AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PENNSYLVANIAN
been in opposition to what he had been trying to accomplish until Cameron gave him notice of the substitution of Christopher Magee, and Quay, accepting the situation, ran for the office of State Treasurer, depending upon his own strength and popularity, and succeeded. Regarding this effort as a manifestation of just what was needed in the state, I did what I could to help him. The death of Judge William S. Peirce created a vacancy in No. 1 Court. F. Amedee Bregy, an assistant district attorney, with George S. Graham, had, with the assistance of this gentleman, been a candidate two or three times and an agreement had been reached that his ambition should be gratified upon the next occasion. With each day his appointment was expected. Then something occurred. Quay went to Harrisburg and saw Governor James A. Beaver. A week or two went by and then it began to be whispered about that the appointment would come to me. April 19, 1887, I received a telegram from Norris asking me to see Quay at the Continental Hotel at eight o'clock that evening. I was there at the time, curious and expectant. Quay said to me:
“The Governor has concluded to appoint Bregy.”
I replied: “Some friends of mine had arranged to go to Harrisburg tonight by the eleven o'clock train to wrestle with him. I will stop them at once.”
“Let them go, if you think it better.”
“No, you have done all that can be done.”
He had expected a protest or an expression of disappointment. There was a twinkle in his eye and I was sure that he was pleased with my way of meeting the situation.
A year later occurred a vacancy in the Supreme Court. At this time James Tyndale Mitchell sat in Court of Common Pleas No. 2. This court had been the successor of the old district court, had inherited the traditions of Sharswood and has ever maintained a high rank among the
