Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-11-06
DEATH OF JUDGE PAUL
n Distinguished Jurist Brother-in-
Law of Nr. VIM. v Green.


Judge John Paul, well known here
10 members Of the Bar and many
other citizens, died asst Friday al MS
home IN Harrison burg, after loug
illness with heart trouble.
Hon. John Paul was born in 1889
near Paups Mill, in Rockingham
county, Virginia. Tie was a son OF
Peter Paul, now deceased, farmer
well known IN this section of the val
ley. His early days were spent as a
boy on the farm, working ia the
summer and attending district school
In winter. In lS59-6O he taught
school for the purpose of securing
means with which to prosecute his
studies and in the fall of the latter
year he entered Roanoke college. at
Salem, Va. At the outbreak of the
Civil War he left college and was
one OF number of students who
enlisted In the Salem Artillery. AT
ter serving with that command for
ID months he Joined the Filth Vir-
glnla Cavalry, with which he contin-
ued during the remainder Of his
army service. He was severely
wounded at Catlett's Station previous
TO the second battle Of Manassas.
In 1864 be was taken prisoner AZ the
battle of the Wilderness and was
confined in Fort Delaware until the
close Of hoe lilies.
After thu e1, he did not return 10
college, but cred the Law School
Of the University Of Virginia.
where. IN 1861, he graduated. and
the same year began the practice %
his profession in Harrisonburg. Az
the bar has ability and personal popu.
iarlty soon secured for him good
practice, and ia 1870 be was elected
Commonwealth Attorney for the
county of Rockingham. lie made
line record as res0lute and able
prosecuting officer and was twice re-
elected. His taste for politics and
hls talent for political leadership
made him a prominent figure 10 the
early agitation of the State debt set
Element, and in 1877 he was elected
to the State Senate. The following
year, the state debt becoming more
and more the dominating issue M
Virginia, Captain Paul was nominal
ed for Congress in the seventh dis
trlct as the Beadiuster candidate
against ! udge John T. Harris. Nr.
Pau. had an enthusiastic following
IN the district aud the contest was
warmly and bitterly waged, but
Judge Harris was reelected. Two
years later be was again the unani-
nous nominee Of the Readjusters for
Congress, aud this time be carried
the district on the face of the returns
by plurality Of 725. The Demo
cratic nominee was Col. Charles n
O'Ferrall. The election was contest
ed. Paul received the certificate of
the cauvassing board, but when the
contest was passed upon bv the
House O'Ferrall was awarded the
seat. During his political career
MIR. Paul was an idolized leader In
the Readjuster party. On the stump
he was bold and AGGRESSIVE aud there
were few speakers of the opposition
who cared 70 meet him In Joint dis
cusslon, which was popular feature
of campaigning in those days. To
him and Capt. Harry Riddlebercer.
of Woodstock, more than any Other
two men, was probably due the
swinging of the"Old Tenth Legion
of Democracy" in the Valley of Nir-
ginia into line for the Readiuster
measures
Judge Alexander Rlves having re-
tired from the United States District
Court for the Western District of
Virginia in 1888, President Arthur
rendered the appointment TO Mr..
Paul Though reluctant to leave
political life, he accepted the appoint
ment and discharged the duties of
the office with marked industry and
ability until incapacitated bv his tiual
illness. a feature Of this admins
tratiou which won for him the high
regard of his fellow Nirginians was
his dlScountcnancInC the practice of
insttuting prosecutions for trivial of.
fences, which had brought the Fed
eral courts into bad odor d'r,o,.y
after the Civil War While sternly
maintaining the authority and digni-
" of his court, he saw to 1t that the
powerful machinery of the Federal
Government WAS not used for po,iti
cal persecution or TO swell the emol
uments of court officers Daring the
last few yearSlitigation over valuable
mineral and timber lands in south
west Virginia threw an enormous
amount of work into his court and
his close application TO the mastery
of prodigiouS records growing ont
of these cases overtaXed his strength.
Judge Paul was exceedingly happy
in his domestic life. He had beau
tifui home near the outskirts of the
town. and me was deeply attached %