The San Francisco call., 1896-02-09

message, short or long, over the telephone
to either lawyers or clients, explain to
Willie what | want to say, and he repeats
the message in the ear of the instrument
with absolute correctness. If somebody
wants to learn several different dates tell
them to Willie here at my table. He never
writes them down, but goes directly to the
instrument, and I have yet to learn that
he has made a single mistake. Why, 1
would trust his memory as soon as 1
would my own"
Such associations served only to arouse
further interest in the youthful prodigy.
Your wonderment is quite excusable,'
remarked the general. THAT boy is a
phenomenon. He reads law, young as he
is, with natural relish. He pores over
pages Of abstruse legal lore, studies COM
plicated problems of law, andt not only
does he do it in a lawyer-like way, but he
is able to explain faithfully and to the sat
lsfaction OF anybody gifted with an under
standing the passages he has read. For
instance, he opens lawbook and reads
along until he strikes some ponderous
word that is new to him. He never skips
sentence, or even a word, and seeks to
understand thoroughly all he reads. Well,
he holds his finger on the word that puz-
zles him, and opening his Webster, which
he keeps at his elbow, finds the definition,
then turns again to the sentence in which
1t occurs and gets the full knowledge
of the meaning. 1 frequently stop
him in the midst OF his reading and
ask him what he has learned from
the volume in his hands. He tells me in
deliberative manner, with apparently as
much regard for fidelity to the subject
matter as you would expect from Judge
on the bench. the substance of what
he has read. He has explained to me
questions of English tax-titles, and he
not only makes himself plain, but shows
an appreciation for the nicely of terms.
find his memory astonishingly retentlve,
and be has wonderful analyticaI powers.
That boy will be Charles James Fox if
he lives. He is born lawyer"
And all this had reference to Master
William B. German, whose attractive face,
looking up from his own little desk. is the
first to greet whoever enters the reception
room of General Barnes law offices.
Master Willie is the youngest of three
children, all boys, who reside with their
widowed mother, Mrs. NJ. German, at
1904 Harrison street. He was graduated
from the Horace Mann Grammer School
in May, 1895, being awarded the Bridge
medal for general excellence in that year.
Two months later he entered the Office OF
Judge Seymour d. Thompson, the legal
writer, remaining there until January 10
OF the present year, when Judge Tho1np-
son returned to his home in st. Louis, Mo.
The distinguished lawyer formed strong
attachment for the youth. 1t was he who
recommended Willie to General Barnes.
In letter of introduction, written jan
uary 8, Judge Thompson thus referred to
Willie German:
My work has been that of an author of
legal textbooks, and finding Master Cor
man exceedingly bright put him at work
looking up cases and verifying references
for me in the Mills building law library.
He did this with great quickness, aptness
and accuracy. soon found that I could
send him from my Office into the library to
find out what was decided in a particular
case. He would return very quickly and.
standing up before me, give me very
clear oral statement of the exact decision
which the court made, stating the facts
and then stating the legal conclusions of
the court on those facts. | am amazed
edoI O wy u Ais SSaAo onOulU POSSESS an
analytic power so highly developed. Be-
lieving that he possesses the intellectual
foundation for great lawyer proposed
to his mother to take him to st. Louis and
to give him all the advantages of instruc-
tion which my facilities there would afford,
but, he being her youngest child. she was
naturally unable to part with him."