Evening star., 1940-04-07
Rich Years. George Washington School Mepost
Institution to
Mark Its 18th
Anniversary
Many Prominent
Graduates Grace
Bench and Bar
By John Ciaeett Proctor

One of the things to which an in
stitution of learning always points
with pride is its age, and the older
1t is the greater importance 1t nat
urally attaches to itself on that ac-
count. And rightly it should, for the
bare fact that it has survived for q
very long while indicates the pub
lies stamp of approval for the work
1t has done and is doing.
George Washington University has
q right to be proud of its law school,
soon to observe its 18th anniversary.
The law school, which has a fine
history and as fine future, was
organized in 1926 with William T.
Carroll and Justice William Cranch
as professors.
Judge Cranch was born in Wey-
mouth, Mass. on July II, 1869. He
came to the District at an early age
and settled in Alexandria, then a
part of the Ten Mile Square. In 1901
he was appointed judge of the
newly created Circuit Court OF the
District. of which William Kitty was
made chief justice and James Mar
shall the third member. When Chief
Justice Kitty resigned in 1906, Judge
Cranch was elevated to the higher
post and his service on the bench
continued for 40 years.
He was highly esteemed, and
many fine tributes were paid him
upon his death here on September
l.. 1855. One of these said: "Mr.
Cranch was plain, honest judge,
incorruptible by circumstances or by
men. He never wore colt or wig; no
gown Of silk was needed to make
imposing his judicial presence. Err
mine was for him only stately fig
ure of speech for the purity of his
life-the whiteness of an unstained
soul like unto the few of Sardis' of
whom the Master said, They shall
walk with me in white because they
are worthy"
Confidence in Him.
The Star, then less than three years
old. said:
His fellow citizens feel that no
man ever possessed more the con-
fldence of the people one and all;
having been for half a century
looked up to in the District of Co.
lumbia as the embodiment of legal
learning, practical sense and stern
Integrity of purpose"
One of the most highly advertised
cases that ever came before Judge
Cranch was that of Mrs. Ann Royal,
who was charged with being a COM
mon scold. She was one of the
most remarkable characters that
ever came to Washington. where she
published newspaper called Paul
Pry. from 1881 to 1886. and the
Huntress, from 1886 to 1854.
The indictment in her case also
alleged that she was "a common
slanderer and disturber of the peace
and happiness OF the good people
of the neighborhood in which she
resided on the 1st day of June, 1929,
and on divers other days and times"
Judging by what has come. down
to us from the past, this case must
have been q scream-but not for
Mrs. Royal, who conducted her own
defense. A bit will suf1ice to show
that it stood for many years as the
most comical trial brought before
our courts.
Foe of Dignity.
We are told that Judge Cranch
presided with dignity, but Mrs.
Royal was ever the foe of dignity.
and although thoroughly frightened,
she maintained her side with sar-
castle vigor. At one time during
the trial, H. Tins, doorkeeper OF the
Senate, was called as witness, and
the correspondent of New York
paper thus reported the incident to
his journal:
"Mr. Tins was asked if he knew
of Mrs. Royal slandering anybody.
He promptly replied, Yes, she has
slandered me; she called me an ex-
emplary man-now that's SANDER 4"
This seems to have been considered
very funny, for the correspondent
says: This was too much; the court
roared; bench, bar and jury all lost
their balance, and even the sedate
Judge Cranch sunk his head between
his hands and shook in his chair.
Tins himself was the only per-
son left unmoved. He looked around,
grave as an owl; just opposite to him
stood Mr.. Watterston, laughing i'm
moderately. Tins, catching sight
of him, again opened his oracular
jaws: Yes, sir said he, I know of
another person she has slandered;
that is Mr.. Watterston. She says
in her book that he and Joe Gales
are two of the handsomest men in
Washington. Now I leave it to all
the world If that is not SANDER on
all the other men in the city This
set all to laughing again. In vain
the constables roared Silence! ST.
lence! and it was some time before
the trial could proceed"
On her conviction, Judge Cranch
held the irate lady to bail. Washing
ton had no ducking stool to inflict
the punishment provided by law,
and she escaped with a fine.
Prof. Carroll was the fifth clerk of
the Supreme Court of the United
States. He was born at Bellevue, Md.
March 2, 1902, and after receiving
an ordinary English education he
was sent to Emmitsburg, from which
he graduated at the early age of 20
years. He studied law at Litchfield,
Conn; was admitted to the bar and