Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-18
"REMINISCENCES OF SAVANNAH.
The Old Law Firms of Savannah
CI,arIt,r, & I,..-s.....- "a

Poet and Lawyer, John Love Laurie.
ATLANTA, GA, May 15.-In my preyI-
Gus letters on 1.-The long ago. in Savan
nah, have confined myself to the men
and events of fifty years ago. But fifty
years are long time in the life OF human
| beings, and while there are comparatively
/ few spared to remember so long, there are
many who cannot be interested in such q
remote period, because they have nc
memories that far back, and
are without aid from tradition. The
events of the past most interesting are
! those not too far back to have contact
with the present, and yet far enough back
to take on, In the beautiful language OF
| DR.. LipscOmb, ''the softened haze of re.
| mOteness," or if not within the memory OF
the living, to descend by a short tradition
Personal recollections or traditions do not
impress with the cold and stately dignity
OF history, but with the genial warmth OF
our own times. This NAV be illustrated
by the eminent lawyers Of Savannah who
antedate fifty years ago. These as read
were Clay, Woodruff, Sites, Noel, Harris.
the senior Charlton and Davies. The lat
ter named is probably the only one who is
remembered by the most aged citizens.
and not merely not remembered, but there
comes no direct tradition as a substitute
for personal recollection.
There Is In all, also, a dividing line be-
tween those memories which will bear
publication and those which, however in
teresting within limited circle, will not.
just at this point some writer's make a
mistake in publishing what should be
sacred from the public gaze. and yet it is
also true that gossip is the most
fascinating feature of history, if within
the bounds Of pr0priety. / make these
remarks because, in view of the subject
matter of this letter, l mdV cross the
line, but hope not to. l feel | should not
close this series Of letters without getting
out of my prescribed limits of fifty years
and coming at least a decade nearer the
present to discourse of lawyers and law
matter that would otherwise go unre-
corded. This discourse may be extended
to law firms and law students, and to men
and events connected with them.
=
The principal law firms in Savannah
forty and more years ago were those of
Berrien IL Law, MacAllister & Cohen.
Charlton Ward and Millen & Kollock.
To the firm of Berrien & Law there may
have been added at that time the name Of
Francis ;. Bartow-a name familiar to
the ear and beloved in the hearts of every
one. Although quite boy myself. well
do l remember his first appearance at the
bar and how he Won my youthful admira-
ton by his incisiYe elOQuence and his
dauntless bearing. This firm reaches far
back and touches the present. In the
earlier years of the century the firm of
Davies & Berrien was formed. Then
Berrien IL Law, then Law & Barlow; then
Law, Barlow Lowell, then Law, Lowell
y Falligant; then Law 81 Falligant,
and now We have, as sole survivor of a
firm which began some three-quarters of
century ago, Robert Falligant, Rob-
ert has possibly never thought of the long
line of legal luminaries of whom he is
the sole survivor, and to sustain their
dignity devolves upon him. The Senior
of all these names was Judge William
Davies. He was the maternal uncle of
Francis 5. Barlow. His wife WA Miss
Balllie. She was the granddaughter of
John Moore Mcintosh, the original Scotch
emigrant of that name, and the father of
Gen. Lachlan Mcintosh. Little has come
down to us Of Judge Davies, but
Judge Berrien is well known,
and that man Of his
talents ana dignity would consent to be
second in a firm with Judge Davies, and
then honor him by naming a son tor him,
speaks "trumpet-tongued, of his worth
and ability. The firm of Berrien & Law
was one of intellectual giants. 1t is
doubtful if any frm in the nation was
their equal. Added to the eruditiOn and
eloquence Of both were the dignity and
suavity of both. Judge Berrien won ad-
miratiOn by his clear-cut rhetoric and
CicerOnian elOquence, and Judge Law
won Lore, also, by the sweet tones Of his
matchless voice and its ever-fiowing elo-
quence.
MacAllister & Cohen were the success
sors of Mac Allister & Henry The latter
was elected to the bench and that dis
solved the partnership. 4 most excellent
lawyer, a learned Judge and superb gen.
tleman was Judge Henry. l have a tender
regard for his memory, as he was the
Judge who admitted me and was kind
enough to predict my success at the bar,
but fear if he were living he would say
l had not fulfilled his prediction. Solomon
Cohen, the succeeding partner, came to
Savannah from Georgetown, South Caro-
lima. Through his worth and ability,
aided by his Savannah connections. he at
once became identified with the people
and took leading part in law and politics
The firm was dissolved by the removal of
Mr.. MacAllister from the State. and not
long thereafter Mr.. Cohen, having an
ample fortune, retired from the practice.
He lived up to recent period and is we'll
known to most of the Savannah citizens.
The firm of Millen & KOllOck was dis
solved by the death of Col. Millen in the
fall of 1913, and Col. KOllOck changed his
residence to the up-country of the State:
Charlton & Ward formed their partner
ship on the retirement of Mr.. Ward from
the Office of Solicitor General in 1888. 1t
was just as the financial crisis
beginning in 1887 was fully established.
The business of all the firms and law
Jers was either good or large. The re-
ceipts of the leading firms probably ex-
ceeded any in the history of the city. The
business of Charlton & Ward through
many years was worth twenty thousand
dollars per year. The partners made
fortunate combination. Judge Charlton
attended to the office routine. Mr..
Ward did the outdoor work, and
they both appeared in the courts,
seYerally or jointly, as the necessity
required. Judge Charlton kept the
books of the firm, and stood to his desk
for that purpose with much regularity,
like any other boOkkeeper. He also car
ried on most of the correspondence. His
labOrs were heavy and almost constant.
While this was his condition Mr.. Ward
was by no means idle. He attended most
of the courts and did all the outdoor work
except as he was aided by the students.
The students performed much OF the cler-
zeal labor.
1t was quite task to copy letters. Every
business letter written had to be copied by
hand in the letter book. There was no
copy press then. 1t will sound strange
when / say there was no blotting paper
then: we had to have a sand box at hand.
1 have now in my possession letters
written as late as 1916, in which the
original sand yet remains. There were no
letter envelopes then, nor was there
prepared mucilage as afterWard.
Old-fashioned waters or sealing wax
had to be used. 1t was a matter
of etiquette then with some not to use the
wafer, because then one would be sending
his spittle to another, and hence the seal
ing wax was indispensable. II metal
pens were then in vogue they We're OF
very recent invention. The students at
tended to the ordinary collections, made
the deposits in bank, and served notices,
pleadings and interrogatories. 1t was the
custom then to make copies of all writs IN
the law offices before filing in the Clerks
office, which relieved that officer OF that
labor. Judge Charlton was not society
man. The court house, the church
and his home were about all the places
he visited. Mr.W ards habits were just the
reverse. He was the Captain of the irish
Jasper Greens, he took part in politics,
and was social In feeling and habit. Sew
eraI times of an afternoon Judge Charlton
would say, Mr.. Clark, must see W ard;
he has not come to the office, and l don't
know where he is, but if you ascertain
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