The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-23

The legal profession in Nevada in
cludes many whose attachments have
made their names known far beyond the
limits of the State. To the new ana
promising field have come cultivated
men of the legal fraternity from all
portions Of the world, men OF strong
personality.
Most of those who early became con
spicuous as Judges and lawyers went
to Nevada unheralded. They were aii
young and untried men at home ana
had neither personal influence nor
family connections to help them lhSo
/ business successes. They depehueo
solely on their own resources ana lnc
strife for success hinged on the SUI
Niyal of the fittest. The fittest ma
was the most successful. The most sue
cessful Judge was the one who dispensed
even-handed justice. +.
AS in all mining States sense Oh
Justice was the predominatlng SENT,
ment of all the men, and If the peopie
could not secure justice through tHe
courts they got it by means OF rope
The admission of the State OF Ne
vada into the Union was a most eNcep-
tional occurrence coming as it did at
the close of the Civil War. Under tne
Territorial Government, many OF the
existing laws and customs peftalninS
to mines and mining claims were IN
herited from Mexico, and thus at the or
ganization of the State they took a long
step toward combining the best or
the legal products of the Old World
with the progressive spirit of the New
World
To enumerate all the distinguished
characters who at an early day formed
the nucleus of a bar. second to none in
any other State in the Union, would be
beyond the limits of this article
OF those living who among the
first to cast their lot with the new
State, william H. Beatty, Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court IF California. flrst
became identified with the judiciary.
Judge Beatty served on the first bench
of the Eighth Judicial District from
1854 to 1875, at which time his legal
attachments were well proved. He was
elevation to the Supreme bench, and dur
ing the years of 1879 and 1880 was its
Chief Justice. After his term OF office
expired he moved to California, and in
1889 was honored with the appointment
of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of California to fill the unexpired term
of Chief Justice Morrison. He has been
reelected twice to this position.
AS the most illustrious advocate Of
the ablest bar any Western State has
produced, it is clearly manifest this
distinction belongs TO Judge John Gar
Der. He early became recognized for
MS pTOIOuIu- his
industry and his high conception of
right and wrong. and his magnificent
presence soon won for him a place in
the Supreme Court, of which he was a
member from 1871 to November 1872.
He then resigned and moved to Cali
fornia, where he is now known as the
nestor of that bar.
Nevada was particularly fortunate in
the judiciary, who, from necessity be-
came builders of the State. Not hav-
ing any one to lean upon they were
self-reliant and the inventive genius of
the hour gave to the bench and bar Il
wider scope and a more varied ex-
perience. which was necessary to nit
their peculiar conditions.
To-day the most prominent and con-
sptcuous man on the bench in Nevada
is Judge Thomas P. Hawley, United
States District Judge for that district
He is man of broad understanding and
rare and varied learning in the law
Judge Hawley's service on the bench
commenced in 1872, when he was elect
ed Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court. He was reelected at each sue
ceeding election until he resigned from
that high office in September, 1890, to
accept the position he now holds to
which he was appointed by President
Harrison.
The position of United States District
Attorney is filled creditably by Sardis
Summerfield of the Reno bar, who is
now holding the office for the secono
term. Mr.. Summerfie1d for many years
has held a distinguished place at the
bar and in public life in Nevada.