JUDGE HU. C. ANDERSON

 JUDGE HU. C. ANDERSON

d n english

 Hu Carmack Anderson (1890-1953) spent most of his life in Jackson, Tennessee. Early in his career, he worked as assistant attorney general, attorney general, and prosecuting attorney. He also held political office as state senator and chairman of the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee (1917-1933)  In 1933, the governor appointed him a judge for the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Anderson became its presiding judge in 1942. With the exception of his service in 1947-48 as presiding judge of the Krupp Tribunal, Anderson served the remainder of his career on the Tennessee Court of Appeals in Jackson, Tn.

The Vanderbilt chapter of the Order of the Coif inducted Anderson as an honorary member in 1952 in recognition of his outstanding service in Tennessee and Germany. Anderson died the following year, on May 7, 1953, two days after an accidental fall down an elevator shaft at the Madison County Courthouse. He was valued by colleagues for his impartiality inside the courtroom and his mentoring of junior lawyers, by friends and family for his loyalty, by the larger Jackson community for his active participation in civic clubs and public speaking engagements, and by everyone who knew him for his sense of humor.*

 Now for the rest of the story.*

Judge Hu Anderson was a frequent visitor to  the Madison Co. Courthouse. He loved talking to the ladies of the Courthouse. On this day (May 7,1953) he had made his way to the third floor. You could tell when Judge was in one of the office because you could here the laughter. His sense of humor was legendary plus he loved flirting with the ladies.

One of the ladies said “on that day he left our office laughing and speaking to everyone he met in the hall.We heard the bell sound to signal the elevator was on our floor.”

At this time there was an elevator operator in the Courthouse elevator. Soon  after the bell sounded several heard the elevator door open, a scream and a thud.

The elevator was in the basement and had never gone to the third floor.

After some investigation they found Judge Anderson on the top of the elevator. He was removed and rushed to the hospital where he died 2 days later.

It was a few days later strange occurrences begin to happen around the Courthouse. People would hear a laugh and look out to see no one there. They had the elevator checked out and nothing was found to be amiss.  When the elevator was cleared to start operation again one new  rule was in place. The elevator operator would open the door and step outsidethe elevator. Still many people choose to use the stair. Now and then it was said  people would here a thud. So many were convinced the elevator and Courthouse  was haunted by their  beloved Judge. 

As the years passed a new elevator was installed and gone was the elevator operator. People still hear the laughter and various other odd occurrences. 

A couple of years ago  a portrait of Judge Hu. C. Anderson was placed in the Courthouse. Of all places to hang the portrait it was hung on the shared hall wall of the elevator.

Now it has been said the laughter can still be heard, a the bell of the elevator would sound and the door open  after hours. This happened one night when someone was working overtime they said no one was around . People have said when they left work the portrait would be straight when they came to work the next day it was crooked. 

Does that mean the Judge still walks the halls? It is said ghost stay around the places where they were happy.

Whether you believe in ghost or not it is an interesting story.

*krupp.library.vanderbilt.edu/judge

*Stories I have been told by individuals who worked at Madison County Courthouse