The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-09-20
a LAWYERS "REMINISCENCES.
Among the Oxford Bears at Paris court.

PARIS Hill, Sept 10, 1888.
TO the Editor Of the Press:
Yesterday morning we took the cars on the
q. L. r., bound for the "court" at Paris Hill.
The day was magnificent; one of those balmy,
mellow days of sunshine we occasionally get in
September. Arriving at So. Paris depot. one
OF Ransom's teams brought us to the Mace
where the September term of the s. J. Court
Is in session. Vending our way to the old
court house, We found Judge Virgin. one of
Old Oxford's honored sons, upon the bench and
the bar we'll filled with attorneys who. twice
year, make pilgrimage to the "hill.1 TO aid
court in dispensing justice and settling coutro-
verified rights.
1t was in vain that we looked around the
court room for the men OF forty and Fifty years
ago, VINO, when we first came to the bar. made
these walls resound with their ELOQUENT appeals
to the court and jury. Then, that stern old
puritan, Levi Whitman of Norway, the classic
Judah Dana of Fryeburg, the genial Peter G.
Virgin of Rumford, (the honored father of the
presiding judge), the sedate William FRYE of
Bethel, the modest, retiring Sam'l +. Brown of
Buckfeld, the scholarly Stephen Emery Of
Paris, the conservative Stephen Chase of FRYE
burg, and some others we could mention. were
leading men among the old stock of Oxford
county lawyers, and at mature age were sue
cessfully praoticing their profession at the bar
of this county.
There was at that time, however, in old or
ford, younger class of practitioners. inst
commencing their protest. onal life. MANY Of
whom have since become more or less distn-
gulshed as lawyers or politicians. Among this
number were, Joseph G. Cole afterward Judge
OF the w. d. Court, Timothy Jarvis Carter
and Charles Andrews, all of Paris: David
Hammond, then of Loyell Elbridge Gerry,
then of Waterford; all of whom have since
been members of Congress. Geo. f. Emery of
Paris, over 20 years clerk OF U. S. Court, Port
land; Timothy Ludden Of Turner, two years
reporter of decisions; Stephen Henry Chase,
at one time President of the Senate of Maine.
and Isaac Randall OF Dixfield, distinguished
for his answering Democracy. OF this num-
Der, Messrs. Hammond, Gerry, Emery and
Randall only remain.
Following in close succession, Judges wal
ton and Virgin, Alexander Bradley of Frye-
burg, Alvah Black of Paris, David r. Has
tings of Fryeburg Sullivan G. Andrews of
Portland, William W Bolster, now of Lewis
ton, Samuel f. Gibson of Bethel, William X.
Kimball of Paris, and several others, became
regular practitioners at this bar. Then soon fol-
lowed Enoch Foster of Bethel, Geo. D. Bisbee
OF Buckfeld, John P. Swasey of Canton, III.
Q. Davis of Woodstock, A. H. Walker of
Lowell, Geo. A. Wilson of South Paris. all
able lawyers, now in active practice. Other
names occur to me, but the limits of my letter
Will not permit me to extend the list.
In my references to Oxford county courts in
we olden time" / cannot forget the brilliant
array OF legal talent that about half century
ago came regularly to the Oxford county courts
Conspic uous in it were Nicolas Emery, Chas
5. Daveis Samuel FessendeD, Thomas Amory
Deblois, John Holmes, Daniel Goodenow, RAN
dolph A. l.. Goldman, Seth May, Nathan Cliff
ford and Joseph Howard; names not only dis
tnguished as eminent iurists, but many of
them as statesmen, having worldwide repu-
tation.
These distinguished men, for long series of
years had large dockets in the Oxford county
courts, more or less of these members being
employed in nearly all the important litigated
cases then and there tried. OF course these
men, in those cases in which they were en-
ployed, pocketed the "lion's share" of fees.
And they only lost their hold upon this field of
lucrative practice after the Oxford county law
yers, led off by Mr.. Gerry, Col. Andrews, Mr.
Hammond and few others, combined together
to try their own cases. which new order of
things, to very great extent, has been contin-
ued ever since.
1t is but justice for me to say that the OK
lord county bar has always been strong bar,
and not only this, more honorable, high
minded clan of practitioners has never graced
any legal forum in the State.
They now have an excellent law library of
well selected books, which is well cared for:
and for this they are much indebted to Samuel
Il. Carter, Esq, the faithful librarian The
old court house has been fixed over and repair
ed, until now it has a very convenient court
room, library apartment, cloak and Jury rooms
The Jail is an old, antiquated, low, stone build
ing, brushed up now and then with new coat
OF whitewash, but not matter OF great deal
OF consequence, for the reason that much Oh
the time 1t is empty, owing undoubtedly to
the natural honesty of the Oxford Bears and
the faithful execution of the Maine law,
Par's Hill is a pleasant place to visit at this
season OF the year. Its bracing air, delightful
landscape scenery and quiet streets, all have a
charm about them, peculiar to the place. They
are rich sources of enjoyment to all visitors,
excepting perhaps, some unlucky client, whose
hopes and expectations vanish in thin air as he
hears the sonorous voice of the clerk ANNOUNCE
ing verdict for his antagonist. J.J.P