Toward the close of 1900, with Gov?
ernor Otero of the territory, Mr. Mc?
Millan was on a Lake Shore train
speeding toward Washington. When
the train stopped at Painosvllle, O.,
newsboys boarded lt, and one of them
called out: "AD about the new supreme
court Judge of New Mexico. Silas
Alexander appointed." The governor
of the territory and Mr. McMillan look?
ed at each other, and they bought a
paper, and In that paper they read In
glaring headlines that Silas Alexander
of Santa Fe had received the appoint?
ment to tho vacant judgeship.
Mr. McMillan the morning of his ar?
rival In the capital went at once to tho
offlee of the secretary of wai*.
"How did lt happen I was not ap
pointed?" he asked.
"Why," said Mr. Koot, "you are ap?
pointed!"
"Why," said Mr. McMillan, 4iyou are
mistaken." And he drew from his
pocket the Cleveland newspaper of the
day before. Secretary Root turned all
colors. "This ls a mistake," he said;
"an absurd, strange mistake, for I have
lt from the president's owu lips, cor?
roborated by Mr. Griggs, attorney gen?
eral, that your name was sent yester?
day to the senate for action and that
the recommendation was duly signed
by President McKinley."
Then the men went to the sta*.o, war
and navy building and found Attorney
General Griggs.
"But you bave been given the ap?
pointment," said Mr. Griggs.
"Then what does this newspaper re?
port mean?" was the reply.
