The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-27

Tributes the character and ability
of the late Attorney Hiram f. Stevens,
former state SENATOR who died March
9, were heard yesterday afternoon at
a special session of the district court.
Upon the bench sat Judges Brill, Kelly,
Lewis, Bum and Orr, the sixth magis-
trate, Judge. Jaggard, being out of
town. More than two dozen attorneys,
representing the local bar, constituted
the major part of the attendance.
IS On behalf of the Ramsey County
Bar association, Oscar Hallam pre-
scented a memorial which he asked
might be spread upon the minutes of
the court-a formal request, granted
before the session closed, by Judge
Brill, presiding.
The memorial recited the chief facts.
already published, of Mr.. Stevens ca
reer, and continued:
''He came to st. Paul entirely I'M
known, but his genial, kindly DISPOSE
ton and alert, industrious habits were
such that it was hardly two years be-
fore he was one of the best known
lawyers of the city.
"The activity of Mr.. Stevens tenn
permanent amounted almost to rest
aessness. His intelligence was of the
most alert quality. He devoted him
self with unusual singleness of pur-
pose to the law in its sources and all
its branches. In the state senate he
was recognized as one who took deep
interest in the development of the law
as the most vital of social forces, and
his advice and assistance were con-
stant1y accepted on difficult subjects
of legislation. He took an active in
terest in everything that served to de-
velop the well being of his profession.
He was fluent and gifted speaker.
and was called upon to deliver orations,
political and other addresses, upon
many occasions of moment.
"The mere record of his activities
shows more clearly than any words of
-'eulogy the loss that his profession and
the community have suffered by his
death. His disposition was most kind
ly, his sympathies broad. No intoler-
ance or peevishness ever marred his
intercourse with his fellow members of
the bar. He had no gloomy self-cen-
teredness, but was cheerful and help
full to those about him."
Attorney John D. O'Brien, long a
law partner of Mr.. Stevens, said,
speaking informally:
j. D. o'Brien's Tribute.
'Mr. Stevens, with whom I was as
ISOLATED very intimately in business
for a number of years, and whom /
knew from the time he came to st.
Paul, was a man whose life, during all
this period, and especially during the
term of our partnership, was broader
than the lives of most men. His activ-
tiles were not only greater than mine,
I believe, both professionally and So
cially, but they were more pronounced
than most mems would be. What l
saw of Mr.. Stevens was therefore linn
tied.
ST did see, however. the side Of his
character which he presented as a
lawyer, the side most interesting to us
here. Few, if any, men that L have
known, have filed more completely
lawyer His intelligence was most
lucid. He was never confused on any
point. He knew a thing or he did did
not know it. His knowledge was never
superficial. All his powers of appre-
hension, of comprehension, and of eX-
preston were at his fingers ends. He
was never carried by distractions from
the task in hand. He was singularly
free from prejudice; he looked simply
at the legal task before him. His in
dustry was unequaled.
For example, he once told me that
he spent the whole of his first winter
here in studying the city directory. He
proposed, he said to live here, to prac-
tice here, and he wished to become
thoroughly acquainted with the social
and commercial conditions about him.
This circumstance impressed itself
upon my memory as charaeterizing the
man and displaying, withal, a trace of
eceentrieity.
Towards his fellow citizens in gen
eral he manifested sincere affection and
good will. Sometimes, indeed, he evinc-
ed almost childish desire to enjoy
their good will in return, and to know
of their good will. His physical cour-
age 1 have seldom seen equaled-a
quality, think, that lay at the founda-