The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-14
ANGST BRILLIANT CAREER
At the AMERICAN BAR
One Of the Few Remaining Links Connecting
the Present With the Past--Became Fa.
nous for Freeing Lannon's Slaves.

his home In the heart OIL New fork CITY.
Since 1894 he has lived in re-
tirement, a stranger to the great
world Of politics and affairs in
which for many years he played so splen-
did a part. In fact, there are doubtless
many people who, while recognizing at
once the great name and achievements OF
William NJ. Evarts, would be obliged to
think twice to recall whether he were
still among the living.
Fifty years ago Mr.. Evarts first became
prominent at the bar OF New York. For
the next forty years his career was an al
most unbroken series OF legal, oratorical
and political triumphs. He Is the only law
yer in the world who ever got single fee
of $4,000, he defended Henry Ward
Beecher in the famous Triton cas-; he help
ed make Rutherford B. Hayes president OF
the United States; he defended President
Andrew johnson when the attempt was
made to impeach him; he represented the
United States in the Alabama claims case:
he served as secretary Of state in the
Hayes cabinet and as attorney general
under johnson, and rounded out his pub
lie career as United States senator from
the imperial state Of New York
Now. In his big. old-fashioned mansion
at Fourteenth street and Second avenue,
New York, says the Chicago Tribune, he
sits In an easy chair before the window on
and hurry Of active life In which his eigh-
ty-one years prevent him from partici-
pating He is one Of the few remaining
links which connect the new generation
with the old. In manner and appearance
he Is gentleman OF the old school. The
sternness of his deep-lined, smooth-shaven
face, with Its prominent nose and firmly
set mouth, was belied on occasion by the
kindly twinkle in his eyes. Even in COM
paratively recent years he has worn the
rolling collar and wide cravat of the for
ties and those who saw him as he passed
to and from the law Offices of Evarts.
Choate & Beaman never failed to look
twice after the slight figure. with its old
fashioned clothes and distinguished bear
ing.
In his old age Mr. Evarts finds himself
surrounded by coterie of stalwart sons,
TO whom the record of their father Is a
constant inspiration. Maxwell Evarts, one
OF the sons who has followed his fathNp
.professiop. uvag with the old 1nvyots n
the big house In Fourteenth street. Skiefs
man Evarts lives around the corner from
his father in East Thirteenth street. Allen
w. Evarts lives In West Twelfth street.
and the remaining son. Prescott Evarts.
Is an Episcopal minister and lives out Of
town.
year ago. on Mr.. Evarts' eightieth
birthday, there was a family reunion In
the big mansion, which was attended by
children and by children's children. Some
of the grandchildren were little ones, whom
the great old lawyer had never seen and
can never see, because within the last
wears his eyesight has almost entirely
failed, But he seemed glad and proud to
have all his descendants gathered about
him once more.
William NJ. Evarts comes of good Puri-
tan ancestry. His father was a philanthro-
pist and the editor of religious magazine
In Boston, where in 1918 William was born.
For many years during his sons younger
life the elder Evarts served as secretary
of the American board of commissioners
for foreign missions.
Young William early became distin-
guished as a student. After getting a good
elementary education he entered Yale col
lege with the famous class of 1887. AT yr'e
he made a record as a thorough student.
being especially fond of and proficient In
the classics Among the men since proni-
nent who were among his classmates were
Samuel j. Tilden. whose claims to the pres
idency Mr. Evarts afterwards successfully
disputed in the interest of Rutherford B.
Hayes: Chief Justice Waite. Attorney Cen
eral Pierrepont, Prof. Lyman, BENJAMIN
Silliman, and others.
Already he had decided to follow the pro-
fession of law, and he went directly fro,
Yale to the Harvard law school. There
ne spent one year, going thence to New
York, where he entered the law office or
Daniel Lord as a student. Two years later
he was admitted to partnership with j.
Prescott Lord.
No sooner had he begun the practice OF
law than Mr.. Eyarts began to achieve a
reputation for a most unusual combina-
ton of qualities. 1t was soon seen that
he was a man OF untiring industry; the
careful and thorough preparation OF his
cases showed that His ability easily made
itself felt, and withal it was recognized
that he was modest and retiring in char
acter. The earnestness and conscientious
ness which he showed in everything he
undertook won him almost immediate
recognition as one of the strong men OF
the New York bar.
In 1s49 his partner, Mr.. Hall. was APP
pointed United States district attorney He
made Mr.. Evarts his deputy. which posi-
ton he occupied for nearly four years.
Here he got his first taste for public life
while at the same time his conduct of
some of the important cases intrusted to
his charge attracted public attention to
his remarkable abilities.
The first of these celebrated cases In
which Mr.. Evarts won fame was that
growing out OF what is known as the
Cleopatra expedition" which was started
with the intention of making a raid on
the island of Cuba and melting the inhab-
itants TO rebellion. The secret of the expe-
dition, however, was betrayed and the
vessel was stopped. In the legal proceed
ings which followed Mr.. Eyarts dis
tinguished himself.
Even In these early days the slavery
question was pressing for settlement: the
North and South were already arrayed
the one against the other. and there Were
famous legal battles which. perhaps, post
poned for the time the final appeal TO
arms In one Of these controversies Mr.
Evarts played a prominent and a v.ctori-
Gus part and made his name familiar
throughout the North.
A vessel from Virginia brought plant
err named Lennon TO New York, en- route
TO Texas. He had on board a cargo of
slaves While the ship was in the harbor
of New York the Anti Slavery Society pro-
cured wri.s of habeas corpus and sum-