Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 September 1949 — Page 11
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* nation’s highest tribunal. ' “I thought I was walking in my sleep when the President called from Washington and asked if I would accept an appointment,” Judge Minton told me over a breakfast of poached eggs and toast in the dining room of his Englishstyled home which overlooks New Albany from Silver Hills. “And now my story is the game as I have read 100 times before—a kid who came from no place,” he said with a mixture of humility and pride. “There is a rich, good glow in- . side but also a very humble ‘feeling for the woods are full of. better lawyers than 1 am.’ " s 8
“SHAY”, who got his nick- : name because his. youngest rt brother couldn't pronounce *.) Sherman, is as Hoosfer as they «2. come, “It doesn’t rub off when you're born in the Southern Indiana hills,” said the 58-year-old future Justice. “As I see it, Hoosiers are part New England Puritan and part Virginia Cavaliers There's swashbuckling but there's a ramrod up the back.” Mrs.s Minton; trim-in a-blue dress-covered with a red and IIx white bib. apron, poured. more © oeoTice and then busied: herself : in the kitchen with the dishes. We moved from the dining room to a little hall. The only furnishings were two chairs, a card table and a telephone which never stopped ringing. Judge Minton insisted on answering each call personally. Between snatthes with ‘the nation's great and near great, old friends and neighbors offering congratulations, Judge Minton's life story unfolded. It is as folksy and American as that
rows. the lawnmower and the rake: » » . BORN in the hill hamlet of Georgetown, his first recollection of home is a shanty. There he lived with his sister, two
fatality toll in history.
death on county. roads.
public today.
in recorded history.
Times Staff Writer
of the man next door who bor-
Rural Toll Stands At 34, 70 Per Cent Hike Over 1948
its aid in catting this needless loss of life, articles to analyze the situation as it confronts the motoring
brothers, mother and father who was a laborer on a railroad bridge gang. There never was really enough money. When he was 14, he. went to: Texas to earn a living so he could return to
Indiana and go to high school. .
It was ‘a humble beginning, and the wages he earned trimming neck cutting department of a packing plant were meager. But he graduated from the New Albany High School and went back to Texas to make his stake for college. With him he carried two burning ambitions. One was to become a lawyer, the other to marry his high school sweetheart. He did both, and she is beside him today in the hour of achievement. “My wife has been my greatest inspiration. Without her there wouldn't be this story to tell,” he sald tenderly, as Mrs. Minton insisted he rest his recently broken ankle on a footstool. He calls her “mother” or “mam” and is forvere asking her to find the things he has misplaced. ’ While he was on the. phone with Sen. Lister Hill (D. Ala.). who assured him there would ba no opposition to his appointment, T glanced into bathroom back-ef- him.
broken and the mug was of vintage. Gold bands circled the top and bottom and gold Old
English letters spelled out Sherman Minton. ” . » AT TIMES the nervous strain
of the past few days would show. Then Judge Minton would
.drum his fingers on the table
or toy with the large jade ring
“on the little, finger of his left
hand.
*It really is a wonderful sen- *
satipn, no fooling. But I" still have my fingers crossed. We really won't be leaving Indiana
nes in the pork -
‘Shay’ Minton Just
Judge Headed for Top Court
Feels Humble at Honor By VICTOR PETERSON,
2 STRIP from a judge the impersonal covering of black judicial robes and beneath there breathes a man. Such is the case with Sherman Minton. a Senate confirmation of Indiana's “Shay” Minton to 5 the U. 8. Supreme Court will distinguish him as the first + Hoosier appointed from Indiana to sit on the bench of the
for we are not going to give up -
our home. We have to have a place in the summer for our
} “Right n now v Marion County is experiencing its worst traffic To date this year 34 people have met In line with The Times' policy to lend
this is the first of two
wn
y VICTOR PETERSON MARION cant traffic deaths today are the highest
wo
The toll stands at 34, a 70 per cent increase at this writing over last year and the highest on existing records dating back to 1943. The 1500 miles of roads lacing the county outside Indianapolis are dotted with death. An average of four fatalities-Have occurred every month. Why? Sheriff James Cunningham shakes his head, at a loss to explain the gruesome spurt which has shot deaths up 14 over last year. But Marion County is not alone in the rides of death.
Statewide fatalities have jumped. Meanwhile, however,*
the very heart of the capital county is enjoying the best
- traffic experience in history.
