Birmingham age-herald., 1894-10-27
Judge William McLinn Brooks Has
 Gone to His Reward.
AN HISTORICAL FIGURE,
An Able Lawyer and a Devoted Husband and Father Is
 No More.

Judge William M. Brooks died suddenly ats7 o'clock last night at his home, on Thirteenth avenue, near Twentieth stree South Highlands. He sat down to the sup per table, gave gasp, his head fell over, and one of the brightest minds in the state went out in darkness. His family were greatly stricken at this sudden cala mity, and kind neighbor came at once to their assistance. Judge Brooks was at his law office yesterday morning. and intended to go back in the afternoon, but had some papers to look over at home. He said 10 his son and law partner, MT. Richard l.. Brooks, in the office yesterday morning that hewas feeling remarkably we'll His sudden death was the result of heart fail- ure. He died with the harness on and in the midst of his labors.
 Judge William McLinn Brooks was one of the leading lawyers of Alabama. He was a leader in every branch of the law, and his commanding intellect compre- hended the entire legal jurisprudence. lie has won cases tbat were considered hope less, aud has commanded the highest ad- miration of his brethren in the law. lie has been the leading counsel in a number of cases in the Birmingham courts. He was of slight physique, but of strong in- tellectualify. He was always treated with the profoundest respect by all classes, not only because of his commanding abilities as a lawyer, but because he was hlstor- ical character and around him cluDg the traditions of the Lost Cause.
 He was president of the convention that withdrew Alabama from the union. There were many able men in that secession con- vention, such as John T. Morgan, William l.. Yancey, John Cochran and others, but Judge Brooks was elected over all. Ju1ge Brooks was also delegate to the Charles ton convention in 1860, and withdrew with the Alabama delegation. He was one of the ablest campaign orators for Breckin- ridge, delivering many eloquent speeches.
 During the war Judge Brooks was ap- pointed colonel of a regiment of reserve troops. He was also appointed chairman of a committee to provide for the families of non -slaveholding Confederate soldiers in the hill country. now embraced in the Birmingham district. He little thought at that time that this hill country would become his home and would undergo such a change.
 Judge Brooks was native of South Carolina and was born in 1914. His fam fly was originally from Virginia. In 1883 his father moved to Marengo county, Ala bama. The death of his father recalled him from college, and he was left at this early age to care for large family. He shouldered hls burden manfully. He was elected district solicitor soon after entering the law practice and held the office six years. For nearly half century he has appeared in the courts of the state, and the reports of the supreme court gases espe- cially will preserve his name and wisdom.
 Judge Brooks has practiced law in Mo- bile, Marion, selma and Birmingham. He was elected circuit judge, but preferred general practice.
 Judge Brooks was twice married, first to Miss Terrell of Marengo county. Two sons and a daughter were born to them.- After the death ofhis first wife Judge Brooks married Miss An lie E. Thomas, an accom-