Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Corresp0ade3es Of tie Korniag Yslos.
ATLANTA. GA, May My last lette
on Savannah fifty years ago was con
cluded without referring to the lawyer
OF the county officers Of that period
These sho uld be mentioned, with sue
comment as may be appropriate, withil
the limited space Of newspaper article
Those whose names will follow l ca
recall as the members Of the bar Of tina
time, but of course OF varying age, from
the old and experienced barrister dow
to the youngest attorneys. They wer
jeremiah Cuyler, Counsellor Leake, VIM
B. Bulloeh, Mordecai Sheftall, ST., Johl
NJ. Berrien, George W. Owens, Richar,
W. Habersham, James NJ. Wayne, JOSEPH
5 PelOt, Levi :. DeLyon, Joseph W. Jack
son. VIM. Law. VI. H. McAllister. Charles
;. Henry, MOrdecai Myers. George Glenn
John c. Nicoll. John N. Clark. Robert W
PoOler, VIM. W. Gordon, Richard r. Guy
Ter. Robert VI. Charlton. John Millen
VIM H. BullOch. Alexander j. DrYsdale
VIM. II. Miller, J. De LaMotta. Jr.. Vim
H. stiles. George J. kollock, Edward ]
Harden and John Z. Ward.
Depending almost entirely upon memo
~ II Is quite probable l have failed 10 re
call few Of the lawyers that period: il i:
also probable that among those mentioned
there may be one or two who were not ad
mitted to practice as early as the veal
1854, but came in the next year. But
nevertheless. the names of those given are
substantially the lawyers of fifty year:
ago. without respect to age, although ]
have had some regard to that in the order
they are stated. When | was a student
Of law from 1872 TO 1874, Judge Berrien
and VI. Sheftall, ST., were Teputed the old
est men among the lawyers in practice
with small difference in favor Of Mr.
Sheftall
Some Of those named were not in the
practice nor otherwise employed in the
line Of their profession. VIM. B. BullOch
was a bank officer. MOrdecai Myers was
an officer Of the city government, J. De
LaMOtta was an editor Of the Savannah
Republican, Vim. II. BullOch Of the GeCr-
gidH. and Robert W. POOler was the Clerk
Of the Superior Court. Several Of those
named attained some distinction in poll
tics, and few much distinction. John NJ.
Berrien was a member Of the National
Cabinet, and served two or three terms as
United States Senator. James VI. Wayne
was through several terms a Representa-
tive in Congress, and was promoted to a
Judgeship o. the United States Supreme
o
Owens, Richard W. Habersham. joseph
W. jackson, and William II. Stiles repre-
sented Georgia in Congress. Robert NJ
Charlton was United States Senator. Ed
ward }. Harden was Judge Of the Citv
Court, and afterwards the Confederate
Judge of Georgia; John f. Ward was
Speaker OF the Georgia House Of
Representatives, and Minister to
China. Nearly all Of those not
nod D.
more or less hOnOred by their fellow citi-
zens with political positions Of honor and
profit. There are three old lawyers I can
recall who are omitted from the list Of
lawyers nifty years ago. They are Vim.
b. Fleming, Solomon Cohen and Milford
Marsh. The reason for this is. they were
not natives Of Savannah, and became citi-
zens thereof after that time. The history
Of most Of those named are well known to
the intelligent reader, and it IS only neces-
sary TO refer 10 them because within the
scope Of these letters.
There are few il NAV be interesting
70 speak more Of, because they have been
50 long dead. Levi :. DeLyOn was d.
Tectly descended from the emigration Of
lsraelites who soon followed OglethOrpe
to the colony Of Georgia, as was also that
oldest lawyer. MOrdecai sheftall. Sr. His
personal magnetism, his fidelity 70 his
clients. his huency Of speech. and his
ability soon drew to him, both in the CITY
and On the circuit, numerous clients. By
his professional labOrs ne made a comfort
able fortune. He escheWed politics, ex-
cept IN the line Of his profession. and was
a long time Judge Of the City Court Of
Savannah. He had four sons and a
daughter, but Of these only two survive,
and they are citizens Of Iexas-Mrs. Dr.
Randall, formerly Mrs. Hardy, and Leo
noreOn DeLyOn.
Rich'd W. Ha0ersham soon moved from
Savannah to Habersham county. Ga.
While a citizen Of that county, in 1898. he
was elected to Congress and reelected in
1910. He was a member Of Congress dur
ing the exciting Harrison Presidential
campaign, which produced a reOTganiZa-
ton Of parties IN Georgia, and he, with
i've others out OF the nine elected IN 1898.
united with the Wing party, and were
called by their supporters 1.-The Faithful
Six" \ daughter Of his. the widow
of the late Hon. John Milledge, of
Augusta, Ca. resides at Forsyth Ca.
and his grandson, Capt. John Milledge.
at Atlanta, Ga. / never saw Mr.. Hab-
ersham that I can recall. MOrdecai
Myers retired from the profession and all
active life, and removed to his country
home in Cobb county, Ga. where he died
many years ago. He was the father OF the
several Myers brothers Of your city. He
was a kind, genial, courteous and digni-
fed gentleman. John NJ. Clark lost his
health, which compelled him to retire
from practice and 20 to the country
for several years. From there, a few
years before the late war, he moved to
COYingt0n, Ga, and from there to Atlanta.
He resided AT Atlanta in the active
practice Of his profession until disabled
by the infirmities Of age, which occurred
only some two years previous to his death.
He died in June, 1888, at about 81 years Of
age. He several times represented Chat
ham county in the Legislature. In early
life and in middle age he was a success
full practitioner and fascinating speaker.
Those lessons Of high principles he learn
ed in his rearing he practiced TO the last,
and thus maintained with all a
reputation for that strict integrity
which no adversely could subYert.
Before he died he was one of
the eight oldest lawyers of the State,
which number embraced VIM. Ezzard,
John p. King, William L. Gould, Mark
A. Cooper, VIM. b. Fleming, Chas. J.
Jenkins, and Junius Hillyer. His wife
preceded him to the grave by a year or
two, and they left as sole survivor their
son, Col. f. Y. Clarke, of Atlanta.
John Millen has been dead so long ago
as the fall of 1913. In October, 1912, he
was elected 10 congress on Lle general
ticket, and before taking his seat he died.
His death at such time is the first within
my knowledge, but within the last decade
Gen. A. r. Wright, Of Augusta, and Col.
Garnett Mcmillan, of Gainesville, died
between their election to Congress and
their qualification. John Millen was one
of the few men who are cast in a
peculiar mold. He was an original, and
so much so it could be said of him, as Of
all such men, there never was but one
John Millen. He was neither an erratic
nor an eccentric, yet in his composition
the two were somewhat blended. What
was wrong in others, ig him would be
right. While he could scarcely be called
eloquent, he was an able and successful
advocate. His speeches were briet, but,
without superfuOus thoughts or words,
he went right to the point. He cared
little how he should begin or conclude an
argument, but at once plunged into the
middle, and when he was through stop
ped. His candor and directness gave
him much influence with juries. He de-
Tended Adam and Bella (slaves for the
murder Of Warren the master of Bella)
in bingham Superior Court about the
year 1897, with zeal and ability that de-
served success, but the proof was too
plain by their confessions. He pledged
his personal character to the innocence of
Adam, the property OF Mrs. Hague, and.
obtained bis respite. Bella was hung.
On the gallows she eXOnerated Adam, and
Col. Millen obtained his pardon. Some
seven or eight years after, l settled in
Baker county, Ga, and there found Adam,
ryl,o bod baou Yarrrcha cad nv Con TarVpr