Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-03-31
Yours Respectfully,
The Warren Bar.

fours Respectfully, l.
The Warren Bar.
When first | saw the member, of this
"bsr;" twas many years ago; when Tod,
Rannev, Crowell, Sutlif, Hutchins, Hoif
mn and Birchard were the principal at.
torneys at the bar, and were all in "full
tide Of Unsuccessful practice" My first view
of them was when they were all seated
inside the railing, in the "Old Court
House." and now, after the lapse of many
years, when the fanciful "Aideen" of
childhood is gone, the picture is fresh
and vivid upon "memory's tablet" |
remember with what awe | gazed around
upon those whose names lin my mind)
had ever been associated with greatness,
and wondered in my young foolish way
whether as to them, Familiarity bred con
tempt" As | entered "Dave," as some
familiarity called him, although to me ii
seemed a kind of sacrilege,) had just
commenced an address 10 the jury. |
have forgotten upon what case he was en-
gagged, | remember only how | shook and
quivered under the power of his ~eloquence
how, in the close of his speech when
appealing 10 The sympathy of that jury
in his W peculiarly thrilling way, the
unbidden tears came stealing softly down
my cheeks. | remember too, his digni-
fled, impassioned ~gesticulation, his deep
toned melOdious voice, speaking face, and
flashing eagle eye inspired me with the
opinion (which has never been effaced,)
that God had made him an orator. These
men all impressed me differently, except
R. P. Ranney and Milton Sutliff, they
seemed 10 me much alike. They were
both men of dignified, distracted bear
ing, both largemen. with large heads, eyes
sunk in deep cavernous sockets, large high
~foreheads, and brows projecting They al
ways seemed TO mel Of the ebsteriantype,
those men of heavy calibre, who when in
motion possess great force and power.
General Crowell, TO me was the very
exponent and type of a Military Officer,
possessing that austere dignity, that seems
-'born 10 command"
Of John Hutchins | scarcely knew
what to Mink-his unruly curling hair,
bright, luminous, flashing, eye, his regu-
lar features and almost Grecian face-his
whole contour in fact, marked him as all
my young Imagination had ever dreamed
of a poet. He was certainly in appear
ance, Byronic, and if he was not a poet
thought he ought to have been.
Mathew Birchard-There was but one
word in my vocabulary that reached him,
such an u~nchanging, unimpassioned,
countenahce ] had never seen before
My glance rested but a upon
him, and | unconsiously murmured stole
the scales Of justice in his hand would
be unerringly held.
1t is however, of the "Warren Bar" as
it now is, of which, we, in a few brief
sketches, intend to speak, hoping that
the present members looking over the
calender of the past, and seeing how
many great minds, and bright lights, that
are now shining in the political and legal
armament were once members of this
"Bar," will be inspired with high aims,
and become impressed with the idea, that
they are a peculiar constellation, in
which stars of the first magnitude are
manufactured as kind of leading lights,
for the lesser conste l~lations by which they
are surrounded.
B. F. Boffman-Although at present
mol technically q member of the bar, yet
as he has so recently changed from Ad-
vocaie 10 Judge, we shall take the liber-
ty of noticing him, particularly, as he is at
the present writing, presiding. The per-
sonnet of the judge is not very imposing,
and physically has no very marked pecu-
liarity, except being near-sighted. and
~earirg glasses. In height he is about
five feet six inches, slight and liths in
form, with a perceptible sioop when walk
ing, light blue eyes, which, when under
any particular excitement, seem to pro.
irude half way from their sockets,
straight black hiar, in which here and
there the threads of silver are beginning
to appear. The controlling feature of
The Judges face, in our opinion, is his
mouth-ihat is an index to the whole
character of the man-when closed and
his lips compressed, TO one who reads
the ''humal face divine" it tells of an
infexiblo will, q determination which
when n c formed, is Interchangeable; and
tina, peculiar curl Of the upper lip. when
making that will known, says pIainly,
and emphaticnliy, self reliance" In