The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-10-15

We take great pleasure in presenting
a portrait of the next Supreme Judge of
Ohio, with sketch of his life as set
forth in the nominating speech of Geo.
A. Fairbanks, of the Columbus bar. It
is as follows:
GEORGE A. FAIRBANKS NOMINATING
SPEECH.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Conven-
ton:
l have the honor on behalf of the
Franklin County delegation and the De-
mocracy of Central Ohio, to present for
the consideration of this body the name
of man for Supreme Judge-a man
we'll known to the people of Ohio for his
distinguished services to the State in
the codifcation of her laws, to the bar
and the judiciary of Ohio for his ability
as a lawyer and his services in the
courts of this State. Well known to the
Democracy of Ohio because of the fact
that from the time of the organization
of the State his name has been synon-
omous with Democracy. refer to the
Hon. George B. Olzey, of Columbus, son
of the late John W. Okey, whose record
as a member of the Supreme Bench of
this State from 1877 until the time of
his death in 1885, is we'll known to the
people of Ohio, and stands without
superior among the great men who have
distinguished themselves upon the Ohio
bench for ability, learning and legal
acumen.
George B. Okey may be said to have
been reared in his fathers office and to
have received his legal education under
his personal supervision. From the
time he left college until the death of
his father, he was the business partner
and the hourly
ASSOCIATE OF THE GREAT JURIsT.
Inheriting the qualities and qualifca-
tions of a great lawyer, and receiving
daily for many years tho instructions
and directions of that great jurist it is
not unnatural that the son should have
imbibed the taste for research and labor
in the walks of his profession, and
should have acquired the habits of study
and reflection which have made his
father of so great renown.
There is no man in the State to-day
better qualified or who will reflect more
credit upon the people of this great State
as a member of the Supreme Bench than
he. In the prime of life, having been
born in the year 1649, he possesses the
strength and vigor necessary to the ac-
complishment of great ends.
Graduating at the Cincinnati law
school in April, 1871, and admitted to
the bar at the same time, his first i'm
portant labor was the annexation, for
use by the members of the constitutions
al convention of 1878, of the constitu-
tions of 1902 and 1851. His careful train
ing, deep study and research were then
made apparent. That work was pub
lished by the State in volume 70 of the
Ohio laws and found its place in all
subsequent publications of the statutes
without substantial change.
At twenty-seven years of age he was
appointed to serve with those eminent
lawyers, the late Hon Michael A.
Daugherty and Judge John S. Brasee,
to revise and consolidate the statutes of
Ohio. In this work
lie DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF
At this early age for his great familiar
ity with the statutes of Ohio and for his
keen and incisive mind that enabled
inn To
assist in bringing order out of chaos.
The work of that commission will forev-
er stand a monument of credit to the in
dustry, the intelligence, the great learn
ing, the broad and comprehensive
knowledge of the law possessed by its
members.
He was appointed by the unanimous
vote of the Supreme Court as its reporter
in 1885 and, as the volumes of his re-
ports will show, his work compares IA
vorably with that of the best judicial re-
ports of the day.
There is another qualification pos
sessed by him which I wish to be per-
mitted to mention to-day. We want to
nominate
A WINNING TICKET THIS YEAR.
I present him as q mascot. From the
time Of the organization of Ohio as
State and the organization of Monroe
County in the early days when his great
grandfather, Leven Okey, was elected
one of the associate judges of the COM
mon pleas court of that county (Which |
place he continued to hold for many |
years with renown and credit unto him
self and the Democracy of his district; |
and from 1920, when his grandfather, |