Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-10-27
LATE CHIEF JUSTICE RYAN.

Ryan, of the Wisconsin Supreme Court,
| who died at his home in Madison Tues
| day, October 10Th, was one of the most re-
markable men in the West. He was
born in Ireland and emigrated to this
country at the age of q. He settled
first in Chicago, where he was the editor
of a newspaper, and then removed to
Racine, Wis, in 1916. From Racine he
| went to Milwaukee, which city was his
home at the time of his death, and in
which he will be buried his residence
in Madison being contingent only upon
his election as Chief Justice.
Judge Ryan's name will stand forever
among the most illustrations Of the legal
fraternity of the State. 1t is intimately
associated with nearly all the great cases
| that have ever been tried here since Wis
consn was admitted into the Union He
was member of the first Constitutional
Convention-then a young man-and
took high rank among that really dis
tinguished body of men, and held his
own in the debates with the most learn
ed lawyers in it. He appeared as coun-
sci for the people in the celebrated i'm
parchment case of the late Judge Levi
Hubbell, and his argument in the trial,
which lasted several days, is justly re-
garded as one of the finest specimens of
forensic eloquence of modern times. The
impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson
developed no such splendid oratory on
either side.
His next great case was in 1854 when
William A Barstow, then Governor of
the State, undertook to usurp the office
for another term on the authority of a
certificate of election issued, as Barstow
well knew, on fraudulent returns. Ryan
had supported Barstow on the stump,
but his sense of justice would not allow
him to be party to a fraud that would
stife the popular will at the ballot-box-
and he became the leading lawyer for
Coles Bashford, the Republican candidate.
Barstow's chief counsel was Matt. II.
Carpenter, now United States Senator,
and behind Carpenter and Ryan, on one
| side or the other, stood nearly all the
leading lawyers of the State, including
ex-senator Timothy O. Howe; the late
A. w. Randall, afterward Governor Of
the State; the late Jonathan E, Arnold
| the late James II. Knowlton; the Hon.
| Harlow S. Orton, now one of the Assoc-
ate Justices cf the Supreme Court, and
others of less note. The Bashford-B Bar
stow case, like the Impeachment trial
of Hubbell, makes a large printed vol
| ume of itself, and it is sufficient here to
say that Ryan won his case and Barstow
was ousted from the office that he tried
to usurp.
In 1873 the Democratic party found
itself in power in Wisconsin for the first
time in eighteen years That year Luth-
er S. Dixon resigned the office of Chief
Justice, which he had filled for fifteen
years, and Edward G.. Ryan was appoint
ed by Governor Taylor to fill out the un-
expired term. Here his profound know
ledge of the law, his great and varied
learning, his logical acumen his expert
ence in the line Of his profession, and his
matchless eloquence made him the pride
of the bar and an honor to the exalted
Office So popular was he that at the end
of the fractional term, the Republicans
made no nomination against him, and he
was complimented-violent partisan dem
ocrat that he was-with a unanimous
election in radical Republican State.
His term of Office would have expired one
year from the 1st day of January next,
and the election Of q Chief Justice will
be held April next. In the meantime the
| Governor will appoint some one to fill
out the unexpired term of Judge Ryan.
MILWAUKEE. October 22.-The funer-
al of the late Chief Justice Edward G..
Ryan, of the Supreme Court Of Wiscon-
sin, took place here to-day, and all that
was mortal of the illustrious iurist and
citizen is now quietly resting in our
beautiful Forest Home Cemetery.
About noon the special train bearing
the remains and the distinguished escort
arrived at the Union depot, where it was
met by tie Milwaukee bar in a body,
and an immense concourse of citizens.
who had come together from every walk
of life to do honor to the illustrious dead.
The body was in charge of the Governor
and State officers, the Associate Justices
of the Supreme Court, Messrs. Lyon,
Taylor, Cole and Orton, and committee
of the Madison bar, consisting of the
most distinguished men in it, among
whom was noticed Colonel w. F. Villas,
the Hon. J. G. Gregory, B. J. Stevens,
Esq, the Hon. S. U. Pinney, the Hon.
Thomas Reynolds and others. Judge
Ryan's three sons and the youngest
daughter were also present The cor
tege was taken in charge by committee
Of the Bar Association appointed for that
purpose and the procession proceeded to
st. James Episcopal Church, of which
the deceased was q member, where appro-
pirate religious services were held.
After an opportunity had been given for
those who had known the deceased for
SO many years, to look upon his familiar
features for the last time, the casket was
closed and the remains of Edward G..
Ryan were conveyed to their last resting
place.