Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-03-06
Seleftel @listellaup,
LUTHER MARTIN.

Hard drinking, though it does not
always kill, always spells man. An old
soaker may live to be ninety; and, in
some rare cases, doctors tell us, man
attains old age because he is an old soaker.
But in every instance hard drinking takes
from mans life all that renders it val
liable or pleasing to himself and to 9th
crs Luther Martin is case in point
For many years he was the glory aud the
shame of the Maryland Bar, and his
nearest friends could scarcely tell wheth-
er they more admired or blushcd for him.
He was born in New Jersey, in 1744,
and after graduating at Princeton, wan
dered off to Maryland, where he taught
school, studied law, and was admitted
to practice. Very early in his career he
became a man of distinction. for he served
in Congress during the Revolutionary
war, and by the time be was forty years
of age he was, beyond all comparison,
the head Of tue bar in the State of Ma
ryland. At a. time when learning was
the prime requisite for success at the
Bar, and the quality held in most respect
both by the profession and the people,
he was admitted to be the most learned
of lawyers. At what period of his life
he fell under the slavery of drink, no
one has recorded but we know that be-
fore he was fifty years Of age the habit
was fixed, and had made serious depre-
dations on his character and talents.
When young Roger B. fancy, in 1895,
came up to Annapolis to study law, and
visited the court. where the judges still
wore long scarlet cloaks, and sat in -
solemn row in the great chairs on a lofty
platform, he was all curiosity to see the
great Luther Martin, then near the height
of his reputation. At last he had the
pleasure Of hearing him conduct cause
Great was the disappointment Of the
youth. lie saw before him coarsc-look-
ing, dirty and addressed man, who had
come into court under the influence Of
liquor. His attire was distressing
mixture of the gay and the unclean. =
He wore ruflles at his wrists, bordercd
with costly lace, although they had long
ago gone out of fashion, and those ruffles,
conspicuously broad, were rumpled and
dirty His voice, always harsh, cracked
when he was much excited; arguments
were full of digressions and, as he in
dulged in constant repetition, his speech
es were usually very long. He was re-
ally very good scholar, and wrote with
classical correctness, but he seemed to
take barbarous pleasure in using such
words as cotch for caught, and sol for sat
At the table, too, his manners were
coarse and disgusting.
With all these obvious and offensive
faults, which constantly grew upon him.
be held his place at the head Of his pro-
fession for at least twenty years. The
late Chief-J Justice fancy explains this
mystery:
g He was a profound lawyer. He new
or missed the strong points Of his case,
and although much might have been gem
orally better omitted, everybody who lis
tened to him would agree that nothing
could be added. He had an iron memo
ry, and forgot nothing that be had read,
and he had read great deal on every
branch of law, and took pleasure in show
ing it when his case did not require it.
Many years after / came to the Bar, when
/ was engaged in an important case on
the same side with Mr.. Shaaf, and Mar
tin was opposed to us, Mr.. Shaaff and
myself went over the case together very
carefully, and when We had done with
the examination, he said, i think the
case is with us, and l sec nothing to be
afraid of; but am olpoys afrafd Of
Martini Yet Mr.. Shaaf ranked then
with the foremost men in Maryland"
The greatest Of Luther Martins pro-
fessional triumphs was at the trial Of
Judge Chase, of the Supreme Court, in
1906, at Washington. Judge Chase was
violent. arrogant man, who, it was
charged, had allowed bis prejudices as a
politician to influence his decisions as a
Judge. The impeachment created uni
yersal interest, and attracted great null
titude of people from all parts of the
country. Aaron Burr, the Tice Presi-
dent, presided, and the Senate chamber
was fitted up in grand style, with places
for the foreign ambassadors, members Of
the House of Representatives,, and other
spectators. The Senators sat in a great
scmi-circle on each side Of the Vice Pres
ident. and the temporary galleries were
draped with blue cloth, the whole present