The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-09-06
IN MEMORIAM.
proceedings OF the Lyon County Bar in
RsIasIon To the Death OF Judge

eVi6R, Ia & deliberate. clear, concise |
manner the fife and character of the |
ate Judge Watson. His remarks were
listened 10 with the proionndest atten-
lion by those assembled, consisting of |
nearly every member of the Lyon coun-
" bar and number Of prominent cIti-
zens. The Senator spoke with a !
great deal Of delibsratIon,
and hIs remarks, as we'll IS those ofsthe
gentlemen who followed him, where |
by a depth OF feeling,
which showed ihaI each was sincere in
what he said.
SenatOr Plumb spoke tor about half
an hour, and the following is the full
text Of his address: ,
II was something OF . surprise on
Yesterday TO receive request FROM some
members OF the bar TO be present on
this occasion and present the resolutions
which had been agreed upon by the
members Of the bar here upon the death
of the Hon Jshn Fl. W atson. had
dropped So completely out of all mat
ters which concern the bar here and the
administration of justice on this bench
that had almost forgotten that was
member Of the bar, and il was very graft
flying To me to be remembered. think
the time comes Ia all mems liyes when
they come TO think more of the good
will ami the sympathy and more of all
that is lett which is human of old as
sociatiOns nnIi SO, when the members; OF
the liar came tO me with this request /
was not only very much graiitled but
very glad To- respond.
4
learning that lie WAS i'll went over to
see him. 1 found him strong beyond
what had expected. from what l had
learned nf his illGess. | thought as /
looked in his face and saw the ease
with which he handled his body, the
strength with which he lifted various
articles, that he was good for many years
yet, and so stated TO him. But he said
AnO, my time has come" In saying it
thought he meant that he wanted his
time to come that he had resolved that
his time should come, rather than that
his allotted days in the ordinary course,
were about To disappear. He felt as
though, having got out of tue activities
of Lille, having but recently lost his wife,
that there was less in human life than
ever before; more of lonllness; less,
perhaps, of human interest; less Of that
which q man active in mind and active
in body would care TO engage in, and he
had made up his mind to go. think If
he had not been Of thai mind he might
have been living among US to-day. l
thought so then and said to him that if
he purpOse,i u live had no doubt he
could But he said he did not care to
continue his life any longer.
Judge Watson was not man who was
Careful about worldly things. He had
very little development Of the acquisi-
tive faculty. lie did not seek business
for The sake of mOney-in fact ne did
not seek business at all. He was man
who desired la philosophiZe, to get
away from the current of human life,
from The ruis Of events, from loud and
active associations and ruminate upon
things, Ia reflect. 10 take the observa-
tons Of the time and mediate upon
them and out of them formulate some
thing consistent or otherwise with what
eyer theory of life he may have had.
lie hal been admitted soon after his ar
rival here to the bar and was recognized
as Of comm anding ability. None more
able than he. Cases sought him from
time to time, and to the cases that
sought him he gave such atte1tIon as
was consistent with his precOnceived
notions Of life, with his idea of his own
comfort and OF his own convenience,
which he would not permit to be dls-
turbed in any way by any business. how
ever attractive il otherwise might be. He
cared nothing about the fees of his prac-
tice. He desired nothing more than q
bare support Simple and frugal in his
habits 20 the last possible degree IL took
very little to meet his wants. When he
Ras elected to the bench he came to it
surrounded by bar which at that pc
riOd in the history Of the state was re.
garded as one of the best in the state. It
was composed oil rIpe lawyers; men who
had triumped not onlYin forensic way
| at the bar but elsewhere; men who had
been on the bench here and elsewhere,
among the most notable of whom was
Judge Ruggles, who had pre-
ceded the deceased on the
bench and with whom he had associ.
sted in the practice. and every act Of
his was certain TO be subjected to the
keenest scrutiny of legal analytical
minds He was tried in the perform
ance of official functions. Every inch
| OF debatabIe ground was certain to be
! fought over, ever y advantage was wrest-
ell for by men who knew what they
were fighting tor and VINO had reputa-
tons at stake as we'll as regulations to
make.
He presided ON this bench for eight
years and during all that time no man
| ever had occasion to question the integ-
| riiy IF his motives, his paInstaking, his
desire to do exactly what was legally
| right. lie never was to be pushed from
his resolution To give to every case thor.
uugh consideration and to always decide
! finally as he might deem TO he right.
| He was not case lawyer. He was al.
ways careful to hear every case that
might be cited and % examine every au-
thnrity that was worthy of being exam.
| incl, but his great resource was in the
knnWle ledge of the fundamental princi
| pies of the law ami his sublimated com
mon sense, which enabled. him 10 apply
them in every case after due reflection
and in such way as 10 meet the legal
| eXegincies of the occasion. In this
think he WAS not surpassed by any per
s0n who has sat on this bench or who
has prActiced at this bar. To that ex-
| tent At least lie answered to my IdGal of
| = Judge Not only nf judge at mist
pFiHs hnt on the supreme bench. A
Judge In all capacities. A man WHO is
| qualified Ia go back 10 first principle 6
| for the purpose of determining every
point in every case that might arise
lie WAs Kind and courteous in all his
dealings with the members of the bar.
He had abundant patience, and think
l cannot remember of = case In which
he was even hastily led to make use of
any expression to be construed as in any
sense indicating anger, or as lacking in
perfect courtesy and due regard for
| HIS own position. He was man who
never sought public applause. don't
think that in the decision of any case
| ha nh Of ~ 60
either of the parties to the case or the
effect on the outside public. He formed
an ideal in his own mind of abstract
| justice, and IRON that standpoint de-
| cided every case that was presented.
At the time he was called to the bench,
/ although han lived here many years,
/ yet l was then = younger member of the
bar. and had occasion often TO
experience his i0ndpess for Young
men. lie seemed TO see in
them his own youth. He extended :
usual courtesy to men who were lame in
their practice, tO men Nho ny reason of
difiidtnVe " uniamiliarIiy were NIT apt
In expressing themselves and come
timeE likely " lpse a p1int by reason of
that insptness. He never permit I'd
that to happen. He was the friend, the
guide, the counselor of every young
\
experience at his hands kiudnesses
which shall never forget, all the more
because they were not solicited and BE-
cause they were rendered with grace
and courtesy and q modestY which
prevented any possible misunderstood.
ing of their motive. After he retired
from the bench he withdrew from the
activities of life and spent the remain
ing years in the bosom of his family,
and while am speaking Of that I viii
say what all u you know: sfhAs ther<
never was q family relaaien mehe kind.
ly, mose pleasant, more Al Dlus8y Whal
all familR Eelati0aa oHghA a - than
! thoss of his fSplys ~
u IIls desth tske8 aWay the oldest IN
years of Abe Tnembezs of this bar and
Z lhiRk On the whole perhaps the oIdssl
member in consecutive service ST ths
bar. tlst fs TO- say bsing governed b.
In. a -. = -