: PRESENTLY there have been but "29 “deaths within the city, five lower than she previous record year of 1939.
a
‘iN
‘Formally, Judge ‘Sherman Minton and his wife pose before the huge stone fireplace in their New Albany home.
children and grandchildren,” he said.
Mrs. Minton brought a stack .
of mail. “Mostly bills, I suppose,” he said, thumbing them. : He quickly opened one, read and laughed.
“Listen to-this, It's from our
daughter—in--Washington. -8he
i : hei. by. he ts : . . - . “ior YR LE navi WH PEtHak 2000 eh. and our oldest grandson, what mug. Thethandle had long since
had happened. Now he's run:°
ning around the house saying ‘Pawpaw be big judge.’ “He's a great hoy. Born on my birthday if you go by central standard time. He was born in Washington a few minutes after midnight on Oct’ 21 of '47. My birthday is on the 20th,” Judge Minton said. His daughter is Mrs. Johh H. Callanan, wife of a dentist, and his sons are Dr. Sherman Minton Jr., Indianapolis, and John, 2 1949 Indiana University graduaté now returning home from a ‘European tour.
- » . FINDING enough- money to finance his legal education was a repeat performance for Judge
Minton. During the summers away from Indiana University, he tried his hand selling washing machines which wouldn't sell, taking meal tickets in part payment. He took a fling as a traveling salesman, worked in a lumber yard and played .semipro baseball on Sandays for $5 “when it didn’t rain.’
One - summer was 50 ..bleak
“he lived on. $10,.6ating -hervies...
he could pick from bushes and buying stale bread at two loaves fora nickel. . “It doesn't even sound as though it makes sense when I | think back,” hé said. “I was going to be a lawyer and that | was all there was to it. “It seems so long ago now, but when I was a freshman, the father of my best friend said someday I would be named to the Supreme Court.” Later on, at Yale, he argued over a legal interpretation with his professor, the late President Taft. Finally Mr Taft interrupted: “I'm afraid, Mr. Minton, that if you don't like the way this law has been interpreted you
1943 "44 4S
46
COUNTY TRAFFIC DEATHS 1943 TO 1949 JANUARY TO AUGUST
47
48 49
The difference is more than being made up where city +, streets dissolve into county roads.
To help fight the rising tide of blood, Sheriff Cunning-
Rds a oi, fi ds ; Pe ?
An ardent sports fan, Judge Minton relaxes with baseball statistics.
“will have to get on the Supreme Court and change it.” » » » JUDGE MINTON had gone to Yale on a scholarship from Indiana where he was a star fullback and end and baseball centerfielder. The day of graduation from Yale found him absent. _He “had accepted another
Informally, Yodoo) Minton fixes a sandwich in the kitchen while his wife pours coffee for the former athlete.
summer job, this time as Lhans~ tauqua platform manager. His tent man was none other than Alvin ‘Bo” ‘McMillin, | the * ‘pray-
A Kid Who Camo From No Place’
Confesses Wife’ Inspired Career
which he did both in New Al’ bany and in Florida. He also served as a captain in World War I and was elected to the U. 8. Senate in 1934 On come pletion of his term, he served several months as administrative assistant to President Roosevelt before being appoint« ed to the Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. - . IT WAS from the Circuit Court that he was tapped on the shoulder by President True man who had become his close personal friend while the two were seatmates in the Senate. ‘Judge Minton’s name has been bandied since the mid« thirties, each time a new mems= ber was to be named to the Supreme Court. At that time he neiped lead President Roose~ velt's fight against “the nine old men.” “1 always pushed off the thought because of my fight to change the court,” Judge Minton said. “Frankly, I hadn't even given a thought to the possible suce “cessor of Justice Wiley B. Rute ledge. Naturally, it is a dream come true. There isn't a lawyer alive who does not have the hope in his breast. But I never | thought it possible, It seemed out of this world. “That's what I mean about my life story—a kid who came from no place,” Judge Minton sald as he leaned on his cane in the doorway and said goodby.
ing colongl™ later to become well known as coach at IU. Then it was a matter of establishing himself AB a lawyer
Times to Give 4 Pedigreed Puppies fo Boys and Girls
By ART WRIGHT . : Would vou like td" own a pedigreed puppy worth $100 ... , or
one worth $50?
1 this week.
