The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1904-11-12
Committee Submitted Me-
mortal to City Court at
Session Yesterday
WAS READ IN OPEN COURT
Memorial was Prepared by Col c. p,
Goodyear, Who was Chairman of
Committee land Who Was a
Close Friend to Deceased.

The committee appointed by the city
court Monday to prepare a memorial
or the death OF Judge NJ. L. Mershon,
rendered then report yesterday and
the following tribute was paid the for
lner Brunswick arttoney:
To the Honorable David Gale, Judge
of the City Court of Brunswick,
Georgia
The committee appointed by your
honor. to frame a memorial upon the
liie and services of our brother. Judge
Martin /. Mershon. who died on the
lth inst. in Fernandina. Florida, pre-
sent the following:
Judge Martin L. Mershon was a ma
tive Of Floriia. Was a Confederate
soldier, serving with honor and credit
studied Law u,der brother was after
the war married. and came to Bruins
wick in 1871 with his family, wife
and three children. and'for many years
p,acticed law I'm this cireait and city,
and was closely Identified with the civ
ic life and growth Of our city.
or fine physique fine presence there
was a charm and magnetism which
drew friends to him. and held them by
the generous warmheartedness which
was an essential. vital. sincere part
Of the man.
Personally thoroughly brave man,
deeply sensitive. he was ccnslderate of
The feelings Q. othasaausas.Sa had both
wit and humcrlfh marked dcgfee, but
not Of the kilA which stings.
Original views and slssnal express
sions Of them were often so unique as
to become household words. He was
= phrasemaker, and happy one. AS
a lawyer before a jury. he was a most
formidable antagonist, especially in
handling facts, and in the practice OF
criminal law had feew euqals. if any,
and no superiors. /
AS speaker in political campaigns
his arguments were convincing, inter
sIersed with rare wit and humor At
one time in an exciting congressional
convention in Savannah he nearly won
the prize Of a nomination to congress
which would have been equivalent to
an election.
He was for term Of four years Judge
Of the superior court Of the Brunswick
circuit and was an up right and fear
less judicial officer, believing in JUS
tice tempered with mercy upon the
criminal side OF the court, indeed his
hndly attitude impossible to him. lie
vas patient, seeking for thorough in
yestigation, anxious to arrive at tho
re al justice of the cause Courteous
aiways to his brethren Of the bar, es-
Dccially so to its younger members.
His handling Of facts before the
jury always ingenious was at times
50 unexpected yet 50 forceful as 70
e mmand admiration and recognition
on genius. His knowledge Of human
rature. the motives which actuatcd
men under certain conditions was IN
tritiye, rarely was he mistaken His
ttumrhs upon the criminal side OF
the court far exceeded his defeats
his nature was so kindly that prosecu
ton did not ?uit him, his choice was
always the defense Of parties Of crime
lie dealt in slcdge hammer blows OF
lcgic, enlivened by humor, leading OF
Ten to climax Of eloquenCe which
captured not only juries, but all listen
ers. A phrasemaker in ordinary CON
yersation. he would often startle courf
anC jury by condensation or all there
vas to say foI his client in one com
p3ct sentenea He was specially
Iappy in answer to other counsel, and
4 was especially dangerous to inter
rrpt him when he was in conclusion
lie left brunswick years ago, due
to health considerations, and practiced
law at various points in Florida, his
rative state, returned to Georgia for
a time pracucng in our circuit. -Four
years ago he gas stricken with the dis
ease to which he finally succumbed.
| est year he removed TO FsrnaDdina
Fia., where ne had lived and practiced
before, and there died on the fourth
~ November.
lie leaves wife by a second mar.
l4iage and two exceptionally bright
Toys, offsprinss OF that marrige, his
daughter, Miss Mallie Mershon and
his daughter, Mrs. Eliza Craig, tc
deeply mourn his loss. His first wife
1 It most lovabe woman. died many
Il years ago, anl hare in Brunswick IN
j the early years Of b's life, his son Har
Try did, a blow frpm which he nevel