The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06
THE WORLDS OLDEST LAWYER.
Hon. Ebert Herring'e Remark
able Career.
IN HIS NNETY-EIGHTH YEAR
"reminiscences of New York
in 1890.
A JUD Il IN 1905,

New York. distinguished for 50 many things,
NAV boast OF possessing the Oldest lawyer in this
country, II not OF tue world. A all events the
subject OF this sketch lays claim to this dstinc-
ton. With voice trem bling with price he ex-
claimed yesterday 10 the writer, "Yes sir, am
the Oldest lawyer Ia this city and, think, OF the
word.n
This remarkable man, who viii be ninety-eight
years old IN July and hopes TO celebrate the one
hundredtn anniversary or his birth but a year
alter the centennial Of American independence,
lives in East TWenty-eighth street The house.
No. 81, is an old-fashioned rather mouldy-
looking structure OF brick, three stories
high. 1t has itself rather centenarian
appearance, and II there be some hidden relation
OF age between the houses and their occupants
1T must be admitted that his home appears TO be in
perfect accord with himself. 1t is probably not
very old house, however, resembling some OF those
unfortunate women VINO look much older than
they are, who have taken pains to pre-
serve their youth ana beauty. Few people cali,
evidently, upon Mr.. Ebert Herring, for servant
girl who answered the ring or the bell seemed to
be amazed when the writer asked II he was at
home. Judge Herring, you means" she quered
In tone OF genuine astonlshment, as though she
would say, HE receives no visits, not he ~ 1t
was as though the world had forgotten the old
man, and as though II seemed strange that any
Il
memories OF the long forgotten past
IN THE ROOM OF THE LAWYER.
The girl begged the visitor to wait in the recep-
ton room until she had acquainted rhe "Judgeu
with his errand. The room was old fashioned and
had an antiquarian look very dificut to define.
1t did not disappoint the expectation raised by the
decayed appearance or the exterior The walls
were covered Win pretty, graceful drawings
evidently by a womans hand. The furniture was
ceiling seemed to blink with age and WEAKNESS
from their numerous cracks.
"The Judge would ike you TO come up stairs,n
said the servant girl, when she came down again,
and the writer entered old fashioned,
large room on the second story, where Mr.. Herring
sat IN front Of large stove. The furniture was
OF the same character as that IN the reception
room, only rather m re decrepit with age. On
the walls were the same drawings most OF them
representing young female heads. Bright, win
some faces were they that looked down upon the
lawyer, ninety-eight years OLD.
now HE LOOKED.
He was wonderfully well preserved his figure
bent, or course but still compact his eyes sunken,
but SIN with much OF their brightness LEFT. and
the prov scarcely more Iurrowed than that OF an
ordinary man oil seventy. the beard, strange to
So lie wore a long. full beard, Impair ing
certain dignity to the old face-was not
perfectly white. but ofa mixed grey. Mr.. Herring
IN his youth must have oeen remarkably me
looking man. His face i OF the New England
type. vita clear cut features straight, promi-
nent nose. The old man was dressed in a suit or
rusty black He looked very unlike an American
lawyer. but resemDled more the picture or some
old forgotten inmate OF an English Inn OF Court
emerging rom some musty chambers OF the past
into the present He wore brownlsh wig. con-
trasting strangely with his grey beard kindly
old man. though naturally somewhat feeble, bale
and hearty OF manner II not IN pnysqus. An,
how time changes all tnings Imagine
Apollo IN his niney-eighth year But
though the freshness and vigoe OF youth are
departed the Undesirable nalo OF a kindly
old age imparts a sweeter, more mellow charm.
To look at this man in MS green old age. and 70
ponder over this long, hoaorably spent lie. re
warded at Its close with the cain or q beautiful
evening upon which the departing sun still
throws IT'S dying rays must have been refreshing
70 any heart.
HEARTY RECEPTION.
The old man rose WITH slight enort, and shook
his VISITORS hand with considerable warmth II
am glad TO see you,n ne said heartily. The con-
versauon which ensued gave evidence that mis-
faculties we're but little impaired by his enormous
age. The hearing was goou, though occasionally
a question had 70 be repeated. and when he
spoke OF the interesting "reminiscences OF
his youth far back In tue dim past
his memory seemed TO serve him with
comparative ease what was most remarkable
was his vigor OF speech. His voice was generally
clear loud, emphatic, and there we're out few
words winch ne pronounced indistincry. At nrst
the conversation naturally turned upon the
weather. Mr.. Harring rubbing his hands and re-
marking that this was an unusually cold winter.
MS BIRTH.
The most interesting question, OF course, re
ferred 70 mis- birth. II was bJrn,r he sald, with
something OF pride in MS voice. ION the stn OF
July. l777, at StraLiord Coan.n lie paused Tor a
moment and LAYING aside a little Testament,
when he had evidently beea readlng, ne seemed
70 De lost in thought ior . few moments. "ies.n
he analy added, noddlng nls mead, 1T viii
be ninety EIGHT years. A long tlme!n
NEW YORK m HIS CHILDHOOD.
your "reminiscences must be very interesting
the writer interposed.
Yes he replied, looking straight before MIN,
and as though trying to call up 10 his mind the
oldest treasures OF nis memory. ~ can remember
New York when It scarcely extended above Ann
street IL was very different place them and
the old mans mind seemed 10 wander among the
dim echoing corridors Of the past
.'aow long ago was that ~ the writer asked.
"wel, It IS so loug ago / cans exactly tell" Mr..
harrlng replied evidently puzzled 10 nnd the exact
date. let me see; that must nave been as far
back as 1907
do you remember anything or the war;"
mot much," he replied. ''The only thing re-
member was thar, as a little b oy, saw baggage
wagon passing through tae streets. / did not
know then what II was. l remember asked. and
they told me Il was a baggage wagon. ! remem-
Der that disunctY.u
THE EMBRYO METROPOLIS OF. 1890.
"And what was New YORK above Ann streetiu
con, IL was all country. all country; only here
ana there house. but very few indeed. very few
indeed.r He SAID this in a tone OF wonder as
though he himself was astonisned &C the vast
change.
"wnere was the residence portion Of the city
thenSn