Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-05
"REMINISCENCES OF ROCK ISLAND

THE LAW.


toned and also wore a black stock. He
was the trial lawyer of the baT-wOe
be 10 the witness that told a lie il
Knox hal 10 cross-examine him Then
he had a store of fun. and 10 crown II
all, fine Oratorical powers. In the zen
ith of his fame it was difficult to i'm
panel a jury that would find verdict
againsi the party for whom Knox APP
peared. His humor was not confined
TO the jury: IL was often dealt out to
the court. I remember a case in which
the opposite lawyer to Knox was earn
estly insisting upon the trial of an eject
nent case. Knox was not ready. The
court asked Knox what the case was
about.
Your honor. said Knox. 1T is for
very valuable and extensive piece of
land: it is two inches at one end and
runs 70 point at the other"
Mr.. Knox afterwards removed to Chi
lcago. His partner in Rock Island
county for many years was Judge ].
W DTury. a man of small sta ture. but
an able and upright man. who retained
TO the end OF a long life the respect
and love of all who knew him.
was a witness about the year 1856
in a replevin suit that originated in
Moline. \ change of venue was taken
10 Mercer county. Knox was one of
| the lawyers. The court was then held
! at Keithsburg We. lawyers, clients
and witnesses, all got to Keithsburg
very early in the morning; the tavern
/ was in charge of an Irish porter. Knox
was very insistent in getting a room
| he wanted TO sleep. and after Fostering
the porter to know who was in the
different rooms. he referred to another
room. and asked the Irishman with
some warmth. Who is in this?'
The freshman. with his ready wit.
quickly made answer. Two lawyers
and a gentleman"
John ID. HawIey.
The late John B. Hawley at this time
was a young, promising lawyer. He
was or had been states attorney, and
was a conspicuous figure at the bar.
| Associated in business with him, E. T,
| Wells. tall. well appearing man, a
fine lawyer now resident of Denver
as | believe, and afterwards elevated
to the bench, and l have no doubt
adorned it, Both Mr.. Hawley and Mr.
Wells went with the army during the
civil war Mr.. Hawley was afterwards
assistant secretary of the treasury
during the Hayes administration and
! for some time member of congress.
Mr.. Knox was at one time associated
in business with Charles Reed, one OF
the attorneys who defended Guiteau
the murderer of President Garfield.
Another law firm that was promi
nent in Rock Island before the war was
| the firm of Beardsley d Smith. Jerome
Beardsley and Robert w Smith.
The Ideal Lawyer.
Jerome Beardsley was my ideal of a
lawyer He was about feet, 9 inches
| in height. and was regarded as one OF
! the best special pleaders at the bar.
! He was not eloquent like Knox but
| he was forceful and convincing. After
| the lapse of many years, in my minds
| eye l can yet see him as he stood be
| fore a jury in the old court house
with his hands and fingers together
announcing propositions of the law ap
| plicable to the case, and with great
skill applying the law to the facts
shown by the evidence.
Smith, or Bob Smith, as he was ia
military known. was a good lawyer
He went with the army, where he be,
came a general as l remember. and
after the war he located in Chicago
Some OF the lawyers of that day have
passed out of my memory unless, as
sometimes happens, some circum-
stance calls them back again.
AS practicing lawyers of Rock Island
| remember Robert Marshall a Mr..
Andrews. V. NJ. Banding. E. r. Bean, a
Mr.. Chadwick, and there were others.
Some Moline Attorneys.
In that day Moline had few lawyers.
Alfred Webster. a New Yorker. came
10 Moline. pTaCticed law and edited a
Moline paper with one, r. H. Graham,
also lawyer. Webster moved to Rock
Island and was quite successful. He
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