Milford chronicle., 1935-11-29
JURIST DIES
AFTER STROKE
OF APOPLEXY
[Confinned from First Peeel


AS resident judge of New Castle
county he also was an associate
judge Of the State courts, including
the Supreme Court. Upon his ap-
pOintment he also served with Judge
Richard S. Rodney of New Castle, as
judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
When the Legislature extended the
jurisdiction of the Court of Common
Pleas and Governor Buck appointed
former U. S. District Attorney Leon
ard E. Wales as judge Of this court,
Judge Reinhardt was relieved of
that duty.
His career as a member Of the
judiciary, though comparatively
short, was marked with kindness,
human understanding and judicial
wisdom that gained him the respect
of all who came before his court.
He was one Of the older members
Of the Delaware bar. having been
admitted to practice in 1896 and
since that time served in several
public offices. Prior to his appoint
ment to the bench he was associated
in the practice Of law with his son,
David ]. Reinhardt, Jr., who was ad-
mitted to the bench in 1927.
Came From Colonial Family
Judge Reinhardt was a direct des-
cendant Of Ulrich Reinhardt, who in
1888 came to the Colonies and Ben
jamin Mendenhall, who in 1884 sett-
led on a tract Of land in Pennsylva-
MIA which was decided to him by Will
liam Penn. This tract remains in
the ReinhaFdt family. Mr.. Menden-
hall was a member of the Provincial
Assembly of Pennsylvania in 1714.
Judge Reinhardt was born NOvem-
Der 6, 1867, in Norristown, Pa, the
son Of the late William Dell Rein
hardt and Rebecca Hawley Rein
hardt. He received his advanced edu-
cation at HaVerford College, Haver-
ford, Pa, obtaining his Bachelor of
Science degree in 1889. He came to
Delaware shortly after and served as
a member Of the faculty Of Friends
Schools. He was married June 80,
1896, the year he was admitted to-
the Delaware bar.
Once Active Republican
Judge Reinhardt served in several
important appointive and elective
ofiees. the first heing City Solicitor
of Wilmington from 1901 to 1908.
The next ONCE he held was State
Senator, serving 1913 to 1914. He
was elected Attorney General OF
Delaware on the Republican ticket
in 1917. serving a four-year term.
Next he was appointed U. S. District
Attorney for the District OF Della
ware, serving from 1924 to 1927.
After serving as district attorney |
Judge Reinhafdt retired from public
life until his appointment to the
bench. His son, however, was ap-
pointed November II, 1928. as deputy |
attorney general for New Castle
county by Reuben Satterthwaite, Jr.,
of wilmington, then attorney gener-
al Il
Judge Reinhardt was e member OF
the HaverfOrd Club Of Philadelphia;
the Society Of Friends and the Ang-
lers' Club Of New York and the Sons
of the American Revolution. He was
a lifelong Republican. He was a
communicant of Trinity P. E.
Church.
His principal hobby was fishing
and each year he went to some IA
nous fishing grounds, chiefly in the
CatskiIl Mountains of New York to
spend a week or two.
Kindly As Judge
In the years he sat on the state
bench he granted several hundred
paroIes. either alone or after con-
sultation with another member OF
the bench sitting at the same term.
Rarely would he sent first-Offend-
er to the workhouse, and then only
If investigation indicated that a
short prison sentence might tend to
awaken in the offender greater re-
spect for the law and a fuller know
ledge of the fact that "the way OF
the transgressoT is hard.