New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-20
curt.

Calvin T Pratt is descended from The Pilgrim
Fathers. who landed Oh the stern and rocllhound
coast Of Ncw-Encaud in the early part OF thr
seventeenth century, lie was born az Prince
ton. Mass. on January %. 1873 Early in LIE
his parents removed TO Sitton. Mass. where ne
spcnt his bovhood ~ work upon his t'thcr
farm and attending the country school No d"up'
ne was one Of the many Ncw-Enghnd youths OF
whom Whittier has chosen type in his Bare
foot boy with checks Of tan. NJ the age 81
fifteen 10 left the parental roof and went - the
Wibraham Academy. lie lntcrspcrscd his school
going with school teaching for several years
and finally completed hi, preparation for college
AT the Worcester Academy Ills plans for rcur-
ing liberal education were not carried out and
lac embarked upon "a professional career instead.
In 1919 he began 10 study law in the Office 81
Henry Chaplin IN Worcester and three years
later was admitted ~ the bar 10y the Massa-
clnsrtts Supreme Court. Clients soon sought
his services. and he speedily engaged in lead
Ing criminal cases. To enable him 10 iecl az
home in lucdico-cgal matters, he took course oil
study in medicine, deyoting special attention to
anatomy lie also took great interest IN athletic
exercise and practiscd boxing. fencing aud other
forms Of physical training. In lojl he had
,oincd the Worcester Light Infantry and soon
rose 10 be- first lieutenant OF his company, ana was
then made major OF the 10th Massachusetts
Infantry. He early took an active in
tc7ts in politics and was elected Justice
Of the Peace IN 1913. ills political
affiliations from boyhood were with the Dem
ocrltic party, but h. was never an extreme par
tisan, although he served upon the State Central
Committee, upon the County Committee and WAS
frequent delegate 10 nominating conven-
lions Of his party. In 1859. at the
1. Tod IN
TO the metropolis to find a wider field for has
legal talents, and has since made his home in
Brooklyn. lie formed law partnership with
Levi A. Fuller, and the firm had an Office In New
York. until the outbreak If the war in 1861.
Mr. Pratt set at work AZ once to raise regiment
He opened "a recruiting Office in Pcarl-s, New
York, aud soon enlisted seven companies. William
H. Brown had formed three companies, and uniting
their forces they organized the jlst Regiment
Nrw-lork Volunteers, with Colonel Pratt and
Lieutcnant-C oloncl Brown in command The
regiment had been organized In less than month.
After few days of drll on Hkcr's Island they
were ordered 10 the front and took part IN the
disastrous battle at Ball Run and IN other eli
eaccmcnts in tie first year OF the war.
In The early part OF the seven days contest
near Mccharicsyilc, Va, IN 1862, Colonel Pratt
was wounded in the face and still carries the
bullet as an unpleasant mcmcnto Of the danger
hc incurred. The missile entered the left check
about an inch below the eye, and passing across
the face, lodged under the chcck-bonc below the
right eye. II five days before the wound
could be dressed, and nearly blinded, Colonel
Pratt rode on horseback much of the time, suffer
ing severely The injury was pronounced fatal
ana no attempt was made 10 extract tie bullet,
as it was believed that it would only hasten
the inevitable cnu, or at least destroy the sight
Of his eye His vigorous constitution and eN-
ceent habits stood him in good stead, however.
He returned to brooklyn, and good care and
nursing enabled him To report again for duty IN
! two months. He had been recommended TOR pro-
motion by General Met ellan and Others by
reason OF bravery on the field, and in September,
1862, shortly atler he returned 10 his regiment he
was made a b.ieddcr- General Of volunteers by
| frmcd by tie senate. In ~ battle Of Antctam
| General Pratt. while in COMMAND OF his brigade,
was struck by shell and slightly injured. lie
! also took part in the battle of Fredericksburg.
! In the spring Of 1863 he was summoned home
, 10 attend 10 important business matters growing
out Of the death OF relative, and finding that
! his services we're absolutely needed, hc resigned
! his commission and ended his military career.
! lie plunged with renewed interest into his law
| practice In partnership with Grcnvlllc !.
! jerks, eX-Judgc James EmOtt and Joshua VI Van
Colt, the leaders of the brooklyn bar, he gained
| an important place rs counsel and many lucrative
! fees. President johnson appointed hlm Collector
Of Internal Rcvcnu" i'm loGj, and he held the
office for "A year His law practice then demanded
| his entire time and attention until 1869, when he
! received the nOmnotIOn of both Republicans and
Democrats for JuGgt Of the Supreme Court in the
Second judicial District. comprising Kings,
Queens, Suffolk, Richmond, Rockland, WeSjches-
ter Orange. Putnam and Dutchcss counties and
was Unanimously elected The term then for
! eight years, and in 1877 he was renominatcd as
! his own successor for a term of fourteen years
! He again had the compliment Of an unconirstcd
election. For over score Of years Judge Pratt
has presided at the trials in Supreme Court Cir
cult and oyer and Tcminer. For the last seven
years he has sat as one Of the General Term
| Judges, and his decisions have been marked 10 an
eminent degree with the qualities Of equity and
fairness demanded Of those who hold the scale of
Justice In the earlier part OF his judicial career
| he presided over Oyer and Temner trials, some
OF which excited much attention, notably those OF
Pesach ~ Rubens,cin for the murder of Sara Alex
| ANGER, for which he was condemned to death. but