The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-19
SHERMAN AS A LAWYER.
The First and Only Case in Which the
General Was Engaged.
Chicago Tribune.

Chicago Tribune.
A reporter for the Tribune met yesterday
gentleman who resided in Leavenwortn
twenty-five years ago. During the converse
ton the approaching retirement of General
Sherman from the command of the army
was mentioned, and the man from Kansas
was remined of an event which was I'M
doubleday the turning point in his career,
and, while it probably spoiled poor lawyer,
resulted in giving to the world one Of its
most distinguished military cheftains. The
story goes that the first day of January, 1857,
copartnership was formed at Leavenworth,
Kan, between three lawyers, the firm name
being Sherman, Ewing q McCook-William
Tecumseh Sherman, his brother-in-law,
Thomas Ewing, and Dan McCook being the
individual members. An office was opened
in the second story of an old frame building
which threatened at any time to be
taken by the vigorous winds from its
perch on the bluff, which commanded a
view of the grand sweep of the Missouri
river for miles above and below the incip-
lent city and land it on the levee below.
The second member of the firm has become
famous in political circles, and, it is con-
coded, was the only lawyer of the trio his
father having been accredited with the pos
session of the finest legal mind of the country
in his day; but the son was even then dis
posed to dabble in politics, and an additional
initiation for real estate speculation kept his
ulluu dlHlOSG eHLlrely from his law DuSlHSSS.
McCook-who was afterwards nortally
wounded while leading his brigade on a
charge at Kenesaw Mountain-had been at
tending to court business and upon Sher-
man devolved the easy task of attending to
the Office business. He found that time
dragged heavily on his hands, and when not
sitting in his dingy smoky den, with feet
with any one who might happen inland,
having abundant fund of sto-
ries generally more pointed than chaste,
there was generally no lack of visit
ors-the young lawyer busted himself in
planting peach trees, 1t is a fact that he
never tried but one case in court. He has
referred to the matter in his memoirs, but
has evidently been guided by treacherous
memory, and fails to tell the story as it is
narrated by old residents of Leavenworth,
who thoroughly remembered the circum-
stances. The case was an elton for forcible
entry and detainer and Justice Whitney
was the magistrate before whom it was
brought. The plaintiff was represented by
one of those thoroughly representative from
tier lawyerS-keen, INSCRIPTIONS in con-
Quoting their cases, and relying rather upon
carrying the day by abuse and sarcasm than
by knowledge of law. He was known as
"BilP' Pipher, and is-or was until recenely
still living around Leavenwor tn. Ewing
was absent and McCook was busy, and Sher-
man reluctantly left a choice party who had
been RECALLING themselves upon his stories
and undertook the defense. Pipher at once
saw that he was dealing with novice, and
did not hesitate to reap advantage from the
fact. In somewhat vulgar parlance, he
''mopped the floor with the future warrior.
He "wound him up and wound him down,
scattered his defenses, knocked the under
pinning from his breastworks" ridiculed
his feeble efforts to bring forward authori
ties, and, in short left him utterly speech
less by the time the case was ended, so far as
related to his clients interest. by -
where's McCook?' is all that could be under
stood as he stumbled upstairs from the base
ment in which the honorable Justices court
was located. He reported his defeat to Nc
Cook. The latter was silent at the time, but
the following morning, after working all
night helping the defendant to move his
house to an adjoining lot. he advised Sher-
man to resume peach-tree planting" The
fact dawned upon Sherman's mind that he
was not made for lawyer, and shortly after
he accepted the SUPPLEMENTARY of the Lou
isiana Military Acanemy, resigned in 1861,
again entered the army, and speedily won
his way to eminence as a military COM
mauder