Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-12-18
From he Dnbuqus Herald.
CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAMS.

IN Interesting Sketch Of HIS Career
By Hon John r. Ktnney-Ho,c a
Green Young Lascyer acas Started on
HIS Way to Greatness.
NEBRASKA CRY, Neb.,
December 10, 1873.
AS the name of George ii. Williams
has been sent to the Senate for con-
firmation IS Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court, the following "bit of
history of his earlier life may not be
wholly unintcresting.
In the autumn of 1874, then young
limb of the law, hailing from Onon-
daigua County, New York, he came to
Lee County, Iowa, to enter upon the
career OF his profession. At that time
the County Seat was at West Point, a
prairie village in the interior, where
the young man first made his appear
ance, the Court then being in session.
He at once stated to the members of
the bar the unfortunate dilemma he
had fallen into by reason of his over
weening confidence in human nature.
At Cincinnati, whilc waiting for a
steamboat to descend the Ohio river,
he was approached by a stranger who
wanted .large bill changed" He
was asked to step aside to do so he
did as requested, still further and fur
Their did he follow the stranger, until a
remote part Of the city was reached,
when, taking out his wallet to make
the change for the stranger, a confed-
crate snatched 1t, leaving him without
dollar with which to prosecute his
journey. 1t is not now remembered
how he got through to Iowa, but true
| it is, his story excited the sympathy of
generous and confiding brethren of the
same profession. He found friends,
and through long and dangerous
sickness which soon followed he was
well cared for, the means furnished
for his comfort and recovery. At this
time Mr.. Williams was about "a years
of age. He was tall, dressed il coarse
clothes, was exceedingly awkward in
all his movements, diffident, and GER
tainly one of the homcliest young men
ever met. over six feet in heighth,
arms and legs out of proportion to the
size of his spare body. But the long
lower-jaw, the thin lips closely shut,
the email keen eyes deeply set in his
head, the temperament strongly bill.
lious, and above all q feeling Of utter
dependence on his own exertions, with
q full realization that If he succeeded
at all 1t could only be by dint of in.
dustry and hard labor; that he had no
rich relations whom to call on in thu,
hour Of need-I repeat that all this Inn
pressed your. correspondent, who was
on the most intimate terms with him,
belonging to the same profession, with
the confident belief that the awkward
and exceedingly green young man
green In all except knowledge of his
law books, would some day become
power In his profession. / will now
pass over the two years of his profess
sional struggles, struggles for mere
subsistence, during which nothing
more than close attention to business,
and an intimate acquaintance with the
elementary principles Of law were
manifest and come direct to that point
in the history of the Chief Justice
which settled his future career, and to
which he owes more than to all other
causes his present high position.
IOWA BECOMES STATE, AND WILLIAMS
saa A JUDGE AND A SENATOR.
The State of Iowa was admitted in.
to the Union in 1846. Under the Com
stitution the district Judges were elect
ed by the people at the popular cleo
tons. George FL. Williams was then
staunch Democrat. He had been SO
educated. He brought his political
faith with him to the new found West.
He was outspoken, bold and active in
the support of the administration of
Mr.. Polk, then President. Iowa was
then Democratic. On her admission,
al her State officers were elected upon
the Democratic platform. A Demo
cratic judicial district convention had
been ordered to be held ut Mount
Pleasant, Henry county, to nominate q
candidate for judge for the first Judi.
cial district, composed Of the counties
OF Lee, Van Buren,, Des Moinaa- Han
Mr. Stockton, Of Burlington, after.
wards one Of the judges of tho SUI
preme Court, was the Wing candidate,
of no mean prospects, strong lawyer
and q popular man. The district was
doubtful, with chances in favor of the
Wing nominee. There were number
OF candidates for the Democratic
nomination. On the previous day to
the convention, there was one of the
most frightful storms of thunder,
lightning, tempest and rain, ever
known in Iowa. The streams were all
suddenly swollen, SO that it was with
difficulty that the convention could be
reached. Three of rs (two of US still
living,) were the only delegates that
ventured from Lee county, out Of
twelve the county was entitled to.
can never forget the imminent danger
to life while passing through the dense
forest between the Skunk River and
Mt. Pleasant, some ten miles, with
trees falling in all directions, threat
ening instant death. But with fleet
horses, Gen. Holman, G. j. McFar.
land, afterwards district judge) and
myself, sped on. We arrived safely.
The convention being organized, it
| SOON became apparent that to nomi-
nate either of the candidates whose
names had become prominent, would
create dissatisfaction, and mar the
prospect of success. After various
ballots had been taken, amid much ex.
element, your correspondent propos-
W. UsAS A0AAAV Va 0SVA8C As w AAA1Iup,
of Lee county, complimenting the
young and unknown lawyer upon his
industry, ability and fitness for the
bench, and pledging Lee county for
500 majority If he were nominated.
The next ballot made George II. Will
liams the candidate, and Lee county
rolled up some 800 majority for one
who had boon in the county not more
than two years, and who was not At
that time more twenty-six years of
age. Thus commenced the judicial
career of our Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court. He served acceptably
| to the people for i've years, grew as
| men will grow when placed in circum.
stances demanding Intellectual devel-
opement, made an able Judge, whose
decisions were seldom reversed by the
Supreme Court. In 1848 he became
an electof on the Democratic ticket,
nj tha 2fatc fTudnro ne he xroaN ar5 = q.