Co-operating with The Times in the contest is the: Hooéfer
Kennel Club, which is staging its | 34th annual All-Breed Dog Show on Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Manu-
| facturers building at the State | Fairgrounds. |1, the Specialty show will be
On Saturday, Oct.
| staged there by the Associated Specialty Clubs of Indiana. Picture a Day - The accompanying picture of the Scottish Terrier is an- example of the type of pictures— one a day—that will appear in The Times this week, through next Sunday. But after -today, you are to identify the dog, give some interesting facts about the breed and its characteristics, and
* 1948
SHERIFF'S ARRESTS AND WARNINGS IN MARION COUNTY
1048 NUMBER OF STATE POLICE MARION COUNTY TRAFFIC ARRESTS AND WARNINGS
pe w SA fo
“Normally the county is "one west and one east. lutely ridiculous.
NUMBER OF STATE POLICE MARION COUNTY TRAFFIC ‘ARRESTS AND WARNINGS JAN. = JULY
That's all. Night after night both our cars will be
send along a statement in 25 ad|ditional words on: “I like a (breed of dog) best because . , .” 5 Save all of the pictures and your, “statements until after the last one appears in The Times next Sunday. Then send them all to: Puppy Contest, Indianapolis Times, 214 W, Maryland St. The boy and girl submitting the best entries will each receive a $100 pedigreed puppy and -will be king and Sueen of the dog show on Oct. 2. The second best entry from a boy and a girl each will earn a_ $50 pedigreed puppy.
@ 1949 SHERIFF 5 ARRESTS ~ AND WARNINGS IN
MARION"COUNTY JAN. = JULY
- 1949
h protected by two patrol cars, The situation is abhso-
ham has appointed a traffic committee composed of representatives from industry, schools and motoring-minded organizations. ;
The body has been meeting weekly for three weeks ..
and is formulating an over-all policy for the sheriff's office to follow. Headed by Earl Wise, safety committee chairman of the Robison-Ragsdale American Legion Post, the group plans to make a full report this month. Mr. Wise said, however, that little has been accomplished to date. » ” ~ » » ~ . MEANWHILE, Sheriff Cunningham is locked in battle with the County Council and Commissioners asking for an increase in funds and deputies to operate his office. “To patrol 1500 miles of road and give protection to more than 100,000 people, I never have more than eight men,” he said. “And then it is only Friday and Saturday nights that I can place theh in the field.
tied upon a detail and we will be swamped with calls.
“So there I sit like a big jerk. I can't say we haven't a car to send. We have to sluff it off on the state police. Without ‘them, I don't know what ‘we would do,” Sheriff Cunningham said.
. . » 2 . . » ! AND THE state police of Headquarters Post are throwing their weight into the battle. Last year troopers issued 2219 written warnings and made 2027 arrests, a total of 4246. This year their efforts have been intensified. In the first seven months they have arrested 1585 persons for traffic violations and passed out 2173 written warnings, a total of 3760.
Wednesday, the sheriff's office began tabulating similar arrests made by deputies in 1949, There are no figures available for previous years.
The Times is- going Jo give: away four: ‘thoroughbred pedigreed... | puppies—two worth $100 each and twd worth™ £50 ‘each—te" toys: land girls not over 19 years of age who can identify a dog-a-day
labors to total traffic arrests by
: This’ is. &_Scottish Terrier. The Scottie, as he is known, is a small dog weighing about 18 to 20 pounds. It is low to the ground and was used in Scotland for hunting small animals. While it loves
people, it is a fierce fighter.
s Drop
clerk-stenograpner
ai
Mrs. Valera Draper,
ol putie .
Sheriff Cunningham Seeks Increase in Patrol Force
+ “I have asked and begged for one dar in each corner of the county seven nights a week. That isn't what is needed but we could do a makeshift job with such a set. up,” Sheriff Cunningham said.
“The deplities on patrol are supposed to work 60 hours a week. As shorthanded as we are, that is impossible. ‘There is no overtime for extra work yet they will put in 70 and more hours week in and week out for $235 a month. . » . ” » . “YOU CAN'T keep down accidents and ‘deaths with the paltry force I have. I have asked for 13 more deputies, one to be an | assistant to Satety Director Lester Esarey.
“Esarey definitely needs an assistant. One man cane not correlate and analyze all the accidents, make investi. gations, make safety talks to schools and clubs and handle
‘the county schools’ safety program.
“I have just about come to the conclusion that I will have to go over the heads of the Council and Commission. Right now I am planning to take my budget problems to the Marion County Tax Adjustment- Board and if necess sary to the State Tax Board,” Sheriff Cunningham said,
Meanwhile, the march of death continues on Marion 3 County roads with 56 relied in sight, b
7 \ “a i As 7.