The Tupelo journal., 1905-12-15

| am at a loss to know just
how to write of Col. Jephta Rob-
ms. He was my friend all along
the line from the time / first
knew him, and I feel that it is
very'difiicult for one thus situated
to write a sketch of his dead
friend which will not be consid-
cred too partial. Col. Robins was
one of the committee appointed
by the court to examine j. Fin
ley and me when we were adj
mitted to the bar, and the kind
ness shown us then and there
was never forgotten by me, and
| believe Finley felt the same
way. l had had some slight &C
quaintance with Col. Robins be-
fore he was appointed to examine
us. Before l took any notice
of public matters Col. Robins was
either appointed or elected clerk
of the Vice. hancery Court at
Fulton, but my mem'sry serves
me that the chancellors appointed
clerks for the different counties
of their districts. My memory is
at fault as to the time when he
was appointed clerk of the vice
chancery court at Fulton, but
Int If mist have he en- in the
late forties. Col. Robins was a
native of Pickens District, South
Carolina, and moved from there
to Hamilton Ala, at an early
day, and about 1886, he moved
to Fulton and set tied there, re-
naming there till the early hf-
ties, when he settled his old home
place near Guntown. Col. Rob-
ms did not enter the legal pro
fession till rather late in life.
While he was vice-chancery clerk
at Fulton, he became enamored
with the forms Of proceedings
in that court, and began the
study of law while thus acting
as clerk. He was charmed with
chancery law. and was an adept
in the lore of it's procedure.
When a bill or ans wer came from
Col. Robins hands it had all the
legal technicalitjes of the olden
time requirements, and was COM
plete in every respect, and to a
lawyer was a gem of beauty
He was very careful that every
thing should be inserted in his
papers required by the old prec-
rdents, and also particular that
the writing and punctuation
should be well and accurately
done. He wrote well, and was
always of the opinion that what
ever was worth doing was worth
doing we'll, and prided himself
on never filing paper until de
was sure it contained all it should
contain and the mechanical make
up was the best he could 90 for
it. Col. Robir S never sought
business in any but the chancery
courts; though much business
come to him i'm the circuit court
unsought. He was deficient as
speaker, hav ing a difficulty or
impeachment ir. his speech, and
when employ ed in the circuit
court he usua lily associat cd with
himself some lawyer to DO the
talking in th e case, while he drew
up the pa 3ers and did other
managing in relation thereto:
I remembe r very we'll a lot OF
v hitch he was employed
to bring III the circuit court IN
favor of the Mobile and Ono
Rail Road Co. against many men
for subs :ription to stock in said
IN the early ffties a man
by the name of Wheeler came
throug' a this country soliciting
'ubscr !pitions for stock in the
-oad, md he was a very plausaDle
and had wonderful sue
cess. Almost all who had means
who had none, subscribed
when the road was being COM
thr )ugh here, the company
wanted tt re money, for which
they off. cred their stock. Al
most univ ersally the people who
lad subs cribed refused to pay
setting TIP fraud and misrep-
resentati on by Wheeler in taking
the subs criptions. Col. Robins
was emp Logged ~ the road IN al
,he,;e ca ses and associated with
nD nself therein, Hugh R. Miller
81 Pontotoc. The litigation was
long ard strenuous, finally the