Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-01-14
THE DEAD JURISTS.
by the Bar 20 Judge
Harris and James X.
Yerger.


Yerger.
At a meeting of the bar in the Su-
preme Court room on the 9TH inst,
Gen. I. NJ. Miller, on behalf of the
committee appointed at a previous
meeting, submitted the following
resolutions in honor of the memory of
THE LATE JUDGE WILEY p. HARRIS.
Whereas, The place at the bar of
this the Supreme Court of Mississippi,
so long filled by Judge Wiley p. TIar-
ris has become vacant forever and
Whereas, We, his brethren, have
met to give expression to our sorrow
and offer the tribute of respect and
affection to his memory, we therefore
declare and resolve as follows:
The lamented dead was not only
the foremost in his profession here,
but regarded, and sought to make
others regard, the law as the noblest
of sciences.
His life, public and private, was a
model of simple dignity and man
hood.
He loved truth and justice, and his
name was synonym for all that was
fair and upright.
He aided his brethren and his
heart, as well as the rich stores of his
mind, was open to them.
He cheered the old and encouraged
the young. He was broad, true, high
minded and liberal and charitable al
wovS in his ind nn1ont Of man
Whilst possessed of wit as keen as
ever flashed, he never inflicted
wounds that ranked.
His mind was deep, powerful and
philosophic. Sophistry never mis-
led him, and he eschewed it in his
own reasoning. Candor distinguish
ed him in all relations. He was es-
sentially great as he was truly kind
and amiable.
lie was the pride of Mississippi as a
lawyer, enjoying at all times and un-
der all circumstances, the respect, ad-
mlration, esteem nay more, the af-
lection of the bench. bar and people.
No man has done more to give
character and strength to the opinions
of our highest tribunal, for his genius,
unrivalled ability, profound learning
and untlaging industry, have been a
genuine aid to the court in solving
the most battling questions arising in
his time.
Whilst he was at the very front of
the profession envy never approached
him he was too gentle and consider
ate to excite rancour, hatred or jeal-
Ousy even in his greatest contests.
And so Wiley p. Harris will live on
III our memory as type and eXemplar
of the perfect lawyer and a man en-
dowed with the highest attributes
God ever sees fit to bestow on his
creatures, and his name will be cher
ished by ourselves and handed down
to those who shall come after us.
Resolved further, That a copy of
these resolutions be presented to the
supreme court with the request that
the same be spread upon the minutes
and that additional copies be drafted
by the secretary and presented to the
surviving children of the deceased
brother that they may have the
mournful satisfaction of knowing
their grief to be ours also.
Col. Nugent, on behalf of the COM
mittee, read the following
RESOLUTIONS ON J. r. YERGER.
Whereas, Under the impulse of a
common sorrow, we have assembled,
as members Of the bar of the Supreme
Court, to give expression to our sense
of the loss we have sustained in the
death of the late James r. Yerger,
an event as sudden and untimely as
it is deeply to be deplored therefore,
be it
Resolved, That in our departed
brother the bar of the Supreme Court
and the profession at large have been
deprived of one of their. wOrthiest
members, society of a useful and
honored citizen, and his family of one
whose tender and affectionate nature
made home what it ought to be, the
abode of happiness and peace.
Resolved further, That the Supreme
Court be requested to spread upon
It's minutes this sincere expression of
our respect, friendship, and deep re-
gret, and that copy of the same be
delivered to the sorrowing family of
our deceased brother.
The resolutions were all adopted
and ordered spread on the minutes
by the Court, Judge Campbell making
a feeling response in each case.