The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-07
GHNIALJIDCEM'COWAN
,,xrowm Throughoutthe State
of Michigan.
ur LIVES MOSTLY IN WASHINGTON.

washington 0oPt' .,ro,,to, |
Tonas II. MCGOWAN Is as senia'
ila INA entertaining friend as one can
alS :, our entire Michigan colony Az
~ nn legal resident OF Coldwater'
W 49,, well known throughout the
"'u s,ote Of Michigan, his business
Ssens him in Washington nearly all inc
time. os horn In Mahoney
oonnty. O., in 1897, OF Scotcn-lrlsh pa
souts and remained at that pace unti,
~ u'as II years old, when ne mower
fSitb his parents to orlanu' ihu', S ,,el
o. thereafter he started OUT III nie
b. himself and began by teachins
school in the country
II 1877 he entered the university az
,arsing. and was graduated from tne
,.nrarv branch of that institution IN
,ee, nuring the school year or lSol-oz
daa MCGOWAN taught in the hlgn
49, Of Coldwater, but when the war
~ tha rebellion broke out he enlisted
~ Germany I. Ninth Michigan cavalry
"a sorved with distinction until 1864,
nd NV his meritorious conduct ana
,'rovArv under fire attained the position
- oontain of his company. He was dis
ohorged from the army in 1864 on doc
Vn". oarti6cate of disability, having
e. wounded during the famous John
Morean raid through Ohio. Prior to re-
"a,,,ir, his wound he served most OF his
t,n,o IN the campaign with Burnside in
cost Tennessee. and tells many tales OF
interest about that campaign.
Began Reading Law.
After his discharge from the army Mr.
xucGovan returned to Coldwater, his
Ifssdonted home. and began reading law
With the Hon. c. d. Randall, promi-
mont LAWYER of Coldwater. He after
wards entered and was graduated from
the law school of Ann Arbor. He was
admitted to the bar in 1867 and immedi-
atelv began the practice of his profess
SIGN. Judge MCGOWAN is stanch ana
Xuurdv Republican, and has held many
4 ypostions of more or less prominence In
his adopted state.
He was prosecuting attorney Of Cold
water and had the prosecution or all
criminal business in the city, which at
that time was very large, and In this
way he gained quite reputation as
criminal lawyer After his term or or
xfce expired Mr.. MCGOWAN resumed his
|tTIaw practice and became quite promi-
nent In defending those who, as prose-
cutting attorney he had zealously prose-
cuted.
First Public Office.
Prior TO becoming prosecuting attor-
ney Judge McGowan's first public office
was that of school director in his coun-
s.ty for which position he was eminently
%ftted on account Of his large experience
in educational work. He was justice Of
the peace for several years and tried
nearly 200 cases, and had, as he ex-
presses II, more fun than a goat" For
a number of years he was assessor of
the ward in which he lived. and was aft
wards a member Of the Michigan state
|. a senate for one term.
- In 1867 he became a regent in the Uni
versity Of Michigan, and held that office
until his election to the Forty-Fifth con-
gress as a Republican. Serving his con-
stitutentS in an exceedingly satisfactory
manner during the Forty-fifth congress
Judge MCGOWAN was reelected to the
Forty-Sixth congress. Both Of the con-
h. n crosses In which Judge MCGOWAN served
vwere notably Democratic, so that the
Republicans could not do much on legis-
laton Of national Importance.
1t was through a bill introduced by
Judge MCGOWAN that the national board
OF health, an institution that has done
so much towards lettering the sanitary
conditions Of the United States, was or.
gained. Had +. civ. =, n,.,,....
AT the close Of the Forty-Sixth con.
gress Judge MCGOWAN became a mem
Der OF the firm of Brtton & Gray, prom
ment attorneys at law in the nationa
capital and remained with that firm
until some time in 1883, when, on ac
count OF serious illness, he had t
give up all business in order to saw,
MS life. After a year or more of in
Valdism he again resumed the practic,
OF his profession, and opened an offic,
IN the MCGOWAN building in this city
and Is now considered one of the bes
lawyers In the national capital.
Judge MCGOWAN has the distinction O
oeing one of the defending lawyers II
the only impeachment trial ever ha,
~ IN the state of Michigan. He was asso
S S"s' with Hon. John b. Shipley in tn
ueiense OF Charles A. Edmonds. VIII,
Us. Ia nnpeaehed before the state senat
WINE ne was land commissioner 70
IT,, Nhh'Si ihuCn time ana exceed
hey hard work Judge MCGOWAN an,
,s associate succeeded in securing tn
- ".quittal of their client. The proceed
us Vi mat trial make two large vol
~nes OF about 500 pages each, and Il
sa,a Oh the case Judge McGowa
Mns s 1t was one Of the very Difficult
, ~ Of my life, and the worl
- une case and the anxiety as To tn
S o.come nearly killed me. 1t was per
ina, me hardest case, other than Grim
ma. nave ever pulled through
n nus Greatest Criminal Case.
b,a ni naps the greatest criminal case c
Low, e was the defense of young fel
cb 81" named Martin Bunnel, who wa
emnio with killing the daughter of hi
peonle s., oy cutting her throat. TIL
cas- sOp'e OF Michigan may remember N
~ moss ~. was considered to be tn
ID tim INJURIOUS in the state for a Ion
ed g.. reporters from all over the Unit
watch ~. were sent to Coldwater I
prosoa me proceedings of the trial tn
yo ure attorney had woven aroun
case ., 'unnei an almost impenetrabl
nnb,, Oh circumstantial evidences on
Judo sentiment was all against hin
4 and st,a 'uowan undertook the defens,
10 AFTER talking with r. -. - -