New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-10
FROM BENCH AND BAR.
GATHERED FROM LAWYERS AND AMONG
THE COURTS

case which was on trial last week before Justice Pat
terson Is considered. Colonel James has been the
adviser of many successful business men and as q
trial-lawyer has attained prominent place In the
ranks of his profession No exhibition OF guelessness
in connection with the affairs OF Ward and Fish, VINO
seemed TO be surrounded by collection of peculiarly
combining persons. has been more remarkable than thas
which this well known lawyer has given. General
Grants blindness to the frauds which were carried
on about him was not considered surprising as he had
neither legal business training, but III mao hot
been generally known that among the PrnSipal VIC
member OF the legal profession few other recsn,
security against extensive frauds. lawyer has lise
been discharged from indictment In the General Sos.
lions on tine tine T Ce so OF dr as The @ and
acuteness Of the members OF the firm OF Siipman Bar
ioreeries Of Bedell. Colonel James has a host Of
friends but most of them were Ignorant OF the deois
"contrcts' Of Ferdinand Ward.
Forty -four young men were added Last week TO the
roll of several thousand attorneys who strive for
reutaon or at least for livelihood at the New York
bar A son OF Judge MARITIME among the number
and several others will also start out under favorable
auspices in the practice of their profession There
Is increasing number Of young men belonging 10
wealthy famies who study law in order to have some
honorable profession without intending to pursue 1t
with great Industry. and Of the newly admitted
attorneys doubtless of this class some however,
81 MnS %os OF Of y :"
difficult to obtain cases than 70 try those which tney
Of struggling before they attain TO fame and prosperity,
the most confirmed croaker would repress
proud holders Of new certificates Of admission to the
bar enter upon their career
Governor Flower in his memorandum on singing last
week the bill allowing women to vote for school COM
misoners expressed his fear lest the law should be
declared unconstitutional by the courts, but he took
the risk and approved the measure Some recent do
la,ro
to believe that the courts would uphold the law. In
Michigan Kansas and Nebraska laws allowing women
to vote for school Offices have been declared valid. AZ
the offices not mentioned In the State consu-
tuons. The most recent case decided in Ill.
nois and the opinion OF the Supreme Court was that
women could not vote for school commissioners under
d law designed to give them that privilege. School
commissioners constitutional officers In Iii
nois, but not mentioned in the constitution OF
this state. A change in the qualification OF voters
for constitutional Office. unless made by Constitutional
amendment, would almost surely be declared invalid
but the rule 10 offices not mentioned In the Cons
tuition IS not as uniformly enforced. The New,York
Constitution declares that officers not provided for
by the Constitution shall be elected by tn. electors
q the county town or other division as the Legis;
to apply ID Offices created since the Constitution went
under law Of 1856 and the Constitution was adopted
ten years carrier 4 second article Of the con-
sttution adopted in 1874 and provides that every
male citizen possessing certain qualifications shall be
entitled TO vote at every election Whether the words
necessarily prevent any person who IS not male
citizen from voting at any election Is question which
the advocates and opponents Of woman suffrage may
be expected to struggle over before the courts.
Women hive gained another victory in the passage
last week Of an act allowing them to practise law in
the Province OF ontario. There has been a strong
effort made to this privilege for Canadian
women but the Ontario asprants have heretofore been
less successful than in many Of the States OF
this Union in obtaining the right 10 practise There
are several successful lawyers among the women Of
Chicago but in general II IS probably true that adis-
sion TO the bar like the privilege Of voting. is moro
strongly appreciated before granted than 1t Is
aftervard The number OF women practising law Is
apparently not increasing rapidly in the which
fey are admitted the bar The classes at the law
schools arc frequently attended by women who de.
the number OF women advocates IS still extremely
small
Peculiar Pennsylvania will not uncommon.
One OF the latest is that decided few weeks ago
By the supreme Court. A sick man had placed
before him a codicil by which he left tie
income OF $4,000 10 tie widow Of his
former partner. The alleged signature which is 10
produced in the report Of the opinion in the con-
ssts Of Il splash OF INK an upward stroke and long
wavering downward stroke The sick man stopped
after proceeding this far and said can't sign II now"
The mans full Hermann Theophius Plate,
that he had not written any considerable proportion
Of his Signature but those who offered the oodlc for
probate thought that the strokes Of the pen might b
taken rs mark which would be sufficient considering
the sickness OF the writer. The lower court adopted
this theory, but the supreme Court says that the
words can't sign IL now' indicated that the sick
man did not consdST the lines as his Signature, and
the vidow OF the former partner.
1.-THE Chicago Legal News" which occasionally
published portraits OF the many handsome men and
attractive women who practise law in that city, has
in late number a reproduction OF picture taken
at one OF the earlier sessions of the United states Court
Of Appeals in that city. The picture. IT Is stated,
may be regarded historic because the court the
first one held in Chicago at which the judges wore
judicial robes Tho photograph of the judges gowns
is indeed admirable, and the clear cutplctures OF
Justice Harlan and the solemn expression OF judge
Blodgett's face are tuthfuly portrayed The artist
has. however given TO Judge Gresham's welknowu
countenance beautllu aud indeed angelic expression
picture. The eyes raised seeming 10 look beyond
The great electric chandelier, in the ceiling OF Inc
court room beyond tile roof Of the building and far,
FAR away into space. The head is lifted a halo OF
light shines about the upper part OF the iac ana rev
anCes from tho bench would recognize In his uphited
countenance the cool and malterotiact LAWYER whom
further reproduced It will bear some change
The Chicago papers take pride IN the capacity OF
Judge who in the last three months In the criminal
courts has tried - jury cases and sentenced 100 prs
oners. The amount of work performed by Judge In
city in single month Is sometimes as great. or nearly
rs great as that In Chicagos three months record.
The highest recorded number OF disposed OF In
one month before single Judge I'm the General ses-
sions Court is well toward three hundred seventy
five cases have been passed upon In single day by
one Judge. The number Of trials In one nohtn IS
sometimes forty fifty. The Chicago courts DO nos
vet reach the standard OF the New York courts Inc
latter however, have not succeeded In accomplishing
any such result that attained at the asszes recently
in Leicester England. when the judge announced 10 The
Grand Jury that n town having population OF 1885,
people there only one aSsike case-for passng
forged checks-and four very tfAing cases awaiting
,cion This would be like an announcement that only
ten felony cases awaited trial In this city. This agree
lbe record will probably never be cquallcd here.
A prominent Western lawyer writes TO n local paper
asking II there Is any method by which fraud can be
prevented In typewriter wills Of several pages IN
length lie has n will before him which he is certain
has been altered by substituting several pages OF type