392
The Green Bag Judge Vhitehouse presided in the Su
the opening argument. The trial be came noted for the defense of momen tary insanity urged by the counsel for the defendant. The jury finally returned
perior Court are remembered for the ease and urbanity with which he dis
a verdict of
the
clear and interesting, he soon became
prisoner served a sentence of nine years in the state prison. He was chairman in 1873 of the com mission on the hospital for the insane and wrote the report which was pub
popular in the best sense of the word and retained the respect and esteem of
manslaughter and
lished by the state. He advocated the adoption of a system after careful —in
vestigation that was indorsed by the highest medical authorities‘. He entered in 1875 into the agitation which secured the abolition of the death penalty. The favorable result was due largely to the leading and influential part which he
took in the measure and by moulding public sentiment on the subject. He was in 1879 chairman of the committee of citizens in the city of Augusta that elected the graceful and artistic soldiers‘ monument which adorns the public square in that city. The Superior Court of Kennebec county was established by act of the Legislature of 1878, and on Feb. 13 he
was appointed to its bench. The court sat in Augusta with five jury terms each year until the year 1889, when two ses sions were held at Waterville and the Augusta terms were reduced to three. After the second year of its establish
ment its powers were enlarged so that it comprised the entire criminal juris diction including capital cases. Its civil department included divorces and all civil actions except real actions and trespass sum, exclusive up to $500, and concurrent jurisdiction with the Supreme
Judicial Court of all such actions when the damages exceeded that amount. This court had the power of trial in murder cases until 1889 when these cases were transferred to the Supreme Court. The twelve years during which
patched business. Industrious and polite,
the bar.
Judge Whitehouse in the summer of 1888 in behalf of the citizens of Augusta delivered an address of welcome to the late James G. Blaine upon his return from Europe, which was widely reported and commended for its felicity and elo
quence. He was first appointed to the bench of the Supreme Judicial Court as Asso ciate Justice April 15, 1890, by Governor Burleigh, and was reappointed in 1897 by Governor Powers, in 1904 by Gov ernor Hill, and in 1911 by Governor
Plaisted. As the senior Associate he was directly in line for appointment as Chief Justice, and his appointment was no surprise, both on account of his being in line for the position and on account of the marked judicial ability which he had shown as Associate Jus tice. His opinions show a full and vigor ous style, which is at the same time natural and finished, and his references
to the authorities and dec ded cases are ample and with enough of apt quotation to save the reader labor. He married, June 24, 1869, Evelyn M., daughter of Col. Robert Treat of Frank fort, who was descended in the fifth generation from Col. Robert Treat, colonial Governor of Connecticut. Their
only child is Robert Treat Whitehouse, United States Attorney of Maine since Jan. 11, 1906, residing in Portland. Justice Whitehouse was given the degree of LL.D. from his alma mater
in 1896. He is a lover of nature, a good hunter and fisherman, and has a genial, sunny temperament.
