Cato, Sterling G., associate justice of the Territory of Kansas, was a native of Alabama. He was appointed on Sept. 13, 1855, to succeed Judge Rush Elmore and served until in July, 1858, when he was succeeded by Elmore and left the territory. Repeated efforts have been made by the Kansas Historical Society to learn something of Judge Cato's early life and antecedents, but without avail. He was a strong pro-slavery advocate, was in the pro-slavery camp at the time of the "Invasion of the 2,700," and many of his decisions were of a bitterly partisan character. He connived with Sheriff Jones, of Douglas county, and issued writs for the arrest of several prominent members of the Topeka (free-state) legislature, but released from custody George W. Clarke, who was charged with the murder of Thomas W. Barber, a free-state man. On Oct. 20, 1857, he issued a writ commanding Gov. Walker to issue certificates of election to a number of pro-slavery men who claimed to have been elected members of the legislature, but owing to the palpable frauds committed in the election, the governor refused to obey the order of the court. (See Walker's Administration.) S. S. Prouty, correspondent of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, in writing to his paper of Judge Cato, said: "It is almost a mockery to call where he presides a court."