The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-06-10
The Beotblaek's Struggle to the Bar

The st. Louis Chronicle of June
I'd, in referring to the expected
early death of Circuit Attorney
Harris, of that city, gives the fol.
lowing romantic account of his
struggle up from the deepest pov.
erty to his present honorable pc.
sition:
He was born in Il small town
near Toronto, Canada, in 1913.
While but an infant his parents
died, and as they had no relatives
there the infant was taken by
friends until he was about ten
years old. Then he started out
for himself. He went to Living
ston county, New York, and there
farmer employed him. Not sat.
isfed with the life of farmer
boy, especially as they refused to
give him any education, he went |
to Danville, New York, and there |
BACKED boots and sold newspa-
pers for q living. Obtaining a few
books he would at night study,
and finally by teaching school in
the district he was enabled to go
to college. Near tho close of the
war he left college to enlist, and
was in camp at Elmira when peace
was declared. From Elmira he
went to Rochester, and there, I'M
der Judge Martin, he commenced
the study of law. Before finish
ing the course he went to Y0ungs-
town, Ohio, where he was admit.
ted to the bar. All through his
life he was noted for his untiring
efforts to excel in whatever he un.
dertook. He was twice elected
city attorney of Titusville, Penn
sylvania, and when he left there
the mayor and city officials give
him vote of thanks, expressing
their high esteem of his abilities
and the valuable services rendered
them. In the spring of 1875 he
came to st. Louis, and was elected
circuit attorney in January, 1891.
His record as circuit attorney is
one of which any one might be
proud. When he came into the
Office only those few who had met
him in the courts knew what there
was in him. Always quiet, modest
and unobtrusive, these qualities
of his had inspired many of the
attorneys practising around the
Four courts with q sort of con-
tempt for his ability, and the wri-
ter well remembers the exultation
among certain Four courts prac.
titioners that they would now only
have "Little Joe Harris" " to op-
pose instead of Colonel j. G. Nor.
mile, who had left the Office with
well-earned reputation. If Mr..
Harris heard of this he said moth.
ing. He commenced a course of
collecting evidence in criminal ca
ses, making arrangements bywhich
if o murder occurred late at night
a messenger should at once be
sent to his house, so that he could
come to the scene. When he tried
the first case he won it; he won
the second, then the third, and the
fourth-kept on winning. For a
time it seemed that every defend.
ant who came before the bar of
; the criminal court was to be con-
= victed, and the eyes of the attor-
neys who had sneered at "little
) Joe Harrisn were opened. The
writer recollects that one lawyer
of more than average ability pitted
: himself against Mr.. Harris with
five cases on the docket in as
many successive days lost them
all.
When the kotovsky and Kring
: murder cases were coming to trial
r it was said that while he might do
t well enough in manslaughter OF
0 burglary and larceny case, he
: would DO found wanting here.
Y The cases came on. In both he
n astonished every one, making his
evidence into connected chain
from which there was no escape,
Y showing q knowledge of insanity
theories which astonished the ex.
n perts, and bringing in evidence
}. which was never presented at the
n former trials. The collection and
J. presentation of evidence was one
o Of his strong points, and the scene
+ at the trial Of Charles +. kring
/ when he placed Kring's father Oh
! the stand to testify against his
Q son, was one of the most dramatic
Q ever seen in the criminal court
/. The experiment was daring one
but the old man, though his voice
J. choked with agitation, answered
u without shirking the questions pu'
4 to him, and the result was the con