1964–65 Volume 89 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

JUDGE BAYES IS DEAD AT 88Fraternity Mourns Past President of General Council and Leaderin National Interfratemity ConferenceJUDGE William R. Bayes (Ohio Wesleyan'01), P.P.G.C, entered the Chapter Grandon November 28. He was 88 years of age whenhe succumbed at the home of his daughter,Mrs. Roger B. Haviland, in Gloversville, N.Y.One of the outstanding leaders of the Fraternityand of the entire fraternity system.Brother Bayes served eight years as a memberof the General Council. He was elected in 1928as a Member-at-Large, served from 1930 to 1934as Treasurer, and was President of the Fraternityhis last two years. He was President of the NationalInterfratemity Conference in 1927,and in November, 1951, at the annual meetingin Old Point Comfort, Virginia, was awardedthe Conference's Gold Medal. Throughout hishfe Judge Bayes remained a loyal and devotedPhi, who attended alumni club meetings inNew York and biennial conventions of theFraternity as long as his health permitted.Brother Bayes enjoyed a distinguished careerin New York City after receiving a law degreefrom Columbia University and being admittedto the state bar that same year. His first judicialappointment came in 1921 when Gov. NathanMiller named him to the King's County Court.In 1935 Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia appointedMr. Bayes successively a city magistrate andJustice of the Court of Special Sessions. Helater rose to Chief Justice, an office he helduntil he retired in 1946 to continue in thepractice of law until one month before hisdeath.In 1939 Mr. Bayes was defeated by the lateWilliam O'Dwyer in a race for the office ofDistrict Attorney of King's County. Eleven yearslater, when O'Dwyer was Mayor of New YorkCity, he appointed Brother Bayes a DeputyFire Commissioner to make recommendationsfor departmental administrative reform.Judge Bayes held many important director-JUDGE WILLIAM R. BAYESOhio Wesleyan '01I876-I964ships, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, andfor many years was president of the FlorenceCrittenton League, which helps friendless anddisturbed girls.Old timers in * A e who knew William R.Bayes^and they are legion—will always rememberhim as a kindly, gentle man of great wisdom,who loved * A e throughout his 66 yearsof membership. As man and judge, his qualificationswere neatly summed up by MayorLaGuardia, who said on appointing him: "Itis highly important that we have a man on themagistrate's bench who has some knowledge ofhuman nature. In this court, it is necessary todispense justice, not dispense with it."• • •IN COELO QUIES EST• • •[181]