificant."
BY RICHARD BARRY.

NAL capital of Virginia, fascinated me.
High brow. Sensitive mouth. Refine
ment ana intellectual strength in the
features. And--in the eyes-an I'M
earthly look!
He has an uncanny resemblance 10
the photograph of Edgar Allan Poe
saw this morning in Poe's old room IN
| the university-the one with the stuffed
raven over the door," said I.
MANY people in Charlottesville say
so, too" replied my companion.
Headed His Glass.
This arresting personality had finish
ed his meal and was rising-with a re-
Straint, a poise, a dignity. He moved
! out of the restaurant like figure from
the past in symbolic dream.
My companion whispered, He Is
blind
who is hep"
His Honor T. Munford Boyd, judge
of the Juvenile Court"
why haven't heard about him?
He avoids publicity, which is easy, as
he used to edit the Daily Progress.
"A writer7 And judge?"
THAT is not all. He headed his class
at the University of Virginia, where he
| graduated six years ago with more firsts
| is an orator, too-a good one. And he
| goees all over Charlottesville, AS you saw
him, alone, without even cane. People
here forget he is blind"
i Blind Justice in the Flesh!
had been travelling about looking at
battlefields and old buildings in historic
| Virginia, but I stopped at once. Here
| was something more interesting. All my
l nd of q
disembodied ideal of mankind to be
found only in marble. Here it was in
the flesh.
In the courthouse found Judge Boyd
| at work. It was the same courthouse
in which Thomas Jefferson appeared as
an attorney in more than 400 cases. The
same walls had echoed the voices Of
John Marshall, Patrick Henry, James
Madison, Monroe and Randolph.
1t was trial like any other. You
could find the mate to it in any court
house on earth any day. Litigants
| eyasive, defiant and secretive. Wit
neSSes fumhling, fearful, voluble or
combative, Attorneys on nerves edge,
playing their games of bluff, deceit and
fineSse. Spectators awed skeptical,
f1dgety. 1t went on for five and a half
hours.
One static fact rose above all forces
dynamic: AS it should be, it concerned
the presiding figure. 8.
Man on Bench Is ImmobiIe.
Only the blind man on the bench was
immobile. After half an hour it was
impressive: at the end of an hour. I'M
canny. BY the middle of the afternoon
1t was tartling-startling as a marble
light W
Judge Boyd sat with Head and body
erect, like those of soldier, his hands
softly laid on the table and a BrailIe
ruler through which with a steel point
ne occasionally pricked note. His
comments came with orderly precision
and without color either of emphasis or
light. ''''' - e'
The physical and moral effect on all
persons In the court was that those
with the material aid of papers, books,
eyesignt and associates were looking up
skull.
A. Calm as Buddha.
He seemed to be as static and calm as
6uodhs' Seeing nothing, yet knowing
The man next me proved to be a
Northerner practicing in Virginia. I
asked. DO you think his blindness
makes Judge Boyd better magistrate9"
Perhaps not, was the answer, but it
certainly does put those who come be-
fore him in more judicial frame of
mind. Watch his effect on this next
witness"
The strange alchemy was working.
On the stand shy mountaineer, APP
pefently suspicious of his unWonted city
surroundings. was palpably doing him
self an injustice with his fumbling, con-
Trajectory phrases. 1t was clear he re-
garded every one in court as engaged
in q conspiracy against his honor and
safety. as possibly they in effect were.
But when he turned his knotted, sus-
pleiouS face toward the sightless orbs.
you could almost hear him think This
one amt goin' t. try t. cheat me-"
Clear, Sympathetic Questions.
Then from the bench came calm,
composed, sympathetic questions which
would not disturb the mental processes
Of child. The witness basked as In
sudden sunlight. and we felt that at
last he was telling the truth.
1t was q dramatic revelation of the
inner urge In the baf1ed bosom of hui
manity-the longing for a repository
for troubles in the lap of blind justice.
A theory took hold of me and I left
the courtroom while the trial dragged
on to try and prove it. Thomas A. Edi-
son says he is better off without hear
ing. My theory was that Judge Boyd
was better of without sight.
found his immediate superior, the
man who appointed him to office. Judge
nor disagree. "You must not attribute
too much to his blindness" said Judge
Dabney, "for Mummy Boyd is rare
fellow. and he has that calming effect
on people outside Of court, as well as
The next man was more inclined to
agree. He was Mr.. Lindsey proprietor
of the Progress, the afternoon daily for
which Judge Boyd wrote editorials for
q year.
Isn't Considered as Blind.
"You don't see Boyd as we do" said
Mr.. Lindsey. I'VE never think of his
blindness, He has been a part of this
community SO long, living as we do,
engaging In all our activities, that IL
comes almost as shock for you to ac-
centuate his lack of sight. The only
US is that his working hours are about
I protested. "It seems impossible he
should do all you do"
well" summed up Mr.. Lindsey, Tets
see He goes back and forth to work
like any one else: carries on his profess
sionai activities like any one else: has
to earn his own living and does It; be-
longs to three or four secret orders and
is active ir each; no social event Is
quite complete without him, and ! no.
tice he always picks out the pretty
girls; he Is fond of exercise and plays
any game that appeals to him"
This seemed too much. Can he play
tennis?" asked.
"No," admitted Mr.. Lindsey. "but ]
suppose he doesn't like tennis. Some
people don't. There's me. abominate
ennis. I prefer gnlf.p