Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-04-24

and might have had, the h.ghest honors
in the gift of our people, because they
loved and trusted him, and believed in
his integrity and his great ability. A
great and good man has left US and We
mourn his loss"
Judge Gleason was followed by lion.
John Young, Who said;
"Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentle
men, II is some forty years since first
became acquainted with our late brother
George Needham Dale. lie was then
located at Island Pond, and was doing
considerable business in the practice OF
the law. From that time down to this
| have met him occasionally in the
courts. | have had the pleasure of meet
ing him as an associate, and have met
him as an antagonist. have always
met him as a friend, and my highest,
deepest, strongest respect for the late
George n. Dale is my respect for him as
a man. AS friend, he was sincere,
strong in his judgments, true. As
practitioner | regarded George n. Dale
as one of the most scientific, logical
members of the bar, whether | had the
pleasure of being associated with him or
was unfortunate enough to be pitted
against him.
"When he sat down to examine case
the first and prime thing with him was
to ascertain as nearly as possible, the
facts, the truth of the matter under COP
sideration. When he had ascertained
that, as nearly as it was possible to as
certain that before the actual trial of
the case, he then turned to ascertaining
what was the real turning point, the
real legal question that lay at the foun.
dation and must be determinative of
that controversy, and after he had as
certained the truth, the real facts of the
case, it was seldom that he failed to dis
cover the exact legal questions that
were determinative, that were the issue,
and he fought his case on the legal lines
which he conceived to be determinative
of that case from the time the case was
started until it ended in the Supreme
Court if, perchance, it went there. OF
course he was not always successful, no
lawyer with a large practice can be, be-
cause it is not the custom that lawyer
who sits down to study case has both
sides before him, and then selects the
side on which he would rather be; but,
so far as have ever seen, so far us
| have ever known Of his practice, it was
on the basis of conscientiously advising
his client what he believed would be the
result of the controversy in the outset,
if carried through the courts then il
the client desired to test that question
upon the facts of law, and employed
Mr.. Dale to assist him, he knew pre-,
cisely what his counsel believed as to
the merits of that case. If the client
was so well convinced that he had to
lose his case that he was induced to set
tie it, then Mr.. Dale had accomplished
the best possible service to his client.
"Again Brother Dale, while he was a
master of his profession, was a master
of the English language. The first time
| ever heard George N. Dale upon the
platform as public speaker was me.
mortal address which he prepared after
the death of the late Benjamin II.
Steele of the Supreme Court, who went
on to the Supreme bench, l believe, the
youngest of any man who has ever gone
on to the bench. His career was short.
1t was said by his friends that his life
was shortened by overwork, and | have
no doubt that was substantially the
truth. Brother Dale's topic was "All
Roads Lead to Rome" 1t was one of
the most convincing public speeches
and one of the most eloquent memorial
addresses | have ever listened to. From
that time down have been present on
several occasions when Brother Dale
has performed like service for his
friends Another one with which most
of you may be familiar was the memo
rial address upon the late Charles f..
Benton, clerk of this court. You will
find many of these addresses that
Brother Dale has left behind, and per-
haps there is where his memory will be
longest kept before the public.
1t has been suggested that Mr.. Dale
might have had any Office in the gift of
the people. If Mr.. Dale's love of Office
had been equal to his ability, if his am
bition for public Office had been such as
his natural and great ability warranted
him in seeking, Mr.. Dale would GER
tainly have been in far higher office
than he ever saw fit to be seeker for.
AS l understand his character, he was
not an Office seeker, but as | said in
opening, in all these different spheres he
was always master mind, but l think
the best tribute, and the one he most
deserved, is the tribute to him as a man,