Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18

A NEWSPAPER account Of Judge fancy
which appeared few years after his
death tells us:
His father was sent abroad to complete his
education In o Catholic institution, and upon
his return married Monica Brooke daughter
Of Roger Brooke. who owned plantation on
Battle Greek, directly opposite the fancy
estate.
Roger Brooke Taney was the third child
and second son Of q family Of four sons and
three daughters. His education was com.
menced at very early period Of his youth at
. roadside school house, with an aged and
ignorant man for his preceptor: but after some
discouragtng struggles for preparation he en-
tered Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pennsyl-
vania, at the age Of fifteen, and graduated in
1875. From these dates It appears that he
was only eighteen years Of age when he com.
pleted his education. Before he was twenty.
one he commenced reading law at Annapolis in
Of the judges of the General Court Of Maryland.
AT that early period Annapolis was famous
for It's legal lights, and the students who sought
instruction there had an opportunity to hear
such men as Luther Martin. Philip Barton
Key (uncle Of Francis Scott Key), John Thom-
son Mason, John johnson (the father of Rev.
erdy) and Arthur Shaat
1.-THE subject Of this sketch was admitted to
the bar In the spring Of 1899, and had his FIRST
case in the Mayors Court Of Annapolis. SUBJ
sequently he returned to his home, IN Calvert
County, and was elected by the Federal party.
to which he and his family were attached, to
the Maryland Genera Assembly. In his effort
for reelection he suffered defeat, and in 1901
he located In Frederick. At this time Francis
Scott Key had also made his home IN Fred.
erick. He and fancy had been fellow students
at Annapolis, and It was there that the latter
had made the acquaintance of his sister, Miss
Anna Phebe Charlton Key, whose father re.
sided in Frederick County, and owned a large
estate, through which flowed the somewhat
famous stream that is identified at this day
by the unsentimental name Of Pipe Creek
FRANCIS Scott Key was practicing law at
Frederick when fancy went there, but very
soon after removed to Georgetown, d. G. The
intimacy between them continued, notwith.
standing their separation, and it was very soon
strengthened by the marriage of fancy to the
sister. The marriage took place at the beau
tiful country home of Miss Keys father, and
for many years after, Mr.. fancy and Mr. Key
had their annual family reunions at the old
mansion.
History records one eminent case in which
Mr. Taney was engaged while q member OF the
Frederick bar. Gen. Wilkinson In 1911,
then commander of the United. States Army,
was tried on series Of charges by court
martial He was Marylander and selected
fancy and John Hanson Thomas as his coun.
sell To Wilkinson there was attached the
odium Of suspicion Of an intrigue with Aaron
having turned States evidence against Burr on
his trial at Richmond to conceal his own sup
posed guilt. The prejudice was so strong as
to emharrass his own counsel, but fancy, who
did not shrink from the duty he had assumed.
tabored for months with real and ability against
Walter Jones Of Washington, who was judge
advocate and q subtle, effective lawyer.
Gen. Wilkinson was acquitted and his sword
returned to him. Prior to their engagement
to defend Wilkinson, fancy and Thomas had
participated In the suspicion Of his treachery
to Burr. but. confident that they had done him
injustice. they refused 10 receive fee for their
services In his defense"
AN interestin. case coming before Judge
fancy at Circuit Court In Baltimore while
he was Chief Justice q the United States -
related by william r. Prick. one Of the counsel
in the case, In which he says IN part:
Freed was o music seller m Boston, and
had published and copyrighted an air ret .
the words Of popular ballad Of the day. conn