St. Paul daily globe., 1890-05-29
Lawyers Who Would Like to
Wear Rea'S Ermine Over
coat.
City Attorney Russell Being
Pushed Forward--0ther
Candidates.
The Final Aprang ements for
Decoration Day--The
Doodle Cases.
A Woman Takes an Overdose
Of Morphine--The Com
petitive Drill.

A new candidate for the seat on the
district court bench soon to be made va
cant by the resignation of Judge Rea
has been tlotted out by goodly number
of lawyers, and he certainly bears the
appearance of having been we'll groomed
for the race. He is none other than
Robert d. Russell, the present round
ney. A very strong Russell follow
ing is being worked up by the
friends of the man who instructs
the council on legal matters, and his
friends are enthusiastic over his pros
poets. 1t is urged in favor of his candi-
dacy that he is man who never makes
enemies. whose number of friends
among the legal practitioners is limited
only by the number of lawyers in the
city. Furthermore the argument is
adduced that he is good lawyer and
one who would do credit to the judicial
ermine. There is, however, one bar to
the support which some of the lawyers
might be disposed to give to Russell
the possibility that A. Fl. Hall might,
by some chance, squeeze himself into
the city attorneyship. Squeeze, how
ever, is not a good word in this con-
nection, as most, in fact all, of the
lawyers of consequence are of the
opinion that Hall would not so nearly
approach filling the city attorneyship as
one B. Harrison does to filling a
certain historic hat. if the comic
papers may be believed. But those
who believe that Hall could succeed to
the city attorneYship are few, and, for
that reason, Russell will, on his per
sonal popularity and legal abilities,
find many supporters.
But if Russell should get the Judge
ship he will have to make fight for it.
There are almost as many candidates
in the field as there are lawyers in the
city. A few have, however, come, thus
early, to be looked upon as ia
q factor in the question, and,
appointment, the lucky lawyer, judg-
ing from present appearances, will be
A. j. Shores. Shores has shoals of
friends iii both parties, and would. un-
doubtedly, make good judge. He Is,
however, Democrat, and the selfish
ness of Gov. Merriam'S watch after his
fences will probably result in Shores
being left on the shore while Repub-
lican sails away with the prize. The
Republican lawyers. those of the high
est standing, favor the appointment
of Democrat and Shores as
that Democrat. There are now four
Republicans and twenty-five Democrats
on the bench i'll the Fourth district. JUS
tice and good sense, in order that the
judiciary might be kept out of politics,
demand that the opportunity to place
Democrat in the place soon to be va
Gated should not be allowed to pass. If
Republican be appointed he will have
but six months to serve, and such an
act will precipitate bitter political
fight over the place in the fall election.
Men of standing at the bar deplore the
lugging of the judiciary into the
muddy political battle field. 1t IS
almost impossible, they argue, for the
ermine to be dragged about in the
Slush of campaign and come out un-
stained. A determined effort is on foot
to secure the Endorsement of the bar
association for Democrat, but W. r.
Merriam thinks more of his own polit-
ical career than he does of doing a
creditable act merely for the sake of
doing it, hence it is that Republican
will probably get the place.
Among the Republican lawyers thus
far spoken of W. E. Hale seems to be in
the lead. He would, however, scarcely
accept it. M. P. Brewer is another
mentioned, and there are not few law
yers who favor him. Judge Daniel Fish
is another who has loomed up as the ia
vorite in many minds. Judge Fish has.
however, lucrative law practice. and
would scarcely leave it for the scanty
emolumentS of the district court bench,
considering the legal ability which it
requires, and he is understood to be not
particularly anxious to act as arbitrator
between Quarrelsome attorneys. and
some attorneys have been heard to fav-
or Secombe, but there is doubt as to
whether he would accept. John At
water, Judge Isaac Atwater, j. W. Gil
ger, F. G. Brooks, Sumner Ladd, c. A.
Willard and James A. Pierce are others
who have been mentioned in connection
with the place, as we'll as Ben Daven-
port, should Democrat be chosen: but
the contest. thus far, seems to lie be-
tween Fish and Brewer Oh the Repub-
lican side of the stile. and Shores from
the Democratic quarter.