The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-03-11
A Distinguished Barrister?

In the use of generalities that do not
even glitter the Free Press finds full
scope in its eulogies upon Major Grout.
For example, in recent editorial arti-
Gle contemporary said:
"Major Grout is possessed of fine edu-
cation and has acted as an attorney in this
state and the West for many years. In this
profession he has attained distinction, as
we'll as success financially"
In its authoritative" presentation of
his name as a candidate for the COVER
norship, the Barton Monitor had de-
clared that Major Grout lis plain,
practical farmer, the pattern example
in this sphere for his whole country"
Bewldered by this clash of conflicting
testimony the Bellows Falls Times
asked, Which of these powerful Or
gans is telling the truth?" With it's
propensity for claiming everything in
sight that seems to sustain its preten-
sions, the Free Press cheerily answers:
&C. Both of them. Major Grout is both
good lawyer and good practical farmer
not bad combination, when coupled as in
his case, with honesty, high personal char
aoter and capacity"
Will the Free Press tell an incredu-
lous public how, when and where,
Major Grout attained distinction, as
well as success financially" in the law?
The records show that he was admitted
to the bar in December, 1865. Accord
ing to his biography in "Men of Yer
mont" he went to Chicago in 1874, and
in 1877 established himself in business
in Moline, III. In 1880, he returned to
Vermont, where he "has since devoted
himself solely to his extensive model
stock farm" Major CIRCUITS distinction
in the law, then, must have been gained
between the time of his admission to
the bar in 1865 and his removal to Mo-
line in 1877. Now, in that interval,
what did he have beside the law to en-
gross his attention. For six months in
1866 he was one of the editors and pro.
prietors of the Orleans County Stand
ard, publisheda at Barton. In that year he
sold out and removed to Island Pond,
where he had charge of the custom
house for three years, and also served
the same space of time, in the same Ca
pacity, at st. Adams and Newport"
1t will thus be seen that in the less than
eight years that cover the only time
Major Grout can be claimed to have
practiced law at all in Vermont, he was
for six years of that time a holder of
a federal office, with salary of from
81 200 to 81 400 per year; during that
time he lived in three different coun-
ties, and for six months of the remain.
ing time was an editor and publisher in
still another place. AS matter of fact
his name appears in the Vermont re-
ports in seven cases, each time with one
or more other lawyers; so it is not indi-
Gated in how many of these cases he
actually participated. OF these cases, the
Majors side prevailed in three, one a
case for injury on a highway, in which
l.. H. Bisbee was leading counsel and in
which no question of magnitude appears
another to recover the price of 100 rail
road ties, and another where about $50
was involved for the keeping of horse
The Illinois reports, during the time the
Major was in Chicago, twice only, sc
far as we can discover, mention the
Majors name in connection with trivia
matters, in which he was beaten.
Now what is the use of attempting tc
make out that Major Grout has sat