New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-26
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER

| DhE1CH VI Ills CAhEER.
Timothy o. Howe was born February "a, 1910. in
Livermoro, Me-, where his father pTactised medicine
| for Many years. Mr.. Howe received IA common
school education and then studied law, first with
Samuel p Benson, OF Winthrop and then with
Judge Robinson, of Ellsworth. He was admitted to
the Bar IN 1889 and at once began the practice OF
his profession Ill Readield. In early life he was an
ardent Wing and a devoted admrer of Henry CLAY,
aud in 1S45 he elected to the Maine Legi4la-
ture. where he took active part in the debates.
| and recognized "a young man Of unusual
| promise. Late III 1S45 Mr. Howe removed TO Wis
| consln Territory and opened law Office IN Green
Bay, then a small village separated from the more
thickly settled parts of the Territory by wide
belt of forest extending for forty fifty miles TO
the southwark. Green Bay continued to be his
! home throughout life. lie soon became known to
| the people of the Territory, and when Wisconsin
became State, in lSfo, he of the Wing
candidates for Congress. His distinct. however
was strongly Democratic and he was defeated. Two
years later he was elected ~ one of the Circuit
judges At that time the Circuit Judges were also
Judges of the Supreme Court, and during part OF
his term Mr. Howe served 4s Chief Justice Of the
State. In 1854, Immediately after the passage of
the Nebraska bill, the Wings, Free-Soilers and
Anti-NebI ASIA Democrats Of Wisconsin met III
mass convention at Madison and organize the Re
publican party in that State. This was two years
before the National organization Of the party. Mr.
Howe was then the Bench and did not take an
active part ia politics, but in published letter he
expressed his hearty appro baton of the new move
ment
AS A LAWYER AND POLITICAL LEADER.
Mr.. Howe resigned his judicial Office in 1s5J and
returned to the practice of law. during the poltl-
cal campaign of that year and the following one he
ri IIo
also took a leading part in 1856 one of the most
remarkable trials in he history Of Jurisprudence
At the November election in 1875 Governor William
A. Barstow the Democratic candidate, his Re
publican opponent being Coles Bashford, who
afterward served in the XLth Congress as Delegate
from Arizona. The State canyasscrs declared that
Mr. Barstow had been elected, and a certificate.
signed by the Secretary Of State and authenticated
by the great seal OF the State, was issued to him.
He took the oath of Office at the beginning of the
political year and was inaugurated with imposing
ceremonies and display OF military force. Mr..
Bashford avcrred that, in fact the greatest
numDer OF legal votes had been cast for him, and
contended that the canvass OF the votes was
fraudulent. Determined to test the validity Of Mr.
Barstow's title by suit at law he took the oath of
Office and on January 10. 1856, the Attorney-
General filed III the Supreme Court information
in the nature of qtO wdrranfo against Governor
BarsOw. That is supposed to be the only instance
in which the people OF State have appealed 10 the
judicial authority TO dspOssess incumbent of the
executive office. Some Of the best professional |
talent in the State employed Ia the conduct Of
the cause. Party feeling was strong and an attempt
was made 10 deter the prosecution by threats that
the litigation would be protraced that 10 judg-
ment could be obtained during the Gubornatoral |
term. 1t was broadly limited on the argument and |
freely asserted by some of the newspapers that #
the Court should give Judgment for Mr.. Bashford, |
Mr.. Barstow. already having command OF the State |
militia, would not submit 10 the judgment. |
For Mr. BaTstOw there appeared, besides Mr..
Howe, L. G. Ryan, j. ii. Knowlton and Alexander
w Randall. afterward Postmaster General under
President johnson. The defence was managed by
J. l.. Arnold, Judge Orton and tho late Senator
Carpenter Mr. Ryan was 10 have had the prosecu-
ton He was Democrat in politics. and was
lawyer of ripe learning and great forensic ability.
An unfortunate disagreement, however, between
him and the Court carly in the contest led 10 his
temporary withdrawal. The leadership then
assigned 10 Mr.. Howe. The prosecution secured q
.omplete triumph, and, in spite of threatened de-
avs. the Court gave unanimous judgment for Mr.
Bashford on March 24-abOut two months aiter the
were beSun-and on the following day
,e took possession of the executive Office quietly
md peaceably.
The reputation won by Mr.. Howe in the
management of this State trial gave him marked
prominence as "a candidate for United States Sen
ary to enable him to reclaim hIs human
property. The slave was severely treated at
he tune of his arrest. and popular
tor to succeed Henry Dodge Dem) When the
legislature met his election regarded as almost
ertain. but no sooner had the canvass fairly
pcned than novel question was raised by some
republicans In 1851 fugitive slave from Mis-
Duri was arrested at Racine. WIS, and was con-
ned in the Milwaukee Jail while his master was
ngaged In complying with the legal forms necos-
.elng infamed by this circumstance and detesta-
ion of slavery and the Fugitive Slave law, be-
anne 80 turbulent that a mob broke open the jail
I'D sent the slave to Canada. Some of the promi-
ent actors in this proceeding were arrested, but
hey were released upon writ of habeas corpus, 8
(outluued ou second xako.