The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-02-08

signal success. He is making good
Controller, and unless he reverses his
career will prove one of the most efficient
of State officers.
w. II. n. HART.
The Newly-Elected Attorney-Genersl
of California.
The life of the Attorney-General is full of
romance. 1t has been stirring and an
eventful one. It's leading traits can be no
more than glanced at, but they will serve
to indicate what are the chief elements in
character that has so impressed itself
| upon the State. When but an infant he
was brought by his parents from York
shire, England, where he was born in
January, IS4S. The family settled at Lit
tie Rock, Ill, in 1852, and there remained
until 1857 In 1856 the lad was stolen end
kept captive by the Indians from April
to October. In 1857 the family removed
| to Iowa. The next year the mother died,
| and in the following year the lad lost his
father also. When but years old he had
learned hard work, serving as sheep
herder. He had been taught the use of
| firearms and was considered an expert
for boy. The guardian with whom
misfortune had left him was not kind,
and the boy in 1861 ran away t.D
friend of his father. Legal steps being
old schoolmate, much his elder, who had
charge of a company of United States
scouts, and in this company he enlisted
January, 1862, being then few days less
than IA years of age. a few days later
the troops left Cairo for Paducah, and the
young recruit was launched at once into
| active war. He took part in the cam
paigns of Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg
and Chattanooga and ut the battle of Mis-
sionary Ridge, in command of Hink1ey's
scouts performed important service, and
was three times wounded while carrying
a message across the field in the flce of
Confederate fire from Grant to Sher-
man. After partial recovery he re-
| turned home in March, 1864, and at once
began his studies in the public school,
but in May re-enlisted this time in the
| Forty-fourth Iowa. He was mustered out
in September, and in February, 1855, he
enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty
seventh Illinois. He was finally mus
tered out February, 1866, having been five
times wounded at Shiloh, Pulmes Ferry
and Chitico Greek. In 1865 he had. taken
| advice to read law, and began it while in
the army. On retiring to private life he
| took it up diligently, going to sch pol by
day and reading the textbooks by night
| for two years. He was called to the bar
| of the County Courts of Iowa four
months before attaining his majority, and
| Just q year later, September 1869, was adj
mitted to the District bar. Seven months
| later he came to the Supreme bar, in 1873
was admitted to the bar of the Supreme
| Court of California, and to that of the
Supreme Court of the United States De-
| cember, 1874. He has also been admitted
to the other Federal Courts, and to
the Supreme bar of Arizona, Ne
vada and Illinois. When practic-
ing in Iowa, he was made City Attorney
for Dewitt, and won distinction for the
the laws. Prior to coming to California
he had a high and wide reputation as
criminal lawyer. Since coming, to Cali
fornia he has devoted himself to civil prac-
tice, but as he has been much interested
in mining, he has made the mining laws
of the Pacific coast a speciality also. lie
has always taken deep interest in agri-
culture and manufacturing, and hes in
vestments in them as web as in mines.
In very many prominent cases Mr.. Hart
t9has made his impress upon the jUrispru-
deence of the State and coast; notably in
mining cases, but most SO in the cele-
brated Blythe estate case, in which. as at
torney for Florence Blythe, he triumphed
over an array of counsel of the best, and
some of whom were called from England
by the trial of the case. In that case the
prescience of the man, the grasp of his
mind for details, his patience, and his pro-
found knowledge Of the law, We're made
the cause has won for him the highest
praise from the most critical quarters.
Political economy is a conSenial study
with Mr.. Hart. and he is said to be an au-
thority upon the subject. He was nomi-
mated for the office he now fills by the Re-
publicans in 1856, but went under with
the most of the State ticket, though he led
his ticket by 1000 votes. In August last
his party again nominated him for the
Attorney eneralship, and in November
ne was elected, leading many of the other
candidates on the same ticket. Mr.. Hart
is distinguished member of the Grand
Army of the Republic, prominent Mason
and Odd Fellow, and is a Knight Tenn
plar. He has served many years as a
Director Of the Veterans Home Associa-
ton at Yountville. He is OF broad human
sympathies, and is most kindly disposed
towards all progressive movements and
ideas. He is of a very affectionate nature,
but is of firm Judgment, and once under
conviction of the truth he is simply inn
movable. He is of scholarly tastes, studi-
Gus habits, and his character is that of the
upright and universally respected Ameri-
can citizen. That he will make a
thorough going Attorney General no one
doubts, for he is unhring in the discharge
of duty once assumed, has the legal ca
pacity, the firmness of character and the
far-seeing that are essential to the well
filling of so important an office.