Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Solicitor S.P. Graves' Health Improved, Visited Disarmament Conference, Caught in Blizzard, Feb. 8, 1922

Solicitor Graves Back Home. . . Health Much Better—Caught in Blizzard—Attended Disarmament Conference

Solicitor S.P. Graves returned to his home in Mount Airy early this week after a trip to Baltimore to consult a specialist in regard to his throat which had been giving him trouble. The specialist was unable to find any serious trouble with his throat and an operation was not necessary.

While passing through Winston-Salem Mr. Graves told the Daily Journal that he was not confident that his throat became worse while prosecuting the docket there largely on account of the condition of the court house, where the noise from the street frequently makes it difficult to examine a witness or speak to the jury without talking at the top of one’s voice, and the strain proved too much. After two weeks of rest Mr. Graves is again himself and his throat is practically well.

He was accompanied to Baltimore by Mrs. Graves. They spent some time in Washington also. They were there shortly after the Knickerbocker theatre tragedy and Mr. Graves said he never saw a city so grief stricken. It seemed that nearly every person he met had lost a relative or friend in the theatre wreck.

Mr. Graves also had the rare good fortune of being in Washington on the day the big meeting of the disarmament conference was held when Secretary Hughes made a public statement of the result of the conference. Representative of the other nations also spoke on that occasion. Mr. Graves had a seat in the gallery and says it was one of the most interesting occasions he ever witnessed. He was especially impressed with the splendid English used by the Chinese and Japanese representatives in delivering their addresses, but was disappointed to hear the French representative speak in French and use an interpreter.

It was an inspiring scene, said the solicitor, who is an ardent advocate of the League of Nations, to see these representatives of a few of the greatest nations assembled around the big table all at work for world peace. But he thought it would have been much more inspiring if all the nations of the earth had been represented, instead of only a few of the more powerful governments.

Mr. and Mrs. Graves were in Baltimore when the big snow storm and blizzard struck that section. He said that hundreds of people slept in street cars that night the snow was deepest, because they were unable to get home. Others slept in drug stores down town and any place they were caught.

While he was away, Solicitor Graves’ son, William Graves, a capable young lawyer, prosecuted the docket for his father in the Superior court at Rockingham county. And judging from reports he did the job well, being almost equal to his father.

From the front page of The Danbury Reporter, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 1922. Secretary Hughes was Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes. The Knickerbocker Theater tragedy occurred when the weight of a heavy snowfall collapsed the roof, killing patrons who had been inside watching a movie.

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