The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-02-17
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
ON THE DEATH OF
JUDGE WILLIAM COTHRAN,
Delivered Before the Bar Association of
the Fifth Judicial District, at Walden.
Mississippi, by A. II. Brantley.
ON THE DEATH OF


the Fifth Judicial District, at Walden,
Mississippi, by A. II. Brantley.
published by resolution and request of sal
Association.)
Ladies and Gentlemen, Gentlemen of the Ba,
and Of the Bar association
During the temporary adjournment of tn
Circuit Court of Holmes county, Novembe
term just passed, the late William Cothrar
our beloved Judge, departed this life i
Winona, Mississippi. He had visited hi
home near Carrollton, and was on his return
to Lexington to resume the business of tn
court, which at the instance of the Bar O
| Holmes, at the end of the first week of tn
term, he had adjourned until after the lat
election. While waiting at the depot, il
Winona, on the night prior to his death, h,
| was seized with partial paralysis and assist
ed to the Holloway House, where he
| remained in the care of kind friends anC
under the best medical treatment, until ht
expired at 2:30 P. NJ on the 4th ultimo
Though age and afliction, both, had made
upon the deceased their indelible impres
! sion, perceptible, at least, to his intimate
| friends, and which had for sometime indica-
ted to them his impaired constitution and
| physical infirmity, yet, the attack which
resulted in his death, was sudden and unex-
pected, he being thus called from our midst
while almost in the actual discharge of
official duty. Information of the sad and
mournful event naturally produced shock
to his numerous friends throughout the
State, especially to the Bar of the Fifth
Judicial District, over which, since June,
1876, he had last presided as the chief
judicial officer. The Bar throughout the
District, by appropriate proceedings, have
| testified their high appreciation of the pure
and incorruptible life of the deceased, and
their deep emotion following the sad an
nouncement of his untimely death-of a
loss deemed irreparable. 1t will be seen
from the proceedings of the Carrollton Bar,
on the 18th ultimo thatI was selected as
one to deliver at this place, during the then
ensuing term of the Circuit Court, to be
held here before the Bar Association, of
which the deceased was an honorary mems
Der, an address appropriate to his memory.
Recognizing the right of my professional
brethren to command me, on an occasion
like this, and rendering to the Carrollton
Bar my profound acknowledgement for the
honor conferred upon me, by their action, |
stand committed to the measure of my
humble ability to the faithful discharge of
the duty thus suggested and assigned me.
| cannot but regret, however that since the
meeting of the Bar of Carrollton, my pri-
yate engagements have prevented such at
tention to the subject, as will enable me,
even with satisfaction to myself, to execute
the sacred trust confided. At best, | should
enter upon its perto' nance with much diff
dence and trepidation, and could not hope
under any circumstances to do full justice
to the occasion. As 1T Is, be assured [ APP
proach the subject with unaffected distrust
of my capacity to render to the deceased
the need Of praise so Justly his, here in the
county of his home, and in the centre of his
District, where he had been so long and
favOrably known as a citizen, a lawyer
and judge, yea, where the highest
encomiums upon his life would be but
a reiteration of the uniform judgment so
often pronounced upon his solid worth.
From my general knowledge of the deceased, |
would not be justified in attempting any ac-
curate account of his private life. Suffice it
for me to say, however, as to this, that all
with one accord pronounce it spotless and I'M
blemished-replete with deeds of beneyo-
lence and charity, generous acts of manly
friendship-and other incidents which but
serve to show the same purity of purpose
and elevated sense of honor, he scrupu-
lousy maintained in all his official conduct |
| here recall a most pleasant Renaissance |
of my acq uantance with the deceased, which |
deem it most appropriate to notice before |
passing from the excellent virtue that so |
abundantly adorned his private life. 1t was !
my pleasure to know Judge Cothran as a |
Free and Accepted Mason--a relation in |
which he was extensively known, and which |
though never used by him to elicit favor,
yet by reason ofhis known devotion to the |
moral teachings of Masonry, added much to |
his general popularity. Not great while |
after l was made a Master Mason, |
myself, the association already begun be- /
tween the deceased and myself, became more |
intimate and constant continuing until |
this place, in which the deceased frequently |
officiated as the leading officer.
Thoroughly acquainted with Masonic lit
erature and the works ofspeculatiye Mason
ry, comprehending all the great principles
of the insti tuition, to instruct one in
search of light, "whom he deemed |
worthy and well qualified" was to him la
Dor of love. From a source SO accessible / |
naturally sought and received eight" which |
his broad and comprehensive view of the
subject added to his genial spirit en-
abled him to impart with much alacrity. |
The cherished principles inculcated by this
hallowed association, | trust, will ever re-
main, with me- fixed and indelible. Such |
was the devotion of the deceased to the
principles of this time honored institution
that he adhered with scrupulous fidelity to
its ancient landmarks which his methodical |
mind stimulated by a love of truth, had |
tion, believing that each had its lesson of
moral instruction. 1t is not wonderful, |
therefore, the annals of Masonic history in
the State attest the unbounded confidence
of the fraternity in his exalted moral worth
for he was an honor to this institution, which |
is conceded to have been so useful and be-
nevolent in the past, and composed of such
material, needs no further assurance that it
will continue to be a blessing in the future;
roo iziO hnyraVar that this il tO the |
last tribute of respect to the memory of a
distinguished deceased brother of the pro-
fession, venerable for his years, and beloved |
for his virtues, it occurs to me that some ac-
count of his professional and official
life is especially appropriate to the oc-
casion. | trust, therefore, that my
own crude and imperfectly matured
opinions upon this branch of my sad, but
interesting subject, may serve in some degree
to delineate the true character of the de-
ceased, as a lawyer and judge. A faithful
history of which would doubtless be a COM
pete index to the noble qualities of heart
which seemed to have controlled his conduct,
in all the varied relations of private life,
and which combined with intellectual cul>
ture 80 pre-eminently fitted him for high
position. In 1887, Judge Cothran, having
but short time left his native State Of
Tennessee, settled, as a lawyer, in Carroll
ton, Mississippi, where he commenced the
practice of his profession in co-partner-
ship with the late Col. G. F. Neill, himself
a hero, Familiarity known in this section of
country.
Our Judge, then in the vigor of life, gen.
tie and affable in manners, kind and gener>
Gus in his impulres, honest and liberal in all
his dealings, with fair natural ability and
sound elementary learning and proficiency
in the law, soon attracted the admiration of
a people willing to trust in one so worthy of
their confidence. By his upright and manly
course, always consistent, he rapidly acquir-
ed a host of friends, and no great time inter
yened before he was considered a leading
lawyer thoroughly identified with the peo-
pie of the county and State of his adoption.
Here, and in his range of practice, he was