The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-01
TO HALLS MEMORY.
Eloquent Tributes by His Asso-
states at the Bar.
WIT AND STERLING HONESTY
4. r. Dole Delivers the Leading Ad-
dress, Seconded By Judge Burke,
Judge Osborn and Others.

county Bar ASSOCIATION assembled IN
Judge Humes' court room at the court
house yesterday afternoon to listen to the
tributes paid by the members of the bar to
the memory of the late Isaac NJ. Hall.
For some time previous to the meeting
number OF prominent members OF the bar
were to be seen in the court room ana In
the corridors of the courthouse. Chief
among these may be mentioned Gov. John
II. McGraw, Judge Richard Osborn, Hon.
Orange Jacobs. the president OF the Bar
Association; Thomas Burke, w. II. White,
John Arthur, l. III. Wheeler and John
Wiley. Shortly before o'clock Mrs. Hall,
accompanied by w. H. Morris, Judge
Halls former partner, and friends OF the
family entered the room.
At little after the meeting was called
to order by Hon. Orange Jacobs. who
briefly stated its object and introduced 4.
P. Dole. who had been selected by the Bar
Association to deliver funeral Grafton in
honor of Judge Hall. Mr.. Dole arose and
paid the following beautiful tribute to the
memory of his dead friend:
One by one the old pioneers, the men who
have long been known and whose influence
has long been felt on Puget sound, are passing
away. Isaac Miller Hall was one OF them. he
came here in the early days, when this section
of the country was a remote and almost unin.
habited wilderness. He has been here ever
aimee. There are distinguished members OF this
bar who have known him well for almost gen.
eraton-aMong them such men as orange
Jacobs, Thomas Burke, H. C. strive. John J.
McGlvra, Eben Smith and William H. White.
With these, his old and eloquent comrades still
living here, representing, as they do, the early
history and traditions of the King county bar.
/ feel keenly-more keenly PEE baps than any
one else can--the unfitness of selecting new
man and q comparative stranger to pay this last
and more formal tribute of respect to the mem
DRY of the deceased; and yet from what he said
to me less than a month ago, and what he said
to his partner. Mr.. Morris, about the same time,
knew that it was his wish, and as his widow
expressed the same wish, felt that 1t would
be false modes,y and q false friendship to de-
cline-that I could not, that it would not be
right for me to decline the honor.
"Paint me with all my scars and wrinkles..
said the Duke of Wellington Mrs. Hall and
Mr.. Morris have expressed like wish. know
that it would have been Judge Halls wish, and
on no other condition could I consent to stand
here today, for this is no idle ceremony. 1t il
the solemn tribute OF the King county bar In
honor of a dead brother, and there ID. there can
be, no honor save In truth.
believe there is no other body OF men 90
county bar. The clergyman studies the con-
gregation, the physician studies the disease.
the merchant studies the markets and the
manufacturer studies the latest competing In
vention, but the lawyer studies his opponent,
his brother lawyer. In modern civilization the
lawyer 10 what the m allied and belted knight
was in the age of chivalry. and like him and
equally with him. is bound in sacred honor to
be without fear and without reproach; and no
lawyer eau win and hold a recognised position
at strong, able and numerous bar, like
the bar Of King county, without being
prepared to maintain his ground against all
corners alike by knightly courtesy and by
knightly provost believe that every strong,
able and numerous bar, like the bar of King
county. in the long run, does substantial Justice
to its members. Ii one of them-I care not
what his birth, or wealth, or family, or social or
business connections may be-is a trickster.
false to his clients false to his brother lawyers
aud false to the court, jealous profession will
see to 1t that he is punished with the contempt
he deserves; and. on the other hand, If he is
courteous, learned. able. honest and fearless, ii
he is true to his clients, true to his brother law
yers and true to the courts. proud and just pro-
fession will heap upon his head, yes, and into
his open grave, all the honors that are his due.
1t 10 conceded, even in our sister city of Ia
coma, that the King county bar, in character, in
learning and in ability. as we'll in numbers,
has no equal in this commonwealth. If, indeed,
il has in the entire Pacific Northwest, and when
such bar renders the tribute that is rendered
today to the memory of a dead brother, it is an
assurance, guarantee that he was a man of
sterling Characteristic, and OF recognised posi-
ton.
There are thousands of people in this city
mostly new people like myself - who have
known OF Judge Hall only by his unfortunate
weakness and his unwieldy bulk. To such per-
II ma If
countsble thing that the newspapers should de-
vote columns to his praise that the bar of a
city OF more than $1,000 people should attend
his funeral in body, that its most distin.
guished members and the judges of its courts
should be selected as his pail bearers, and that
Sabbath day should be set apart to render honor
to him in this temple Of justice. the forum of
his former battles and his former victories
From those who knew him only in this way and
who also know how much. how very, very
much, such tribute from such an Organization
As this means and how impossible IL 10 to secure
1t without Q basis Of solid merit, comes the
question:
What were the qualities that command this
tribute In spite of the well known and terrible
inhrmity that clouded this mans career and
fastened his deathf To answer tina, question
is the object which l have IN view this after.
noon.
As q hard, selfish. INSCRIPTIONS man becomes
known. his enemies multiply until they NAV be-
numbered by thousands or tens OF thousands
Every old settler in King county knew Isaac
Hall, yet among them ali he had only one
enemy, only one-himself. The world too often
gives It's honors to those who make their way 10
wealth aud place and power by foul and brutal
injustice, through the bitter tears and over the
broken hearts OF their fellow men. Rather than
be such man | would prefer 10 have it said OF
me. as Can 'rdthiully say today OF Isaac Hall,
he had no enemy but himself
This far-Of corner o. our country has been
the refuge for so many men of spotted records
that the general standard OF business honesty
and honor has become somewhat tainted by
them. lsaacc Halls associations have not al.
Ways been OF the best, his circumstances were
never above Tseuniary temptation, ami
yet, during the twenty eight years that he lived
here no dream OF shade Of shadow OF a sus.
pseion OF doubt ever rested upon his reputa-
ton for iReorrGptble aud absolute honesty.
lie died rs be had lived. almost pennies. for
his money always Wen, as fast as it came And
yet, according 70 my way of thinking, ne was
not altogether poor. Who is rich? JAy Gould
hved snd schemed 10 accumulate a gigantic Tor
tune. he died and ieit{i0Q. oC0.oo1 When he died
tens OF millions Of his fellow men were glad OF
IL, ana IL may be question whether any one
outside OF his own family wss sorry
In lie and in death he was with
out honor and already his name Is
almost forgotten Abraham Lincoln while he
AFed, go shaped the destinies Of a great nation
thas government OF the people, by the people and
Toe TIE people did not perish from the earth, and
his great heart was so brave snd loyal aud un-
selfish and tender aud pure, that when he died
even the little children cried in the streets and
bis name VIII shine Ike the stars OF God for
ever and forever. Jay Gould was a poor man.
Abraham Lincoln was a rich man. Isaae Hall