The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-05

all OF whom may be termed the Nestors
of the Ramsey county bar. Away back in
the times when St. Paul consisted prin-
cipally Of mud with a population of In
dams and traders, these three commenced
the practice of law, and all are still en-
gagged in active practice.
WILLIAM PITT MURRAY.
William p Murray was born in Ohio in
1872. He was admitted to the bar in 1S49
Rnl in December of the same year came
to ST Paul and engaged in the practice
Of his profession. He was a member of
the territorial house of representatives In
1852 and 1858, of the council in 1854 and
1850, president of the house in 1857 presi-
dent of the constitutional convention In
the same year; member of the house in
1853, and the senate in 1866 and 1867, of the
house again in 1868 and of the senate in
1873 and 1876, making eleven sessions in all
as a member of the legislature. He was
also a county commissioner and men,
Der of the city council, and for many
years was city attorney. Murray county
Is named after him.
Despite his years Mr.. Murray is in &C
tive practice, sound logician and gooo
taIker He smiled out from under his
heavy gray eyebrows when asked If he
remembered any OF the incidents attend
Ing the early forma ton Of the Ramsey
county bar. Then he grew reminiscent.
We'll, il is of the old attorneys of ter
ritUrial days that you want information,
he said Many have been called and but
few are left. OF the 'forty-niners' Henry
L Moss, Gen. George L. Becker and my
self are all that remain TO tell the tale
Neither of the others are in active prac-
tice If l remember correctly the first
term of the district court for Ramsey
county was held on April s, 1850. All or
the men officially connected with that
term of the court are dead, save Henry
L. Moss, who was district attorney, ana
the clerk. James K. Humphrey. There
was but little civil business. The prin-
cipai industry at that term, and for sew
eraI succeeding terms, was the finding or
Indictments against old citizens for gam
bling and selling liquor without license.
The license was $40 per year, payapIe
semi-annually, and 1t would perhaps De
amusing for a later generation to look
over the court records and note the names
of the pioneers who We're lndlcteu. 1hey
generally came into court, pleaded not
guilty, had their cases continued, ana
inen before the next term of court ar
ranged the matter and that was the last
ever heard of the indictment. 1t may
have. been question OF fees as In later
times.
Within the next few years host OF
Young lawyers located in st. Faul,
among whom were William HollIngshead'
H. r. Nelson, Michael E. Ames John b.
Blisbin Henry J. Horn, Charles E. Elan
drau and Gen. John b. Sanborn. Hol-
hngs head and Horn came from Philadel-
plla. and it was said in these days WHAT
a Philadelphia lawyer lid not know was
not worth knowing. l am inclined to
think the saying correct. l sometimes
think when l read Judge Flandraus Pc
reer sketches in the G | 0 b that he is an
clAer man than l am, and must have
come 10 the territory before Gov Ram
sey, who claims that when he first came
to Minnesota the population consisted Of
Trenchmen, half-breeds, Indian traders,
Indians and a few speculative Yankees.
The pioneer bar of Minnesota has new
pr been surpassed in legal ability or learn
ing R. r. Nelson, within a short time
after his arrival in Minnesota, was ap-
pointed as one of the district judges of
the territory; later on appointed judge
Of the United States district court for the
state of Minnesota, from which he was
recently retired, after over forty years
service. on account of the age limit. No
one was ever retired from the bench with
purer or better record. Judge Elan
1r&u, after d term as Indian agent, pro-
lessor of law at the Redwood agency,
Cne Of the associate judges of the district
court of the territory, afterwards elected
one of the supreme court Judges of the
state at the first election in 1857 after
wards resigned and went to Idaho There
he ran mining camp in connection with
Judge Isaac Atwater, of Minneapolis The
venture was not a success, however and
he returned to St. Paul. He resumed the
practice Of law, and today is one of our
most eminent lawyers and a distinguish
ed citizen of st. Paul
"Hollingshead, Ames, Btisbin and Horn
the three first now dead, they were the
peers of any who came later on in the
profession. Harry Horn as the older
members Of the bar call him, is still in
active practice. Gen. John 3. Sanborn
warrior and politician as we'll as LAWYER
one of the old fellows who has made
his mark. He is still on deck. raising tbo
Old Harry in the chamber of commerce
INC elsewhere, in regard to high taxes
and the extraordinary expenses ne +bo
oodrd or education. 1t might be nossih1o
nat II the general was in accord with his
party, that if the Republicans were evar
o elect another mayor when Kiefer
IOtS 10 congress, the general would make
fairly eood mayor.
here are many other ATTORNEYS If
territorial days who made their mark
81 whom l would like to make mention
put II You would like an old fellow like
myself to tell the story of a lifetime In
hleen or twenty minutes, you are mis-
taken" 'iS
HENRY ]. HORN.
IL he chose, Henry ]. Horn could do
ali the history of the bar from 1S55 for
Il was in that year that he came tn
81. Faul and commenced the practice of
aW He was born in PhiliadeInhia IN
tSzi and read law with Henry D GiIrin
Lhen attorney general of the United
states. He was a partner with Reuben
SIalusha and w. w. Billson for t'noo
III 1897 he was city attorney. afterwards
county attorney and member of tba
school board. INC
MI. Horn is a gentleman Of the old
scEool. courteous to the last degree and in
The practice Of his profession exceedingly
palnstaking. AS it has been expressed
ne belongs to the old school of common
sense lawyers and does not deal in tba