The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
UNDERGRADUATES
BRELLIANr ME- VINO HAVE BEEN
CORPORATION oOUEsEL.
n1apy Leaders or tire Isar whe Have sees the
Legal Advisers Of sew YORK Cus-fhe'F
Tendencs Toward Sudgesh'ps-OniN One
Republican Among T~hsm-rheir Ass'stan's'

AAAAI Lenders ct the Unr N1'
LEGAL Advisers or New York Cus-the'r
Tendenc, r.wnrn gudGeshipa-Oniy One
nspnbiican Au,oua ThsnH-rhsir Ass''thn's'
The fret New York Corporation Counsel came
into office during the third Mayoralty OF dc WIZ
Clinton. lie was David 8. Jones, and his fnmo
has been entirely obscured by that oil very ehl-
nent successors. He was followed py pGuen
Edwards, long afterward distinguished CIRCUIT
Judge OF this city. He was q great lawyer
Next came Michael Ulshoofcr, O knickerbockor
OF knickcrbockers, who, with a iiloermah
Christian and a Teutonic surname. was admir-
ably fitted to be tho popular politician in Fam
many Hall that he long was. He was not q
brilliant man. but q plodder and safe adviser.
He was Of distinguished appearance, with deep,
piercing eyes that seemed TO have what 10 now
called hypnotic power. When in time no be-
came a Judge OF the Common Pleas his phlegm,
patience. and plodding was very remarkaolei
but no was as slow at taking q point as q
Scotchmon or John Bull Is at catching a joke.
he was consclentiously tenacious OF the rights
OF others. n lover OF equity, and considerable OF
tho feelings of others. Upon ono occasion q
very prosy lawyer. addressing him for hours,
happened to hint that he was consuming the
judicial time.
"Oh. proceed, my dear sir" was tho reply.
You've been u long period out of my depth,
but perhaps I may soon swim to the surface OF
your contention
He was always q prominent member Of the st.
Nicholas Society and at its banquets his humor
proved highly entertaining.
He was. as Counsel, followed by young Robert
Emmet-son of an Irish exile, and nephew and
namesako of the great Irish martyr to patriot.
ism. He. too, was an ardent Tammany man and
popular politician. The objection made TO him
by the Bucktnils was his youth; but time rom
edird that, and his opinions, as printed in one OF
the official volumcs, show that his youth did
not affect his learning and tact. He. too. sew
eral decades later. mounted the bench. He 10
still represented on bar rolls by sons and grand.
sons. Then, into tho office of Counsel came a
thorough society man. George F. Tallmnn. who
was oftener found in the then growing Union
Club than in chambers or court room. But his
personal qualities prevented hostile criticism.
and he lived a quarter century after his official
retirement to be a Nestor of his favorite club in
its new quarters.
Very great lawyers followed him as Corpora
ton Counsel. The first was Peter A. Cowdrey.
who had won his spurs as n municipal lawyer.
He was sensitive about the pronunciation Of his
surname. and would often interpose with
"Koodrey, II you please" He was a lawyer II
hne presence, and entertained Hospitality at his
Westchester country seat.
Another young member of the bar-the first OF
tho ~anti.Tammany counael-followed in David
GraDalD. VINO tnen blKneQ nlnSelT Junior be-
and also at the bar. He was then the oratorical
leader Of the bar, although yet comparatively
and he had married a belle. the daughter Of
Robert Hyslop. q popular merchant. H. proved
had on his shoulders tho task OF conducting de.
fences to a vexatious tangle q suits growing
day, saving h Getty probably a million of dollars.
The triumph of the %rative American party
| thu Duhliahar in 1RiA. brOught into fhe auTppe.
sion John Leveridgc, who was rather more OF II
real estate than a municipGl lawyer; but al,
though slow he proved himself sure and lived
long afterward to patriarchal age, leaving sons
to continue his professional fame.
three decades in the later ~forties. flftics, and
sixties. James T; Brady. became the ninth Cor.
fessional tr!umphs Of his intimate friend and
| colleague at tho bar. Graham. For a long time IL
one was counsel upon one side in an imGortant
features ot Corporation Counsel Brady in the
T msfHls D in tho = Posi- t% Once ss'' Snild n ' or in r ihs
portrait in the Appellate Court room at tho Con.
head and countenance as Webster had. It SO
happened onco that n London barrister lust ar.
Circuit Court room when tho famous india rub,
Der litigation OF Goodyear vs.; Day was on argu-
m Menh :, mLin " e1s nrpn ~ n n GH hsJrg 3eo'hg
asked OF Clerk Nelson:
Are these samples Of the average brain dis.
play of American lawyers g.
merely; show piSmy heads beside other heads Of
lawyers you will doubtless see."
Brady's employment as Counsel to the city
ceased whom an anti-Tammany Mayor came
Hail. who was a notable lawyer and served as
Attorney General of tho State. Hall had the
fascinated clients, witnesses. Judges and juries
He was the first Corporation Counsel to possess
notable literary ability.
resentative in Henry q. Davies. who. having
served as Alderman of the millionairish Fiji
teenth ward and proved his ability. was re-
Davies was another incumbent with a classic
Two OF his brothers were West Pointers; one,
Charles, professor, OF mathematics at the Mill
tinIuished Union General in the civil war
Henry possessed the same genial and %courtier
like G Hoi gS,y which ihs , hsd Fra sedd his pr9doGesso.
tact and learning, In later years he became a
Supreme Court Justice and Chief Judge oil
the Appeals; and on tho occasion of n visit Il
London he received an ovation from the leGa
Templars as a great exponent and representa-
follow in his professional footsteps. When h;
held the office fees were attached to it, anc
Common Council was extravagant in opening
suburban streets, Of which business Counse
in such cases were enormous and enabled him t
acquire much wealth. He was much criticised
5"f h the ss respoasl ia iSe was s' with i the 4ider%Ha
A. 4. nm nnt eyeni .ad party art once once Simeon 2 Draper APP the,
party, began edging away from Davies, who
carving knife In hand. was shaving some tempt
: ing,ooking Westphalian ham. .
!. Where are you going, SmT' asked Hami!
!, ilton Fish. the elder. Answered Draper, signif
> can!ly tapping his ,~plethoric abdomen, OF tn
: traditional Santa Claus order:
Q I'm afraid the Corporation Counsel 10 pre-
pairing to open n street through my corporation.
{ Next followed Robert J. Dillon as Corporation
Counsel. He patronized the best tailor. shoe
. maker, and halter, in the city, and on his az
a yer. Tulkinghorn. in DickensB'' Bleak House.
He. too. carried out street openings with prof
Q not only to himself. but also to holders OF vi
town lots. Two decades later. under the Ha
t Mayoralty, Dillon served acceptably as CeGtrf
Park Commissioner. for he was n travelled mar
OF experienced taste in art and in landscap
gard ening, and then u gentleman OF leisure.
Tammany's Grand Sachcm. Lorcnzo Il. She,
ard, followed as Corporation Counsel aftor ha'
p ing been District Attorney. He presented
picturesque appearance n public, owing to b
height, graceful Bearing, Roman face, and stril
o ingty arranged hair, d Ia P~ompadou,. He Wa
b an eloquent and scholarly orator, and q lenrne
y lawyer OF. indefatigable industry and bubblin
. over with gcniality after some. preliminai
% brusquencss had passed. away. His devotion
n legal business brought on n ut OF ~apoplcxy frol
E.lIl IL ~ IIal