Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-03
MR.. FULLER's QUALIFICATIONS.

MR.. FULLER'S QUALIFICATIONS.
The Greatest Lawyer In the WeSt-A Success
full Practitioner Before the Supreme Court.
sketch of His Life.
CHICAGO. April 30.-The selection of
Melville W. Fuller, of Chicago, as chief
justice of the highest court in the land, is
received here with much satisfaction. A
distinguished federal Judge recently said:
"Mr. Fuller is the greatest lawyer in the
west today. And to his unqUestionable
legal attainments is added absolute integ
rity." Mr.. Fuler's industry 10 remark
able. His habits are regular. Nine
o'clock in the morning finds him at his
office the year round, and from that hour
until 5 O'Clock his labor never flags. He
is swift in the dispatch of = business,
quick to see APPOINT in argument, aud
apt in the choice of words in which to
clothe IL.
Mr.. Fuller's cases appear in more than
100 of the Illinois reports, and in half
| hat number of the United States supreme
court reports. He has been largely in
strumental in shaping the policy of the
supreme court of this state, and from
volume 10, down to the current volume,
many of his cases are ''leadipg cases" in
Illinois.
In his practice in the supreme court of
the United States Mr.. Fuller has re peated
ly come in contact, both as colleague
and as an opponet, with Messrs. Thur
man, Edmunds, HGadley, Iugersoll, and
oSher admittedly great lawyers, and
has never failed to hold his own against
the greatest of them, He is familiar
with the decisions of that court and
well informed on the history of
our country, and especially on all consti-
tutional questions. Mr. Fuller does an
immense amount OF miscellaneous read
ing and considerable writing by way of
recreation. He is an omnivorons reader.
His writings, in literary way, of late
years have been confined principally TO
reviews of books, a number of which
have appeared in The Dial. The longest
literary work he has attempted during
the last ten years was his eulogy or me-
mortal of the late Judge Breese, which
was read before the Legislature, and is a
model in It's line.
In manner Mr.. Fuller is quick and vi
vacious, with an earnest aud impressive
address. Absorbed in conversation he
frequently becomes excited and uncon-
sciously addresses bis single auditor as if
ready, merry and contagious, and his ap
probation of humor is most keen. AS
public speaker he is clear, logical and
Interesting, and is largely in demand by
the democracy as a political speaker dur
ing cam paigns.
Mr.. Fuller is warm hearted and sym
pathetic man who in all his actions aims
at the highest standard, and is content
with nothing less.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Melville Weston Fuller was born in
Augusta, Me-, on Feb. IL, 1888. His
father was Frederick A. Fuller; his mother
Catherine Martin, daughter of Chief JUS
tice Nathan Weston. Melville w. fitted
for college in Augusta, and graduated at
Bowdoin in the class of 1853, his class
mate being E. j. Phelps, our minister to
England. Mr.. Fuller, after leaving col
Iege, began the study of law in the office
of his uncle, George Melville Weston at
Bangor. After attending lectures in the
law department of Harvard university he
began the prac ice of his profession in
Augusta in 1856. While waiting for
clients he acted al editor of The Age,
and won his spurs in journalism. Feel
ing that his true field of work was the
law, and realizing that mis- native city did
not afford that scope for effort which he
stood in need of, Mr.. Fuller cane west
and selected Chicago. Here he did not
have to wait long for practice. His
ability was speedily recognized and
properly rewarded. For thirty years
be has enjoyed lucrative practice, aud
has won distinction among the foremost
at this bar. In 1861 he was elected a
member of the state constitutional
convention. In 1862 he was chosen to the
legislature, and, although a democrat,
running each time in a strong republican
district, he has beer victorious by large
ma iorities. He was a delegate to the ma
tionaI democratic convention of 1864,
1872, 1876 and 1880. In 1860 when he had
been in Chicago only about three years,
he was selected by the citizens to deliver
the address of welcome to Stephen A.
Douglas. In was al eloquent, scholarly
ard brilliant effort. In 1858 Mr. Fuller
married Calista o. Reynolds, and, after
her decease, Mary Ellen, daughter of the
distinguished banker, William f. Cool
baugh. He has eight daughters.
In personal appearance Mr.. Fuller is I'M
usually handsome; his hair and moustaehe
are silvery and his features clear cut and
intelligent. In stature he is short and
slight compared with his future associ-
ates on the supreme bench. Mr.. Fuller is
man of high scholarly as well as legal
attachments, and as an orator his talents
have won him the title of the Chauncey
M. Depew Of the west. In politics he is
best described as an old-school democrat.
He was loyal in feeling during the war:
is slIever in an advanced doctrine of
states rights and advocate of simple gov
eminent. He is a member of the Pfotes-
tant Episcopal church and has been
prominently identified with that organ
ization and conspicuous in the Cheney
and other famous ecclesiastical trials. He
Is well known in Washington as practi-
toner before the supreme court.