Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-06-11

Garfield academy, located at Hiram,
Ohio. Upon his return from school
he Immediately went to work upon
his fathers farm, whers he remained
q abort time until the outbreak of the
war between the states. He enlisted
in the Union armv in july, 1861, as q
member of the l41st Ohio regiment of
infantry.
He went to the front with his regi-
ment, and participated in all the
skirmishes aud battles in which his
company was engaged. He was in the
great battle of Shiloh, and was dan
gerously wounded there on April 7,
1862, about year after he had eulisr-
ed. His wounds incapacitating him
from further work in the ranks. he
Joined the recruiting service, and aid
ed in the enlistment Of men TO go to
the front.
After he was discharged near the close
OF hostilities he taught school to earn
the funds necessary to the study of
law, and then entered the Cleveland
Law school. from which he was grad
uated in 1865. He Immediately began
the practice of law in Moorefield, w.
Va, where he remained until the
spring of 1867, when he removed to Pen
dleton county. West Virginia. In 1868
he was elected to the legislature from
Pendleton county, and was reelected
in 1870. During his latter term he in
troduced what is still known as the
''Flick amendment to the laws of
the state, which was designed to re-
store the right of franchise to ex-Con-
federate soldiers in w. Va. He was
appointed to fill an unexpired term as
prosecuting attorney of Grant county
in 1879, and was elected to the same
position in Pendleton county during
thefall of the same year.
He made name and record in these
two counties during his term of resi-
dence there, but was ambitious to get
a footing in a wider field, where his
abilities would bring him greater
return that in the limited sphere in
which he was then engaged, and in
1874 he removed to Martinsburg,
where he resided continuously since.
He Immediately sprang into promi-
nence in the practice of law in this
county, at bar composed in part of
some very distinguished and eminent
lawyers, and was retained for the
trial OF many important eases. He
was republican in politics, and al
though this county was normally dem
ocratic, he was nominated in 1880 by
the republicans for the office OF prose
cutting attorney and won notable
victory after hard and spirited three
cornered fight between himself and
the democratic and Independence
publican candidates. He made his
successful fight during the hot and
bitter presidential contest between
Garfield and Hancock, in which the
famous credit mobilier charges were
made against the republican nomi-
nee. During the campaign the demo.
Gratis charged Garfield with having,
while member of congress. received
check for 1929 for his connection
with the credit mobilier syndicate,
and this incident figured largely in the
local fight for prosecuting attorney.
One night some person scrawled the
figures 1929" on the front of Judge
Flick's office, and he allowed the
marks to remain thee. Laughingly
asked by "a friend what they meant, he
replied:
"Wtll, sir. they mean that | shall
be elected prosecuting attorney OF
Berkeley county by a majority of
329. F"
His prediction was literally true.
and he was declared elected by 329
votes over his closest competitor.
Since that time that con est has been
famous in local history as the 1929
campaign, and Judge Flick has often
humorously referred to the remark
able coincidence.
He did not long remain the states
attorney, however. as he was appoint
ed United States district attorney by
President Garfield. serving in that
important position from 1880 to 1884.
and becoming known throughout the
state as one of the most learned and
vigorous lawyers in the common
wealth. The Office at that time paid
handsome return. and Judge Flick
was enabled to lay the foundation of
future financial independence.
Upon the expiration of his term as
district attorney he was nominated by
the republicans for place on the
supreme bench of West Virginia, and
although he polled more than the
FORMAL republican vote, he was de
feated by his democratic competitor.