Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30
OATES OF ALABAMA
The Democrats Want Him to Run For
Governor.
But He Has His Eye on the Senate
How He Practiced Law
After the War.


ly disturbed over the prospect that the
populists may carry that state in the next
election are anxious that Gen. Oates, who is
one of the sturdiest old representatives in
the House, should take the nomination for
governor of that state. He is not disposed
to favor the proposition, however, and it is
probable that q man who is not yet in the
field may be selected. 1t is believed that
Oates has an eye on the Senate and pre-
fers to walt his chance for that. Oates Is
one of the most interesting of the hard-shell
democrats left in the House. Through the
many changes that have taken place in the
popular branch of Congress in the past ten
or twelve years, most of the Old-fashioned
democrats have passed out of sight, and the
body is filled up with new men, for the
most part without reputation or experience,
and who have very little regard for what
the old-timers considered statesman ship.
Oates Is one of those sort of independent,
downright sort of men with set opinions on
questions of principle. who carries an emp
ty sleeve at his side and sturdy courage in
his heart. His idea about political methods
is to avoid all isms and to fight the devil
with fire. He was telling Star reporter
the other day how he got to be a lawyer
and came to Congress.
beginning to Practice.
When the war broke out he had read law
a little. owned three or four slaves, and
was pretty comfortably fixed, according to
southern ideas. At the close of the war
his slaves had been liberated and he had no
means whatever.
His right arm had been lost and he had
not thing in the world but his confederate
uniform, which was threadbare and torn
yN-hn
blind in one eye, which he had captured
from the Yankees" He decided to start in
at once to practice law. On court day he
rode up to the court house on his blind
mare wearing his shabby gray uniform. He
had no money to go to the hotel himself,
nor to feed his horse. He hitched the horse
to tree near the court house and went in
side to wait for a case to come to him.
When the court adjourned for the day an
cid farmer who had been in his command
invited the young one-armed colonel to
spend the night with him, and he rode off
to enjoy the simple hospitality of the far
mer and get feed and shelter for his horse
The next day there was similar program,
Oates sitting in the court all day or hanging
around waiting for case, and the next
night spent as before at a farm house. This
went on for week without a client ap-
pearing. But at the end of that time the
farmer came to Col Oates with a case
which ne offered him $50 to prosecute.
His First Case.
farmhouse and two negroes, against whom
the evidence was very strong. had been ar
rested. The negroes, however were defend
ed by a firm of the best lawyers in that
part of the country and it was feared that
they would escape punishment. Oates
took the case. 1t was his first, and
when the trial came off he was very nerv-
Gus about it. but he resolved to do his level
best The counsel for the defense angered
the court in some way by trying to get de-
lays and postponements, and finally the
judge declared that the case must be settled
at one sitting of the court, even If they had
to stay in session all night. 1t was along
toward o clock in the evening when the
testimony was all in. and the counsel for
the defense had concluded his argument.
1t was Col. Oates turn to address the jury,
who had been in their places since morning
without any chance for refreshments, and
were extremely weary. The judge was a
great temperance advocate, and in all that
country round there was no man fonder of
mis- toddy than the foreman of the jury. The
foreman had had no chance for a toddy
during the whole day and his eyes had COM
menced to glitter when Oates rose to make
his argument.
Working the Jury.
MAY it please your honor" said the
colonel, ''the court and the jury and the
counsel have been here for many hours on
this case and are greatly fatigued. There
has been no opportunity for rest or refresh
ment, and before proceeding with my argu-
ment"-and he looked hard at the foreman
of the jury as he spoke-"I move that the
court take a recess of ten minutes to per-
NIT the jury and the counsel to get drink"
This court will never take a recess" re-
piled the judge hotly, Ito permit any man
to take a drink" Then he added in softer
tones, as he caught the glittering eye of the
foreman, but the court will take a
recess of ten minutes to permit the jury to
stretch their legs
There was a grateful look on the face of
the foreman when he resumed his seat and
he gave Col. Oates knowing wink when
he rose to begin his argument. The argu-
ment was brief and the jury brought in a
verdict of conviction without leaving their
seats.
Oates got his fee and that night was
enabled to put up at the hotel. Soon after
ward he got case for which he received
81, 500 in fees. and between then and the
time he entered Congress his law practice
had brought him mas shown by his books
which he has always kept carefully-fees
to the amount of 100000. He has spent
much of this as fast as made, but he is
pretty well fixed financially.