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Still more on Miller, and its author

I knew Justice McReynolds, who wrote the Miller opinion, was a bit of an odd duck (being, among other things, a racist, an anti-semite, and a hater of wristwatches), but I just came across a webpage summarizing the memoirs of one of his clerks. Two interesting notes: he used his court-employed messenger as a retriever when he went duck hunting, and when the messenger died, six Justices attended the funeral. None attended McReynold's own rites.

Here's a more detailed review of the clerk's autobio. Apparently, McReynolds also hated people who wore red ties, demanded that clerks stand in his presence and address him as "sir," and refused to sit next to Brandeis (who was jewish) for a Court photograph.

It would be an interesting study to determine why Woodrow Wilson appointed him to the Supremes (Wilson wouldn't have objected to his racism -- but what about all his other less-than-endearing traits? Were they unknown? Overlooked? Overweighed by something else--but WHAT? He was a law prof. for a time, but never appears to have demonstrated any great brains).

· US v. Miller