The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-03
Vermont Bar Association.


The eighth annual meeting of the State
Bar Association was held at the courthouse
October %. There were present Judges
Royce, Ross, Powers, Walker and Rowel
OF the supreme court, Judge Wheeler of the
district court. Secretary-of-state Porter,
Hon. George w. Harmon of Bennington,
Judge Barrett and Colonel A. f. Walker of
Rutland, Hon. w. c. French of Woodstock,
Senator Bates of st. Johnsbury, Hon. j. l..
Edwards of Newport, Judge Dunton of
Rutland, Colonel A. NJ. Dickey of Bradford,
Hon. Daniel Roberts of Burlington, Judge
Poland Mr.. Marsh Of Woodstock Senator
Baker of Rutland and many other promi-
nent lawyers from all over the state. The
annual address was delivered by the presi-
dent, Hon. George n. Dale of Island Pond,
who took for his subject "The Past, Pres
ent and Future of the Bar Association"
The address an able and interesting
one and was thoroughly enjoyed by all
present. Governor Dale spoke of the dig
nifty and character of the legal profession,
and showed how the State Bar Association
had grown. He urged the maintenance by
members of the profession of the dignity
worthy of their calling and deprecated the
habit of many lawyers of stopping on the
street corners and in public places to dis
cuss legal questions with people who know
very little law or anything else. After the
presidents address the Hon. o. p. Chand-
Ter of Woodstock read very interesting
paper of "reminiscences of Governor John
Mattocks, which was very much enjoyed by
all, especially the older members of the bar
present. Judge Roberts, in behalf of the
committee to whom a resolution relating to
mesne and final process refused at the
last meeting, reported in the form of bill
which they wished the association TO recon-
mend to the legislature. The bill was
warmly endorsed by Judges Barrett and Po-
land, though Mr.. Thompson and James
Barrett, Esq, doubted the advisabilty of
its adoption. The bill proposes to remodel
the procedure in mesne and final process,
and provides that every writ of mesne pro-
cess shall be a summons only, and that no
attachment against property or process
against the body of debtor can be made
before judgment obtained except in certain
cases as where the plaintiff should file atf-
davits that the defendant was outside the
state or that he was about to remove his
property, or that he was about to remove or
conceal it. Judge BarreN favored the bill,
and said that the abuse of the present sys-
TEN ought TO be done away with.
THE BANQUET.
The eighth annual contention " of the
Vermont Bar Association was engaged in
al the Pavilion October ~, and resulted
in complete victory for the plaintiff. This
was possibly because the number of counsel
and weight of argument was entirely on
that side. A mass of matter was presented
in proof by the defendant, but it was
quickly demolished by the vigorous attacks
of the opposing counsel The case was so
entirely one-sided that the honorable bench
delivered verbal opinion before adjourn
ment, and, strange to say, no exceptions
were taken. The case, therefore, goes off
the docket, but it is understood that another
suit will be begun before the claim is barred
by the statute of limitations, which only
runs year in this case. About one hundred
were present, including District Judge
Wheeler, Judges Powers, ROwell, VeaZey
and Walker, Governor Ormsbee, and nearly
all the more prominent members of the YER
mont bar. The tables We're elegantly ar
ranged, and the defendants brief" alias
the menu, was one of the most powerful
complete and elaborate documents ever in
troduced in court The brief contained
nine allegations of fact, most of them solid.
Decision was rendered Immediately after
the briefs were gone through with, and then
came the cleaning up of the docket. Vari-
Gus motions were made and granted, and
numerous entries were ordered made by
POSTMASTER Dale. G.. IL. Heath, ESQ,
made the first argument, and was followed
by Senator Baker in behalf of the legsla-
ture, and then came Judge Powers, who
apologized for the bench. Colonel Walker
then expressed few happy remarks con-
corning the state library, and also read
report written by him on the subject of
holding the supreme court at Montpelier.
The paper was admirably written and was
running over with wit and sound sugges-
tons which were eagerly listened 10 by the
enllre company, George Nj. Powers an
swered for the coming members of the bar
in a few very appropriate and well chosen
remarks, and was followed by Mr.. Jesse
Stearns, who also acquitted himself nobly.
Judge Roberts was called up TO evolve
song, which he did to the entire and inn
nense satisfaction of every listener. The
exercises We're brought to a close at a little
past midnight by the singing of "Auld
Lang Syne by the entire audience. Here
ended one of the most satisfactory of the
annual gatherings of the Bar Association.
BUSINESS MEETING,
The election of officers of the bar associa-
ton was held Thursday forenoon and these
were elected President, c. III. Heath of
Montpelier; vice-presidents, III. c. Bates of
St. Johnsbury, Guy G. Noble of st. Adams
and Joel G. Baker of Rutland; secretary,
George w. Wing of Montpelier; treasurer,
Hiram Carleton of Montpelier; managers
the president, e9-oticio, S, c. Shurtleff of