Evening star., 1945-12-13
John I. 5uter, 79, Dies;
High Court Reporter
Scored Many Beats

John T. Suter, 70, former Supreme
Court reporter of the Associated
Press whose friends sometimes re-
ferred to him as "the Tenth JUS
tice," died yesterday at his home
at 4119 Connecticut avenue. The
Tenth Justice" appellatioi arose
from Mr.. Suffers precise knowledge
of the procedures of the court and
the fact he numbered SO many OF
the justices among his friends.
Funeral services will be held al
IL am. Saturday at Gawler'.
Chapel, 1756 Pennsylvania avenue
NV. Burial will be in Glenwooo
Cemetery.
Mr.. Suter was best known as the
reporter who obtained beats" on
the retirement of Chief Justice
Charles Evans Hughes and of Asso-
ciate Justices Willis Van Devantel
and James c. McReynolds.
Native of Washington.
A native of Washington, he began
his newspaper career here I'm 1885
at the age of 10.
Mr.. Suffers first newspaper job
was in the joint Offices of William
E. Curtis. Washington correspondent
of the Chicago Daily News, and
Perry S. Heath, correspondent of
the Indianapolis News and other
papers. About a year latsr,', Mr..
Suter once said, they tossed to see
which one would continue toemploy
me. Curtis got me-"
Mr.. Suter said he continued to
work with Mr.. Curtis and gradually
began to supply some of tte copy
He was admitted to membership in
the Congressional Press Galleries in
the 1906 The paper, which was
owned by Victor F.. Lawson, dhanged
it's name because of the acquisition
by Mr.. Lawson of other Chicago pa
pers, and eventually became the
Chicago Record, morning paper
Went to Justice Department.
In 1913, he went to the Justice
Department on a two-monta leave
and remained eight years, working
under Attorneys General McRey-
nolds, Gregory and Palmer.
He was employed by the Asso-
ciated Press in the spring of 1921.
Assigned to cover the Supreme
Court, he made many Intimate
friends among the jurists, in.luding
the late Chief Justice William
Howard Taft.
In 1885, after serious illness, he
dropped the task of handling the
courts opinions and petitions filed
but continued to show up at the
court to see what was going on. 1t
was during this period he obtained
his beats"
In 1887. he broke the news
of the retirement of Justie Van
Devanter in the midst of the bit
ter congressional battle over Pres
ident Roosevelt's court reorsaniza- :
ton plan.
Once McReynolds' Aide
He was the first to announce the
retirement of Justice McReyn,lds in
l94l, when that justice was onsid-
cred the only conservative IN the
court. Mr.. Suter had been stcre-
tary to the justice when MI Nc
Reynolds was Attorney Genaal in
the Wilson administration, ami hey
had continued their friendship.
Mr.. Suter later said both iustice
Van Devanter and Justice. McHey-
inolds had called him in and gNer
him copies of their letters % the
President. but he never told tpw he
was the first to obtain the INV, OF
the retirement of Chief Justice
Hughes.
:; In l941. he was the first to ehase
the news of the sudden death o1
Justice Van Devanter. A member
of the family, rememberin, the
friendship, had called him.
Causes Great Sorrow.
Justice McReynolds said neM o1
MIR Suffers death caused him great
sorrow.
Il knew John Suter for aileng