The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-06-19
.Ex-Gov. Psrry's "reminiscences Of Public Men.
James III. Irby.

James III. Irby.
Colonel Irby was native of Laurens Dis
trict. and the descendant of gallant Whig of
the American Revolution. His whole family
fought and suffered in the cause of our Inde-
pendence, and the Colonel was as true pa
triot as any of his revolutionary ancestors. For
many wears he served his native District in
both branches of the State Legislature with
great ability and distinction. He was once
elected Lieutena ant Governor of the State, and
afterwards came within one vote of being elec-
ted Governor by the Legislature. He was
graduate of the South Carolina College, read
law, and became one of the most successful
lawyers in the upper part OF the state. he
died, leaving sn estate worth tour hundred
thousand dollars Without being a learned
LAWYER, he was an able and successful prac-
titioner. By nature he was great man, and
endowed with uncommon practical good sense.
He was fine looking man, tall, we'll proper
toned, and had noble head phrenologically
we'll developed. There was no lawyer at the
bar who saw more quickly the strong points OF
his case, who comprehended them better, or
who was more able to present them to the
Court and Jury, advantageously for his client.
He always argued his cases with great force
and ability, and generally cited authorities to
sustain his legal positions But, perhaps, no
lawyer on the circuit read less than Col. irby,
either of law, or general literature. ALI OF his
greatness he owed to nature. Had he been a
hard student and cultivated the great powers
of his intellect, he would have been great
man indeed. There was no one who under
stood and possessed better or truer knowledge
of human nature. He once said to me, that
che understood mankind as well as If he had
made themp' Rarely, if ever, was he deceiv-
ed or imposed upon in the business transac-
tions of the world. Though bold, brave,
frank and impulsive man, he was nevertheless,
in an eminent degree, cautious and polite in
all his actions.
was on terms of great intimacy with Col.
Irby, from our first acquaintance up to his
death, which was more than thirty years.
had for him during all that time very high
regard and most sincere friendship. 1 at
tended meeting of the Bar at Laurens on the
occasion of his death, and expressed fully to
the Court my high appreciation OF the man.
On the circuit, and in Columbia, we spent q
good deal of our time together, and always
most pleasantly. have treasured up great
many amusing incidents of the Colonel, and
in detailing few of them, have no purpose
of detracting from the high and noble traits of
his head and heart. It is said that i'll de-
scribing man, very often an anecdote will
give you better insight of his character and
mind than an attempted elaborate portraiture.
Shortly after my admission to the Bar, was
attending Laurens Court, and took the liberty
of going into the Colonels law Office to look up
some authorities. I was completely amazed,
when looked at his library, and saw ten or
fifteen volumes of old reports and elementary
works, instead of that large and extensive col
think ever saw as few law books in any other
LAWYERS Office before or since, no matter how
Young or poor he was. Col. Irby was at that
time gentleman of large fortune, and in full
practice, with troops of clients! But the Co.
lionel had very little use for books, as he read
precious little of anything.
In the trial of case of SANDER at Laurens,
Col Irby was for the plaintiff. Wistar simp-
son handed the Colonel paper on which was
written quotation from Shakespeare, prefaced
with the words, "Verily, verify, I say unto
thee, He who steals my purse, steals trash, but
he who tlches from me my good name, takes
that which enriches him not, but leaves me
poor indeed" Simpson told him it was quo
tation from the Bible. Irby asked the Clerk
for the Bible, on which he had been swearing
witnesses, and holding it up, said, Gentlemen
of the Jury, have something in this good
book which bears on this case" and read the
paper which had been handed to him. This
Bar said to him, FIhat's from Shakespeare and
not the Bible" "IVhat the devil, then, are the
words verify, verify, say unto thee doing in
it." said the Colonel! There was Baptist
preacher foreman of the Jury which was try
ing the case. When Judge 0Neale, who was
also member of the Baptist Church, met lrby
in Columbia in the Court of Appeals, he said
to him: IT understand, Irby, you have been
quoting Scripture in slander case at Lau-
rens." "Yes," said Irby, "and there was a
Baptist clergyman, foreman of the Jury, who
searched the Bible through, after he went
home, trying to find the quotation"
In Grim. con-. case at Spartanburg, Major
Henry alluded to the case of Potiphars wife.
Irby, who was taking notes of Henrys argu-
ment for the purpose of replying to him in the
can find that case of Pontter's wife report
edP" His junior replied, 81 think Ihaye read
it in the Greek Testament" II. G. Young,
ESQ.,, who was sitting at the Bar, overheard the
question and reply, and repeated it to other
lawyers. It became the source of great amuse-
ment to the Court. But Col. Irby had too
much good sense and good humor to be dis
pleased.
Col. Irby and myself were going to Colum..
bia to attend the sitting of the Legislature, and
expected to be absent for or five weeks. said
to him after we had started, "Irby, where is
your trunk? ?" He took up very small carpet
bag out of the foot of his buggy and said
"t6is contains all the wardrobe | ever travel
with, clean shirt and pocket handkerchief
aBut," said !, "have you no stockings ?"
ssNo,a was mis- reply, "it is cheaper to buy them
chan to have them washed" We once went to
Charleston together, whilst he was President
of the Laurens Railroad Company. He car
ried with him fifteen or sixteen thousand dol
sars. We stopped at the Mills House, and in
the morning enquired at the office il the Co.
lonel had come out of his room? Nickerson,
the hotel keeper, said, "haye you not heard "a
what happened last night? Your friend, Col;
Irby, on going to bed, blew out the gas, and and