People's voice., 1900-01-18
KNEW LINCOLN AND COOPER.
Interesting Sketch Of Squire L. D. Chaddon
Of Wellington.

Of Wellington.
1t is probably not generally known
that Squire L. D. ChaddOn of this
city has known and been intimately
acquainted with some OF the greatest
people OF this century, but such is the
case.
Born many years agO-when the
century was yOung-when Lincoln
was but lad Of nine, and Gladstone
yet stripping; when the soldiers of
the war Of 1Sl2-l4 we're almost as
fresh from the scenes Of war as are
now the heroes of SantiagO-he has
met and known some Of the greatest
characters living in his time.
Mr.. Chaddon was born in CoOpers-
town, New York, and when old
enough learned to be a carpenter.
The first work that he was ever sent
to do was to repair the yard fence OF
James FenimOre Cooper, the great
novelist, and many of the scenes and
places described by Cooper in his
Leather Stocking Tales" were
familiar TO Mr.. ChaddOn in his boy
hood.
Before he was twenty years old he
moved to Utica, where he became
acquainted with Roscoe Conkling and
HoratiO D. Seymour. He often saw
Grover Cleveland, although he did
not know him well, but was well ac-
Quainted with Miss Rose Cleveland
lwhO was the lady Of the White
House until Cleyeland's marriage(.
For a number Of years Mr.. Cbaddon
worked at planning mill few miles
from Utica and was frequently visited
by Conkling aud Seymour and the
:hree would often hunt together in
Jhe forests. In the fifties Mr.. Chad.
Ion moved to Champaign, ILL.,, and
while living there held the office OF
justice OF the peace part of the time
and at another time was deputy sher-
if. Ia both positions he met Abe
Lincoln frequently ahd heard him
tell many Of bis quaint stOnes-nOt
all Of which will dn to print. While
David Davis was Judge, Lincoln sat as
Judge pro TEN one evening and tried a
case in which Mr.. ChaddOn was plain.
tiff. The case is mentioned in the
Life of Lincoln" by William H.
Herndon, VINO was LncOln's law
partner for twenty-five years. The
story is to be found in the second
volume, on page 34S, and is as follows:
Several Of us lawyers" remarked
one Of his colleagues, sin the eastern
end Of the circuit annoyed Lincoln
once while he was holding court for
Davis by attempting to defend against
a note to which there we're many max
ers. We had nOlegal, but good moral
defense, but what We wanted most of
all was to Stave it off till the next
term of court by one expedient or
another. We bothered the court till
late Gu Saturday, the day of adjourn
ment. He adjourned for supper with
nothing left but this case to dispose
Of. After supper he heard our twad-
die for nearly an hour, and then made
this odd entry: L. D. Chaddon VS.. ].
D. Beasly ct al, April term, 1856,
Champaign county court. Plea in
abatement by B. z Green, a defend
ant not served, filed Saturday at II
O'Clock am, April a, 1856, stricken
from the files by order of court. De-
murrer to declaration, if there ever
was one, Overruled. Defendants who
are served now. at s o'clock pm, of
tue last day Of the term, ask to plead
TO the merits, which is denied by the
court on the ground that the offer
comes too late, and therefore, as by
nil dicet, Judgment is rendered for
plaintiff. Clerk assess damages. A.
LincOlni Judge pro tenn
"The lawyer who reads this singular
entry will appreciate its oddity if
nobody else does. After making it,
one of the lawyers, on recovering from
his astOnishment, ventured to in
Quire, We'll, Lincoln, how can we
get this case up again?' Lincoln
eyed him Quizzically moment, and
then answered, You have all been so
mighty smart about this case, you
can find out how TO take it up again
yourselves"