Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-03-17

Pacific and Atlantic; also the freight boat Ari-
iona. The prospects are excellent for a heavy
business.
THE NEW JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT.
Personal Sketches of the New Associate
Justices Of the Supreme Court Of Minnesota,
The New Attorney General, and the New
Jhdge of the Third District.
The formal announcement has been made
that the Hon. Greenleaf Clark of St Paul and
Judge VIM. Mitchell of Winona had been COM
missioned as supreme judges totill the two new
seats added to the bench by the law passed at
the recent session of the legislature; that Hon.
G. NJ. Start attorney general of the State, had
accepted the appointment of judge of the Third
district, made vacant by the resignation of
Judge Mitchell, in order to accept his new po-
sition; and that Hon. VIM. ]. Hahn, of Lake
City, had been appointed attorney general of
the State, vice Start resigned Neither of the
new judges received any intimation that they
were to be called to such an exalted station un-
til the commissions were rendered them, with
the compliments of the governor. The honor
came entirely unsolicited and unsought. The
governor selected them on account of their en-
inent fitness for the POSITIONS and possibly, (as
both of the appointees are non-partisans) with
view of elevating the bench above communicating
influences of party politics. The following per-
sonal sketches of the appointees from the Pio-
neer Press will serve to Introduce them to such
of the people of the State as do not already know
them:
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE GREENLEAF CLARK,
The st. Paul appointee, first saw light in the
town of Plaisted, New Hampshire, near the Mas
sachusetts northern boundary. After the usual
common school education New England lad
Is almost sure to acquire, young Clark matrlcu-
lated at the well known college of Dartmouth,
from which he graduated with honor. After
studying for time in the Office of a lawyer in
Portsmouth, he perfected his legal education,
as far as that can be done without actual prac-
tice, in the law department Of Harvard,
graduating thence in 1897 and moving
to Minnesota in 1853. In this city he has
practced law ever since and years ago attained
high rank in his profession, being especially
noted for his skill and acumen in chancery
cases At the time of his appointment he was
member of the firm of Bigelow, Flandrau 4
Clark, well known in and outside of St Paul,
and Is also serving as member of the board
of regents of the State university. In politics
Judge Clark is regarded as decidedly lnde
pendent, though his bent is toward the princi-
pies of the Republican party. His appoint
ment has given most thorough satisfaction
to his brother members on the bench, and
with them he will heartily affiliate from the
commencement of his term of service. He is
poAoSNA
is about forty five years of age, and bachelor.
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE wM MITCHELL
is a native of Canada, but his parents removed
to Pennsylvania when he was quite young. He
graduated with honor at Pennsylvania and
afterwards studied law with Judge Wilson of
Parkersburg, Virginia, who was the father Of
Eugene NJ. Wilson of Minneapolis Judge
Wilson emigrated to Minnesota in 1855, and
began the practice of his profession, becoming
associated with the late Daniel S. Norton, and
later late forming partnership with the Hon
of the second State legislature in 1S59-60,
serving in the lower bouse In 1874, such
was his eminent fitness for the position, all
the attorneys Of the Third judicial district
united in request to Judge Mitchell to allow
the use of his name as candidate for the
judgship of that district He was finally in
duced to consent, though he made great pc
cuniary sacrifice in doing so as he had
a large and lucrative practice. He
was not nominated in convention, but
sto9d 1 L. as as an -;., inddependeeant candidate
had served the term of seven years he again
acceded to a similar request, and was elected
unanimously, there not being single vote
against him. In the mind of every attorney
and citizen in southern Minnesota. he is the
ideal of whata true lawyer and upright judge
should be. Judge Mitchell is forty-eight years
old, is tine-looking gentleman, of medium
size and dark complexion He has been
married twice, and has a large family
He, was appointed by Gov. Pllsbury
own part The first intimation he had of his
appointment was when Attorney General Start
rendered him the commission with the COVER
nor's compliments. After good deal of hesi-
tation he finally accepted the position Judge
Mitchell is not a partisan, being classed as an
Independent Democrat As prominent law
yer said last evening, the bench and bar of the
| Third district have set an example of placing
| the bench above politics, which the people of
the State will do well to follow at the next
| election.
JUDGE C. NJ. START
| Is much older gentleman than he looks to be.
having been born at Bakersfield, VT in 1889.
He was left to make his own way in the world
at an age when most boys are devoting their at.
tention to their toys, and is self-made and
self-educated man. He taught school at the
age of sixteen, and five years later, in 1860
was admitted to the bar at st. Albans, Vt. He
came to Minnesota in the fall of 1868 in hopes
| of improving his health, and settled at Roches.
ter, where he formed law partnership with
Hon. O.P. Stearns, now judge of the Duluth dis.
trlct, and afterwards associated himself with A
| l. Cove He was elected prosecuting attorney OF
Olmsted county in 1867, and was thrice re.
elected, serving four terms in all. He was
elected attorney general in the fall of 1879
Gen. Start, though quite popular in Olmste6
county, was not so well known at the capita
Since then Gov. Pillsbury has become mos
favorably impressed with his ability as law.
YER and with the depth and soundness of his
Judgment. It therefore gave him great pleas
ure to be able to appoint Gen. Start to al
office which he is so well qualified to fill. Gen
| Start has large private law practice which
the duties of the attorney generals Office die
| not compel him to relinqulsh, as those of the
judicial position will; and it was was this fact
probably, that led to his hesitancy in accepting
the seat on the bench.
ATTORNEY GENERAL W. J. HAHN
First saw the light in Griffin county, Pa.
h9ns"''t fs9% and attended asa lie schoe oed on unit
eighteen years of age, when,he began to teach
and prepare himself for college. He came tc
Minnesota in 1862, and resided at Lake City
until the following year, when he returned tc
Pennsylvania, and read law with D. W. Woods il
Miff1in county. Returning to Lake City, he was
principal Of the high school in 1S64-65 Ir
1866, he went to Philadelphia and completed
his legal studies with P. Pembertor
He was admitted to practice at the May term
of the district court, in Wabasha county, in
1857, and entered into partnership with w
/ W. Scott, which was continued nntil Mr.. Scott's
departure for Kansas in 1874. He was elect
1872, was reelected in IA and '76, and was
4 again nominated in '7S, but declined
He was married to Miss Martin, OF
i Pennsylvania, in 1868. He is gentle.
man.4--ofs affable manners and engaging
address,. Judge Wilson of Winona telegraphe6
Gov Pillsbury yesterday that Mr. Hahn was
one Of the. best lawyers in southern Minneso
ia. Gen. Start said that he was modest as
woman, full of grit, and the peer OF any one
who ever held the office. Ex-Gov Davis said
that he wished to appoint Mr.. Hahn attorney
j general daring his term of Office, but was pre-.
vented from SO doing by the question of 10.
cality. .'i# aH -rs
Population of the Chief German Cities.
The population of Berlin, including the
i soldiers stationad tharain nunoharr 1 LIZ