Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-08-01
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BRYAN'S LAW PARTNER TALKS.

BRYAN'S LAW PARTNER TALKS.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
LINCOLN, NEB., July 25.-Wa J.
Bryan's law partner and most i1ti-
mate personal friend is man of abpu'
his own age. He is stalwart Repub'
lican.. A. R. Talbot is one of the prom
ipent Republicans of the state. A
month ago he was nominated for state
senate. Nobody in Nebraska enter
tains a higher opinion of Bryan, per.
sonally, than his partner, but he does
not hesitate to condemn his associates
political views.
"Bryan is to be admired for evSry.
thing except his politics." and 1 k9ow
he is honest in his politics." said PR.
Talbot.
The other day, in the law off3 Of
Talbot, Bryan & Allen, on the third
floor of the McMurtry block, the
the senior member of the firm. chat.
ted in an interesting manner about bis
distinguished partner.
"Will Bryan and 1 were classmates
in the Union Law college in Chicago,
We entered college the same day in
1881, and we left it together. We
usually occupied adjoining seats, and
during two years we were the closest
of chums. I first met him the year
before in Galesburg at an. oratortcal
contest. He represented Illinois col.
lege in the contest and took second
prize. I don't remember his subject
now, but he made
A DEEP IMPRESSION.
"Even then he had a considerable
reputation as a public speaker. He
had, while attending college, stumped
the state of Illinois for w. NJ. Sprin-
ger, with whom Bryan was always on
the most intimate and friendly terms.
Congressman Springer, you know, got
Bryan q place on the ways and
means committee. Will was known
as ready, witty talker, and he was
much in demand. His utterances
were usually carefully prepared in
advance, and were always polished
and graceful. While we were attend
| ing the law college he delivered an
address on Abraham Lincoln that was
very generally commented on"
"Did you then regard him as cut
out for public man ?"
II did not. knew that he was a
bright fellow, who would get on in the
world, but 1 never thought of him as
destined for great career. AS a
matter of fact, we were both poor
boys, struggling to make our way,
and neither one of US thought much of
the future then. 1t kept US busy TAX
ing care of the present. We were
both utterly without means, and had
to work our way through college. l
worked in one law Office and Will in
another-Lymau Trumbull's, by the
way-for S5 per week. We paid all
of our expenses out OF that. In those
days we lunched pretty regularly on a
nickel's worth of crackers and apples,
but we dined heavily at night"
"What happened when you left the
law college?"
"We were graduated in June, 1888.
Will went to Jacksonville to engage in
the practice of the law, and I came to
Lincoln Immediately. I didn't see him
again till 1887, when he came west on
some legal business. He stayed in
Lincoln with me over Sunday. 1 was
away part of the day, and so | did
not see much of him, but before saying
goodby 1 suggested that he come out
to Lincoln and 60 into partnership with
me. 1 told him would guarantee him
living, and that was about all he was
getting in Jacksonville. I told him he
was just the kind of man to come out
west and grow up with the country.
He did not have very much to say,
but shortly after he reached home he
wrote me and wanted to know ifI was
in earnest when I made him the
OFFER OF A PARTNERSHIP.
replied that I was, and in a few
weeks he came out again and remained
here 80 days. At the end of that time
he returned to Jacksonville, closed up
his business there, and came back with
his family, prepared to stay. Soon af-
terward he purchased lot on D street
for $500 or 5000. His father-in-law,
Mr.. Baird, sent him the money to
build the house-S2,7OO, I think. He
settled down to the practice of law,
but he devoted some attention to poll
tics almost from the first, and within
year and half of the time of his ar
rival in Lincoln he was nominated by
the Democrats for congress"