Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-07-14
BAR NETTING.
yssy aa anal. La. 4 E .ns hs:s

of the First Circuit Court, Frank Taft,
the genial and generous gentleman as
well as able and efficient Clerk Of the
Court, called together the members Of
the Bar as Jury of Inquest on about
twenty baskets of champagnef and a
dozen boxes Of cigars. 1t was moved
and unanimously agreed to that Ed.
Yerger should act as Foreman and Van
Anderson as Secretary, because, as the
mover remarked, there could not be
found at any bar b better Judge or q more
eloquent Chronicler Of champagne than
the two gentlemen named. Judge Yer
ger declined the honor in favor of Judge
Foute, whom, he said, would make an ex-
cellent Foreman to give an opinion on a
subject at that moment brought to the
notice Of the jury demij ohm ofbrandy;
and Van Anderson declined the honor
attempted to be conferred on him, be-
cause there was present, he said, gentle
man whose legal acumen was as clear as
crystal, and whose name Cherry Bounce)
at once suggested a Recorder But the
great body of the Bar refused to listen to
anything like modesty, and amid rap
turous applause compelled Yerger and
Van Anderson to take the seats and po-
sitions assigned them. Foreman Yerger,
in calling the Bar to order, hoped the
gentlemen present would be brief in their
remarks, although on that occasion he
did not think there was any necessity for
briefs. He saw great many .tumblers
on the table, but hoped that none would
tumble under the table before the festive
affair was over. In case anyone is
hoored," said Van Anderson, there is
not a cent in the hands Of the Secretary
to hire dray to send him home.
"Never mind" said the Foreman, "if
anyone falls from his chair he'll be sent
home" If the Chair falls, then" said
the Secretary, eve are to believe
his head is leyelYi y"tYes," replied
the Chairman (which is about the
same as Foreman), five fall before this
sparkling affair is over, both our heads
will be level with the floor" So, while
corks flew from champagne bottles to-
wards the ceiling, wit and pure senti-
ments flowed from the mouths of the
Bar, and showers of repartee brought
forth peals of laughter, which continued
and increased in vigor until there was
very tempest of joy and merriment. AL
though, as the Foreman said, the cham
payne was labelled Num-" and he
thought mum" ought to be the word,
still he allowed the members of the Bar
to express their opinions fully and freely.
Therefore very pretty and appropriate
orations we're made by Judges Heiskell,
Halsey, Lee and Foute, Attorney
General Wright, ex-Attorney- Generals
Wallace and Sale, Messrs. Kerr,
Barnes, Ray Hutcheson, Poston, Pie.
Ian, Washington, McKissick, Metcalf,
Van Anderson and Perkins, Colonel
A. H. Douglass, Colonel j. B. Marshall
and others; at the conclusion Of which,
while champagne and wit were flowing,
and joy becoming brighter and brighter,
Secretary Van Anderson rose and read
the following verdict of the Jury of In
quest, composed of the Bar of Memphis:
Resolved, That in Frank Taft, Esq,
we recognize the man and the gentle
man; that:in the hbati ion he has poured
out this evening in honor Of the Mem
phis Bar we recognize the generosity
which prompted it and the courtesy with
which it was executed, and we trust our
professional intercourse may be as pleas
ant and terminate as joyously as this
social gathering ea n asf sa a
This received the hearty approval of
all present; and Frank, being called on
for a speech, arose and responded in a
few graceful remarks, thanking the Bar
for the high compliment paid him in the
verdict just read by the Secretary. Van
Anderson then proposed "the prosperity
of the Press" which was briefly re-
sponded to by one of the LEDGER corps,
who gave in return the success of our
railroads, which brought out a graphic
description from ex-Attorney General
Wallace of the progress of the Memphis,
Chelsea and Raleigh railroad, which, he
said was the grand link in the
iron line from the Mississippi to
the Pacific. We looked around for our
brother pencilers Of the Sun and Ava
lanche to respond to the toast Of the Press,
but they obeyed the order on the cham
payne bottle, Mum" and never spoke
a word-one sitting on the top of desk,
red hot, and the other hid away in a cor
ner as cold as a cucumber. Foreman /
Yerger made an eloquent and touching
appeal to the jury before he dismissed |
them, paying high compliment to the
younger members of the Bar for their
integrity, ability and love of justice.
Mr.. Metcalf then offered the following
resolution, which was adopted;
Resolved, That in view of all the re-
marks Just made, we, members of the
Memphis Bar, approve of this fraternity
and fellowship knowing no Northern, no
southern, no Eastern, no Western branch
thereof, but all as a band of brothers.
The meeting then adjourned until the