A FAMOUS IRISHMAN.

Evening Star, Issue 13145, 29 December 1908, Page 4

A FAMOUS IRISHMAN.

Sir James Mathew died at London on November 9, aged seventy-eight. He was junior counsel lor the Crown in the Tichborne case, was appointed Judge in 1881, and became a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1901, retiring from the Bench two years ago on account of failing health. Both at the Bar and ou the Bench the late Lord Justice Bowen was one of Sir James's firmest friends, and many amusing stories are told in illustration of the wit and humor which each struck from the other. For Sir Jamoe, in his way, was, like Lord Justice Bowen, renowned for his jeux d'esprit and pointed humor. In other respects, moreover, the two were similar, inasmuch jis each reached the Bench without having exchanged his stuff gown for a silk one. On the Bench, as at the Bar, Sir James Mathew was distinguished by his brilliant handling of commercial cjieos, and when, as the result very largely of hie own ceasoless advocacy thereof, a Commercial Court was constituted, an ideal Judge to take charge of it was found in hrmfelf. He was the la«t of the Judges on the English Bench who were 'ippointed during Mr Gladstone's first and second Administrations, and tie last of those who presided in the old Westminster Courts before those in the Strand were built. As president of the Irish Evicted Tenants Commission, Sir Janics had a difficult task. The very first sitting of the Commission was its stormiest. Sir James refused to allow Sir Edward Carson (then Mr Carson) to cross-examine witnesses, whereupon the lato Solicitor-General referred to the Commission as a " sham and a farco." The president described the advocate's conduct as " disgraceful to the Irish Bar," and ordered him to withdraw. A Calholio in religion, Sir James MatV.ow a staunch Liberal and Home Ruler in politics, took a keen interest in every movement calculated to advance the interests of his native country. He was a nephew of the great Father Mathew. His eldest daughter became the wife of Mr John Dillon, M.P., and hex death laßt year caused widespread sorrow throughout Ireland. His eldest son (Mr Theobald Mathew) inherits much of his father's ability and legal erudition.