The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-07-18
THE LATE JUDGE RUGGLEs,

EulOgistic Resolutions Passed by the
Members of the Bar of This City.
AT an adjourned term of the district
court, held in this city June Both, 1879
Judge Peyton, at the instance of several
members of the bar, appointed j. Jay
Buck, G. N. Sterry and E. w. Cunning
ham, committee to draft resolutions
commemorative of the late Judge Rug
giles. At further adjourned term, held
July 11th, 1879, after few appropriate
remarks from VIM. Thomson, of Burlin
game and Messrs. ]. Jay Buck and E
w. Cunningham, of this city, the fol
lowing resolutions were presented and
adopted:
To the Honorable, tie District Court Of
tie Fifth judicial District Of tie Stat
Of Kansas:
MAY 1T PLEASE YOUR HONOR Your
committee, in Difference to that common
sentiment which recognizes merit wher
ever found, canOniZes the good deeds
and charitably forgets the imperfectiOns
of the departed, would, in memory OF
Bro. Ruggles, bring hither for perpetual
record, their BENSON and need of praise
Robert NJ. Ruggles was born at Can
field, MahOning county, state of Ohio, Au.
gust 2Sth, 1888. Acquiring a good edu.
cation, largely CLEANED from the practlc.
al life of printer, he turned his attention
in the early days of vigorous manhood
to the legal profession, and entered 1.-THE
Ohio State and Union Law College," al
Cleveland, Ohio, whence he graduated
with hOnOrs on July I'd, 1853, and re.
ceived his diploma cOnfering the degree
of Bachelor of Laws. On the same day
under a statute of Ohio, he was examin.
ed and pronounced proficient by a com.
mittee whose chairman was Hon. Rufus
p. Ranney, long the hOnored chief JUS
tice of the supreme court of that state,
and whose name is subscribed to the
aforesaid diploma as president of the
board of trustees of that college.
Judge Ruggles' untiring energy and
cOmmendable ambition induced him to
leave his ''native heath" and we next
find him admitted to the practice of law
by the supreme court of Missouri, on
September 10th, 1853. For a year he
practiced law in the city of ST. Louis.
The opportunities and the pOssibili
ties which seemed to await the then ear
ly future of Kansas, induced him to mi
CRATE hither. He was admitted here, in
our then territorial court, September 10
1859.
From that time until his death, with
headquarters in our own prosperous city
he was Familiarity known in the state and
federal courts of Kansas, rejecting there
in and impressing thereon his legal cru
ditiOn and individuality.
For four years the Judge of this court
and the peer of any of his associates, he
did much toward settling the primitive
practice of our courts; and during tho
remaining aforesaid years he was the
recognized senior member of the follow
ing named successful law firms: Rug
giles Sc Kenyon, Ruggles & Plumb, Rug
giles & Sterry, and Ruggles, Scott s
Lynn.
With a seeming rough exterior, he haC
warm heart within, and a social nature
sensitively developed almost to fault
In the several relations of life, as hus
band, father, neighbor, citizen, lawyer
and jurist, he had few equals, and in the
estimation of his many admirers the higl
plane to which he had attained was theil
ultima thule.
Having said this much-we could no
say less-yOur committee respectfully re
port the following resolutions:
ReSOLUed, That in the sudden death o
Hon. r. NJ. Ruggles his family has sus
tanned an irreparable loss, society de
drived of a worthy member, and the bal
strong, manly, fearless advocate.
ResOlUed, That we tender to the strick
en- family our earnest sympathies in thii
their sad bereavement, and in addition
can but point them to the protection o
the common Father, who has promised
to be "a father to the fatherless, and thu
widows God"
ResOlOed, That copy of these resolu
quest that they be spread upon the jour
nal, and copy furnished the city pa
pers for publication, and a certified copy
under seal of said court, be delivered t.
the family of the deceased.
Respectfully and sOrrOwfully submit
ted. j. JAY Buck,
G. N. STERRY,
Z. w. CUNNINGHAM.