Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-17
THE LATE JUDGE RoTHRocK.
Tribute to His Character and Life by
a FHiend and Aaaociafe.

Friend and Associate.
OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 16, 1S99.-To the
Editor Of the Bee: Judge James H.
Rothrock Of Cedar Rapids, Ia, was strick-
en- with death on the evening Of the
14th OF this month. and l wish to pay to
his life, his moral and intellectual eminence
as a citizen and jurist, my homage as a
slight token Of his worth and superior at
tainments in all the departments OF duty to
which he was called by his fellow citizens.
Judge Rothrock's death brings back fresh
in my memory Of the past his many public
and private acts. which attest his true no
bility OF character. his innate devotion to
truth, justice and undimmed integrity of
purpose.
There were no flaws In the moulding OF
his moral. intellectual and personal make
up. His devotion to principle and moral
rectitude was without oetentation or Phari-
saism. but because he had woven into every
fiber Of his personality a practical and all
absorbing devotion to what was right, and
his worthy life was a perpetual benediction.
In private as in his public career.
His domestic life around his home fireside,
with a wife whom he adored and children
whom he loved. and for whom he lived and
concentrated his life-the only real relation
Of a husband and father that discloses what
uc ISdly 10, DcSduSo uuJIlClty CduuOt Dc sue
c~essfully practiced there by husband
and father-he exemplifed in the highest
degree his nobleness Of character. Can
more than this be said Of any man? Less
than this could not Justly be said Of him.
His married life was indissolubly inter woven
with that Of his beloved wife,. and the two
were one and inseparable. A few years
ago Mrs. Rothrock died in southern Cali
fornia. and deaths dart that took her from
him was the same dart that has at last
taken him to her. From that time his mind
and memory followed her into the beyond.
where he now has gone to Join her in a
blissful reunion never again to be broken.
His life was the full ~fruition Of the Chris
tian life. for he fed the hungry, clothed the
naked. visited the sick. and to no one did
he do an Intentional wrong.
Judge Rothrock and myself were both
from Ohio: he from Hillsborough and I
from Bryan, and in the fall of 1860 about the
same time. landed in Upton, strangers to
everybody in that little city and to each
other. both looking for location in which to
practice our profession. The rumblings OF
treason in the south absorbed the attention
OF everybody, trade and traffic were para
iyzed. and nothing but the impending con-
hict was thought Of or talked Of. SO we
drifted together and spent that winter in
Upton, feeling helpless, homeless and
friendless as strangers in a strange land,
among strange people, with very limited
means OF support, hunting for business
when there was no business to be found.
We therefore had nothing to do but to talk
of the future, which seemed dark, gloomy
and unpropitious. The friendship that then
sprung up between us was more than a
friendship on my part, It was an unalloyed
sdmiration for the hea miles Of his charac-
ter. We were both young then, but in all
these years the attachment then formed. the
admiration l then gave to his sterling quail
ties has never faltered or faded.
We were afterwards again brought to-
eether by his being elected Judge OF the
old Eighth Iowa judicial district, from Tip
ton, and / as district attorney Of the sam
district, from Anamosa For several years
we together Travelled the district. occupy
ing rooms together, in which relation my
admiration for him became broadened,
widened, deepened and intensified.
He was a most manly man, a perfect gen.
tleman, d true friend, an uncompromising
patriot, a devoted husband and father, ever
Astounding in truth and justice.
During the thirty-six years Of his judicial
career on the bench no breath of suspicion
was ever raised against his judicial honor
and integrity. 1t could not be, because hi
was intrenched upon the rock OF honesty ant
uprightness. His decisions while on the SUI
preme bench Of that state are quoted with
approval before all the courts OF the land al
models Of correctness and judicial learning
! The bar Of tthe United 9StapesT knows -wht
and what Judge Rothrock was as a 1ufist b,
his many Incompatible opinions on questions
OF public policy and private rights. Thii
could not be otherwise, because his guidini
thought was ever along the lines OF Justice
truth and Righteousness.
In his death We have lost a wise coun
eeilor. a true friend. a Just man. an uprigh