Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-09-05
JUSTICE ORION, JUDGE SLOAN,
ATTORNEYS CARY AND STRONG.
MEN WHO WERE JURlSTS
Commemorative Ceremonies Held in
the Supreme Court for the Late
Chief Justice, Circuit Judge ana
Two Distinguished Attorneys
Eulogies of Old Friends.
Madison. Sept. 3.

court met to hold commemorative SER
vices i'm honor of the late Chief JUS
tice Harlow S. Orion, Judge A. Scott
Sloan and Attorneys Moses NJ. Strong
and John w. Gary. There We're pres
ent a large number Of lawyers VINO
had enjoyed the acquaintance and per-
sonal friendship of those whose mem
orv was honored. The court room
was crowded. Among those present
were ex-Chief Justice Orsamus Cole
of Milwaukee, eX-CongresSman Barney
of West Bend, w. c. Sllverthorn OF
Wausau, Judge J. Z. Fish, &. IL. van
Alstine. J. V. Quarles, j. r. Brigham,
M. Underwood, adj of Milwaukee, II. Fl.
Field of Chicago, Philo II. Orton OF
Darlington, George r. Peck OF CHI
cago. w. P. Bartlett of Eau Clare,
and among Madison attorneys were
Senator w. F. Villas, eX-Congressmen
A. r. Bushnell r. NJ. La Toilette and
Burr W. Jones, Gen. E. E. Bryant,
Col. E. w. Reyes, Col. G.. w. BIRD,
Judge R. G. Siebecker, Gen. Luclus
Fairchild, Judge A. Donovan, John NJ.
Olin, A. w. Anderson, c. E. Buell.,
J. B. Smith, n. P. Stenhjem, Attor-
ney General Mylrea, II. W. Chyno-
weth, G. E. Roe, H. NJ. Lewis, Assist
ant Attorney General Erdahl and f.
J. Lamb. MesdameS E. w. KeyeS, j +.
w. Vance and S. q. Pinney and Mr..
and Mrs. O. H. Orion and Mr.. and
Mrs. Henry Coe We're also present.
The court crier commanded silence
and Chief Justice CasSoday said that
they had convened ito pay a tribute
to the memory of four bright lights
Of the Wisconsin bar. Col. E. w.
Keyes then offered some resolutions
respecting the death of the late Chief
Justice Orion which were passed at
a meeting of the Dane county bar as
ISOLATION. He then said, in part:
"On the 4th day of July, 1895, in
the afternoon of that day. the presid-
ing judge of this court, Chief Justice
Harlow S. Orton, passed from life to
death and ended his earthly career.
Instances are not few in the history
of our country when the lives of great
and pa triotic men have ended upon
the day commemorative of American
independence. 1t seemed eminently
fitting and proper that a man en-
dowed with such high and lofty patri-
otism, one imbued with such strong
love of country, and so broadly and
thoroughly American in every thought
and action, should be called hence on
that day, when all the people through
out the length and breadth of the land
were stirred to the greatest depths in
celebrating the most important event
in our history. AS the echoes of this
natal day were drawing to a close
and the sun went down in it's glory,
with the shadows of earth about it.,
so went out the life of the chief jus
tice, set in grandeur and beauty for
ever. Let us pause upon the thresh-
old of his departed life and strew
flowers upon his bier; let us speak
of him as he was and nothing eX-
tenuate. Let us paint the picture of
his life, true to the noble attributes
which possessed him and follow the
lead of the great masters with that
fidelity characteristic of them and
with our feeble pencils draw him
truthfully and WE'LL the touches of the
pencil, in light and in shadow, in
color and expression, in form and de-
tail ard in every feature, should give
a manifestation true to the subject,
and true to the just claims of one of
Gods noble creatures
The speaker then gave an excellent
biographical sketch of the great jur-
list and finished with graceful, euolo-
CYSTIC tribute to his old friend and law
partner.
Justice Marshall of Chippewa Falls,
first offered some resolutions respect
ing the death of the late chief justice
which were passed by the bar of his
district. He then said in part: ''It is
fitting that words be here spoken and
recorded connmemorating the life and
character of the late distinguished
chief justice of this court, more for
public rea sons than for any other; it
is conducive to the highest standard
of public virtue and to just admins
tration of human affairs that able,
faithful and conscientious professional
and public service be cherished and
commemora ted" In conclusion he said:
MAY we long feel his influence in
his accustomed place, seek wisdom of
him as if he were here by drinking
at the fountain of his crea ton: thus,
though it is written he is dead, he will
be ever with us to labor in the lines
he loved and to sustain those prin-
ciples of justice among men, he main
tanned in life so long, so faithfully and
so we'll"
Ey-Chief Justice erasmus Cole, Of
Milwaukee, came next and spoke espe-
cially of Judge Orton's official life. He
gave instances showing the superior
legal ability of the late chief justice.
He told the connection of the decea Sad
with the Bashford vs. Barstow case
and said he was one of the attorneys
for the defendant in that celebrated
case He rold OF his last visit to the
home Of tie deceased a fortnight be-
fore death came. Justice Orion, ne
said, was then much concerned as 10
whether there is a future life. The eX-
chief justice was much affected in his
recital of this incident.
Chief Justice Cassoday said: The
several members Of this court fully
endorse all the good things said Of our
brother, the late Chief Justice Orton.
He was certainly a very remarkable
man in many respects. With an am
bition towering far above that of ordi-