The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-09-18
The True Story of His Life
as. Told by a Bazoo
Correspondent.
How the Plowboy Became the
Famous and Terrible
Prosecutor.
Some Interesting Facts About the
Nan Who Has Downed the
James Gang.
Special Correspondence Sunday Morning Bazoo.

Special Correspondence Sunday Morning Bazoo.
INDEPENDENCE, Mo-, Sept. ID.
Your correspondent finds himself this
bright, inspiring September DAY in the
grove-crowned, pretty little city of indie
pendence, the capital of Jackson county.
Criminal court is in session, and to the tenn
ple of Justice / betook myself to note,
through force of habit, the balancing OF
the scales "a they poise in the hand OF the
blind goddess Entering the courtroom,
q tall, slim, but trinity built man is heard
reading an indictment to the sober, and
presumably wise, twelve men seated in the
jury box. The voice of the reader is sharp
and clear, his manner is cool and self
possessed, as though it were al oft-repeated
duty with him. It's
WILLIAM HOCKADAY WALLACE
who thus addresses the jury, and of him
this letter will tell, for to-day he is one of
MissOuri's most famous, and perhaps her
ablest, prosecuting attorney. While, I'M
like the poet Gray, this young man has not
found fame in brief night, still recent
events and the heroic part he PLAYED there
in have done much to add to his laurels
and "noise his name" in a wider circle
William II. Wallace was born in Clark
county, Kentucky, October IL, 1S48. His
father is Rev. J.W. Wallace, Presbyterian
minister, and a man noted among bis
neighbors for sterling integrity, large
share of common sense, to which is added
much culture. He now lives in this city.
in home conspicuous for its refinement
and good cheer. In that home / sat on
Yesterday and talked to the owner about
his son.
civilian may not want this sketch
given to the public" was the excuse made
BY the father when l asked him for some
of the facts in his sons life. 1t was bit
of characteristic mOdesty, but persistent
pleading, coupled with some slight argu-
ments, prevailed and the facts of the early.
life of the subject of this letter were given.
WILLIAMS EARLY DAYS."
said Mr.. Wallace, after he gave the place
and date of his sons birth, ''were like
those of most boys who we're not born with
q silver spoon in their mouths. In 1857
removed to this state. settling in Prairie
township, in this county, William then
being nine years of age. He attended the
common school when he could, and the
balance of the time he worked on the farm.
In 1868 sent him TO Westminster college,
at Fulton, Mo-, where he finally grad
uated."
SIS he your only SOM"
"By my first wife he is. His mother
died when he was young, thus depriving
him of earth's rarest blessing. He has
four half brothers"
Further conversation followed, but a
difidence on the part of Mr.. Wallace pre-
vented him entering fully into the details
of his sons life, especially bis official ca
reer, he merely remarking to my pertinent
inquiry-"William has tried to do his
duty"
As stated, young Wallace entered col
lege 1868, at the age of fifteen years. In
his own expressive language he entered the
Kitchen department" which, by interpre-
tstion, means the preparatory school.
Here the future most formidable Nemesis
of the most daring bandit in the world,
remained, with the exception of two years
until 1871, when he graduated.
OF the two years he was out
of college, one was the result of
a long and severe sickness, rendering free
dom from study absolutely necessary, and
the other was occupied in teaching.
Finishing his college course, if Westmin-
ster could then lay claim to the dignity OF
the name of college, the young graduate
entered the law office of Ex-Attorney Gen
eral Hockaday, who, by the way, is blood
relative, (he being cousin of Mrs. Wal
lace's mother), where he remained as a dis
ciple of Blackstone and other bewigged le-
gal Lie hts, for twelve months Leaving
Fulton, he came at once to this place and
enrolled himself as a pedagogue, teaching
school for one year. Turning aside from
the school room, he is next found
AS ANEwsPAPER MAN,
taking position on the Sentinel, which was
then under the control of Major John n.
Southern, now one of the editorial writers
on the Kansas City Times, and prominent
lawyer of this bar. This new departure
had a run of twelve months, and the work of
the young Faber pusher was of the most
satisfactory character. Who knows but
an embryo Bennett was spoiled when Will
Wallace, as he is Familiarity called, walked
out of the field of journalism, with its
pleasant paths, fower-hued, to pursue the
hard and stony way of the law? say a
Bennett, for Mr.. Wallsce possesses the ma
tive vim, dash and energy of the founder
of the Herald.
before ieaVl0g fulton, which was In
1872, Mr.. Wallace was given license BY
Judge Burkhardt to practice law, though
he did not enter entirely upon it until
1875. During the time he was on the Sem
tinel he applied himself closely 10 reading
law, and when he left the paper he took a
trip out west, remaining nearly year.
Returning to Independence, he settled down
to the practice of bis profession, forming a
partnership with G. w. Buchanan:
He remained here until 1880, when he
removed to Kansas City, where he now has
his office, being in partnership with Mr..
e. p. Gates.
In 1880 Mr.. Wallace sought the nomi-
nation at the hands of the democratic
party. for the Office of prosecuting attor-
ney of Jackson county. He had estab-
lished himself in the popular judgment
and favor Is one altogether capable of FILL
ing this responsible position, and when the