The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-11
Bar Association Pays a Tri-
butte to the Memory of
Charles H. Winfield.
EULOGIES BY WELL KNOWN LAWYERS
Judge Hudspplh's Touching De-
scription Of the Home of the
Orator, Lawyer and Nan
Of Letters.

Inc meeting OF the BAR ASSocldeioli,
yesterday afternoon, in Chancery Cham
bers, to AXE action in reference TO the
death of ex-Prosecutor Charles II. Win
field, was slimly attended, because, as
Judge H%udspeth explained it, many law
yers were at the Court of Errors and the
notice was so sudden. Mr.. Charles H.
Hartshorne, president of the association
presided, and, in the absence of the reg
ular secretary, Mr.. Isaac F. G~oldenhorn
oficiated.
Among the prominent lawyers present
were Judge Robert S. Hudspeth, Prose
cutor James s. Erwin, former Judge VIM.
Tt. Hoffman,, former Judge Thomas r.
Noonan, Charles C. Black, Washington
B. Williams. John A. DENIM, Joseph
Smith, Max T. Rosenberg, COMMISSIONS
Isaac Romano, James Furey, Thos. j..
Kennedy, Max Salinger, Henry NJ. Nc
Cartin, Fl. Van Dyke, John DeHart. W.
II. Lewis, Commissioner Linsley Rowe,
Earle Linsley, C. K. Reed, Judge Thos.
f. Bedle, James p. Northrop, w. c. Cud-
lipp. Otto Grouse, Flavel MCGEE, Cort-
landt Palmer, Henry NJ. ~Traphagen, w
D.. Edwards and Flavel MCGEE.
Mr.. Washington B. Williams in moving
a minute of coincidence, said that Mt.
Winfield was one of the Oldest men at
the bar. He knew him first as a student
in Mr.. Zabriskie's office, just as he was
entering the profession, and he, Mr.. VIII
Hams. learned enough of him then to
know that he was an indefatigable stu
dent seeking to get at facts and the foun-
tain-head of the law.
THE methods Them continued Mr..
Williams, were different from the pres
ent. A student had to write out pleadings
and documents and thus became familiar
lied with the principles of law. Mr. Win
field loved study, loved legal study, and
there was no branch of knowledge IN
which he did not find recreation and de-
light. Particularly he loved historical re-
search and with his genial sense OF humor
he would delve among the memorials OF
the past for quaint doings of former
burgomasters in Holland villages to Illus
trate his He acquired a good
knowledge of the Dutch language and he
edited an edition of the Field Book of
1896. which is a monument of industry"
Mr.. williams compared Mr.. Winfield in
some points with Washington Irving.
Turning to the late Prosecutors legal
character he said Mr.. Winfield was an
active and skilled advocate, fearless and
always well prepared. His skill in cross
examining a witness was remarkable. and
if caught unprepared no man could better
conceal it than he. Regarded as a lawyer
and a literary man he was a model and
instructor and possessed a disposition for
earnest work worthy of all emulation.
Mr.. Williams closed his speech by NOV
ing the following minute:-
'sThe members of the bar of Hudson
county having learned OF the decease q
Winfield, on the 9th inst, after a protraet-
ed illness, desire TO record their memory
of and respect for him in the following
"Mr. Winfield was one of the oldest
lawyers of this county, and was educaIed
in the now almost ancient school when
drew its early inspiration from Black
stone, Coke and even Littleton. He was
a close student and a keen debater, and
to an impressive voice and manner he
a skilled dialectician. He loved literature
for its own salSe-he loved historical re-
search, and never was so thoroughly and
SO genially at home as when he was
turning over the quaint handwriting of
colonial lines. New Jersey, this county
and this city, owe much to his antiquar-
ian research, and had he been able or en-
couraged to carry out all his plans Of his
torical labor, he would have left a still
nobler monument of his industry and love
f Hlsto niy 81 sfa Hud 5nan County npw e and his sh cn ms
iously annotated edition OF the Field
Book. ,,
was faithful. skillful and untiring. No
labor deferred him, and no adversary
alarmed him. His courage grew with OPP
position. and he was like those generals
smoke of battle.
Tie was a conspicuous man while at
the bar; and it is probable that the pro-
fession has been deprived of many a
brilliant argument on the civil side of the
court by his devotion of late years to the
duties of Prosecutor of the Pleas. which
he discharged with such signal fidelity
1--WE tender our sincere coincidence 70
his family II friends in their bereay:-
rnent and direct that the courts of this
county be requested 70 record these reso-
lutions.'
Prosecutor j. S. Erwin said that the
death of Mr.. Winfield was a great loss
10 him personally, for he had in him u
friend, one whose ability, energy and
genius he always admired. "Ie.' said Mr..
Erwin. was the greatest Prosecutor the
county ever knew. His activity in work
was well Illustrated in the records Of
the Prosecutors office. As an orator and
htterateur he was second to none"
Mr.. Joseph NJ. Smith paid tribute to Mr..
Winfield, saying that his death was a
great loss to him, since he had been a
friend ever since he (Mr. SMITH entered
the legal profession
Judge Hudspeth regretted that The as
s~ociates of the dead Prosecutor were not
present to speak a few last words. He
accounted for their absence by the fact
that the Court of Errors and Appeals was
in session, and many of the lawyers
were engaged there. Mr.. Winfield's
DEATH" continued the Judge, IVA a great
loss to the county. All knew his genius
| and had been charmed with the magic Of
his eloquence. AT meetings Of the Bar
Association, he said. when some
brother passed away who had not felt
his pulse quicken and his eye fill with
tears as Mr.. Winfield spoke? AS Prose
cutor he had no equal. He could grasp
a case with the keenest perception and
all knew how agressively he followed the
violators of the law he prosecuted.
"A great element of his character was
| his love Of home, Z continued Judge IIud-
| speth; This love of his wife and the hap-
| piness and enjoyment of his fireside.
Home was holy. When I heard of his
| death went to that home. There, lying
on d lounge in a room, surrounded by
luxury and things which make life living
| for, he lay PROSTATE. It reminded me OF
| a giant and rugged oak lying stricken to
| the ground. By his side knelt his COM