Evening star., 1901-09-25
AS A MARK OF RESPECT
COURT ADJOURNs AS TRIBUTE TO
FRANK T. BROWNING.
Address by Mr. r.. Ross Perry Upon
Announcing the Dcath-The
Courts Comment.

AS mark Of respect to the memory OF
Frank T. Browning Of the local bar, who
died last Monday afternoon. the Supreme
Court Of the District Of Columbia this
morning adjourned until tomorrow. The
death of Mr.. Browning was formally called
to the attention Of the court by Mr.. r. Ross
Perry, who explained that he had known
the deceased for thirty years. Mr.. Perry
paid a high tribute to the life and charac-
ter of Mr.. Browning, saying:
IF your honor please, it seems hard that,
amidst the grief which has afflicted this
whole people, a grief which has been
shared, and SO lessened by the civilized
world. the bar Of this District should be
called upon SO frequently, as it has been
within the last few days, to turn aside
from the general sorrow to its own partic-
ular grief.
Since the blow fell which deprived this
nation of its beloved head there have been
five deaths Of members of this bar. Il re-
minds us of the words Of the universal poet
One woe doth tread upon another's heels,
SO close they follow" But these sorrows,
like all others, have their consolation. 1
think every one must have been impressed
with what has been said by every mouth
of our dead President. 1t was that his
character made the worlds loss-not sim
ply his intellectual attainments, not the
high position which he had achieved, but
it was his character that taught ,he world
destroyed.
And SO I say. we can turn with consola-
tion, midst our own private sorrows, to the
lessons which these lives that have gone
from US, some so suddenly, teach US.
Life Left a Lesson.
Frank T. Browning, whose death it is
my sad duty to announce to the court,
was one Of those men whose lives leave a
lesson. Born nearly fifty years ago, his
attention was early called to the profession
Of the law. His father had been in COM
mercial pursuits, but, as SO often happens
In this American life Of ours, his son
turned aside from the ways Of business,
which had made the father wealthy, to
professional career. He began the study Of
law under Colonel Enoch Totten, whose
recent death is yet fresh in our memories
and whose loss has left wound not yet
healed 1t was to be expected that under
the tutelage OF such man he would come
to the bar as good lawyer. and what Is
much more than that. as an honorable
man-one recognizing that the profession
and that 1t bound him to the highest duties
recognized among men. Faithfully did Mr.
Browning follow that out, attaining in
more than twenty years at this bar prac-
tice which has been equaled by few, realiz-
ing in the substantial rewards OF that prac-
tice competence which left him free in
the last years of his life to relax somewhat
his efforts and to spare himself from that
labor which grinds most of us down the
more we advance in life.
Held in High Esteem.
''It was not only as lawyer that he at
tracted the notice Of the court and gained
for himself it's respect and the high regard
of his fellow members Of the bar. 1 have
yet to hear anything but praise Of him II,
all of the relations Of life. Not one of his
brother lawyers with whom have talked
has spoken of him save in terms of sin
cerest regard. All of his promises were
kept It was not necessary to have them
in writing to bind him. It was his honor
that was always the guide that controlled
his actions.
''In the relation Of a son. Of which 1 hap
pen to know much, he was most dutifuI
and respectful. Perhaps 1t IL q fault with
those Of US VINO are in the decline Of life
that we criticise the younger generation
too Severely. Some Of US are apt to think
that there b less OF reverence and of re-
gard for parents and elders on the part
Of the new generations that are coming
upon the stage. but certainly one had but
to know Mr. Browning to feel that this
was not true In his case. There was no
son ever more dutifui to father and to
mother than he. know much also Of his