The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-06-29
JUDGE LELAND DEAD.

JUDGE LELAND DEAD.
Judge Edwin S. Leland died at the resi-
dence of Judge Ii. T. Gilbert on last
Monday morning, after an illness Of several
weeks.
Judge Leland came Of the genuine old
New England stock, both his father and
mother being natives OF Massachusetts.
His father was eminent at the bar of that
State, was once president of the Massachu-
sets legislature, once came within one Of
an election to congress, and was for %
years Judge of probate In Norfolk coun.
ty. Judge E. 8. Leland was born at Den
nysville, a small village near Eastport,
Mass, Aug 90, 1912. He was educated at
Roxbury, now part Of Boston, where his
parents lived after his second year, and on
Sept. Is, 1884. was admitted to the bar.
On October 30, 1886, he left MASSACHUSETTS
for Ottawa, the trip occupying just one
month, via Pittsburg, the Ohio, Mississip'
pi and Illinois rivers, and stage to Ottawa
He was admitted to the bar Of Illinois
Jan. 10. 1886, forming at that time part
nership with Lorenzo Leland. Afterwards
he was associated at different periods with
Judge Cotton, Judge Dickey, Judge P. K.
Leland, Judge Blanchard and Judge Gil
bert.
In 1889, having purchased land claim
near Oregon, Ogle county, he removed to
the claim, and after remaining In that
county four years, on getting his patent in
1910, he went back to Boston, where April
14th he married Margaret B. Miles, who
survives him. They returned to Ogle
county, lived on the farm part of the time
and in Oregon, returning to Ottawa In the
winter of 1884, While In Ogle county
he held the office of County Treasurer,
practiced law, anu took leading part In
the work of the better class Of citizens
which resulted in the driving out of the
county the rsscals and outlaws which early
In the 4Os did 80 much to retard the
growth of the country and to render life
and property unsafe. While there also he
made an agreement with Governor (then
judge Ford to form law partnership,
but the election of Judge Ford as Govern
or prevented that arrangement from being
contaminated.
After returning TO Ottawa Judge Leland
practised law until October, 1882, whep he
was elected to succeed T. Lyle Dickey'
who had resigned as judge of the 9th cir
cult OF six counties surrounding La Sale
county. He served three years; after
which he resumed his law practice until
1856, when he was appointed to fill the
short vacancy caused by the resignation OF
Judge M. E. Hollister, who went as consul
to Buenos Ayres. In June, 1867, he was
elected judge for six years; again for six
years in 1873, during which time he also
served as one of the Judges of the Appel
late Court, being assigned to that duty by
the Superior Court. In 1879 he was moi
reelected, and resumed his practice of law
though, of course, at his age at that time
with little of the vigor or interest he once
threw into his professional work.
One of his most celebrated cases, heard
by him as Judge, was the Gates murder
case, In 1853, when he passed the death
sentence upon Gates, the only man evel
legally executed In this county. And he
fixed the date of execution on a Tuesday
with deliberate intent to discourage the
absurd superstition of Fridays being un
lucky, and therefore the only appropriate
day for hanging!
In the organization of the City Of Ottaws
Judge Leland took prominent part, anG
It Is a matter Of tradition, at least, thai
much Of the original City Charter under
which Ottawa was governed for about 81
years, as we'll as the School Charter, . par
of the same law, we're In the main the
work of his brain and pen. He was may
or of the city in 1856 when Julius Avery
was clerk, Henry F. Esmes treasurer aud
Bushnell& Gray city attorneys. "There were
giants In those days. As members of the
school board about the same period, he was