The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-24
HE CROSSED
THE DESERT
Canidate for Judge Was a Lad
of Mettle..
CHAMPION PAPER SELLER
His Remarkable Trip From
California to Wichita.

One of the most worthy of the many
worthy candidates on the Republican
ticket is Mr. George Alexander, who is
the nominee for judge of the city court.
The ladies cannot vote for him. although
it is said. but not verified, that his oppo-
nent is making a lively campaign among
the fair sex for their votes. The ladies
cannot vote on this office at all, for the
reason that there is neither statute nor
constitutional authority for it. If they
could, Mr. 1Alexander's vote would be
immense one. All they can do, and the
best they can do, is to admonish their
husbands. brothers and sweethearts that
if they don't vote for George Alexander
there will be family trouble.
George, like all the candidates on the
Republican ticket, has record TO be
proud OF. He has in his safe a medal
which proclaimed him at twelve years
Of age the champion boy newspaper seller
OF southern California, the same having
been given him by the San Bernardino
Courier. Mr.. Alexander is proud of the
medal, because it recognizes his ability
in a line of work by which he was enabled
to contribute TO the support Of a widowed
mother for more than five years, or from
the time he was fourteen. With some it
may not seem right that a newsboy
should climb to the bench, but it is an
old fashioned American right for news
paper boy, or any other kind of boy, to
climb anywhere he can, by mis- ability,
reach-to climb even the walls of China.
Mr.. Alexander is a Wichita-born boy
having first seen the light of day in an
humble cottage almost across the street
from the government building His father
before him came to Wichita so young
that he attended the Wichita public
schools. When he was a small boy he
went to California with his widowed
mother There he remained until he was
fourteen.
One day twelve or thirteen years ago
Judge Wall went home to luncheon and
found his hopeful nephew there. not look
ing any too prosperous. why, George,
where did you come from?" Then is
when Judge Wall learned that George
Alexander was a lad of mettle and then
and there decided to educate him and
make him one of the future great law
yers of Wichita. That he succeeded well
is evidenced by the fact that Mr.. Alex
ander is today one of the brightest
among the young lawyers practicing be
supreme courts of the state.
The story Judge Wall learned was that
George lohged to come back to the place
of his birth. One day, in California, he
decided upon il and with a few dollars
less than a dollar for every year he then
was old, he tackled the journey He
couldn't pay the regular fare for he did
not have one-fifth of it, but he was
bright ard captivating youth and the
railroad men helped him along. He knew
he had to face the long, uninhabitable
deserts of Arizona and he husbanded his
little financial resources for that partic-
ular geographical nightmare. He arrived
at Judge Walls house after that remark
able trip with ten cents in his pocket.
Judge Wall sent him to school. and
George went. 1t was what he wanted.
He had to sell newspapers while he ought
TO have been at school. In time he
reached Lewis academy and then he con-
ceived quite an idea for youth. 1t was
the idea to know all the youths of his
age that would eventually constitute the
citizenry Of his permanent home In or
der TO succeed in this he afterwards took
a course in the high school. During all
this time he was studying law way into
the night under the special instructions
and watchful eye of Judge Wall and
when he graduated from school he en-
tered Judge Wallis office He studied
hard and succeeded so well that when he
was % years of age he was admitted to
the bar on what is said to have been the
best examination ever passed by a young
lawyer in Wichita. He was not vet quite
satisfied about his legal finish but went
away TO law college TO take what might
be called post graduate course.
&c
was William Pitt when he was famous
In England, eight years older than Al
exander Hamilton when his constructive
mind was shaping ideas for the American
constitution. exactly the same age that
his uncle. Judge Wall, was when he went
on the bench of the district court of
this courtyard yet his opponent-the
man who thinks the women can vote for
him-says he is too young to be a Judge
even city judge.
What judge needs is knowledge Of
law and its principles. and by the way.
that's what litigants also need in the
mar on the bench. Age might make
wine good. but il has often been known
10 make very poor judges. Judge Dale
was county attorney before he was as old
as George Alexander. and was said to be
a mighty good one. Some men can learn
moreelaw and have a better idea of JUS
tee at % or p than others can have
at s..
MI Alexander is a married man. hav-
ing become the husband Of a young lady
born also in Wichita Miss Frohman.
They are starting out in life. and if there
Is ever time when worthy man ought !
10 set lift from his fellow man II IS !
when he is married Besides being a
lawyer OF fine ability-Judge Wall does
not graduate any other kind-Mr. Alex
ander IS a citizen Of the first class and
man who has learned from the strug-