The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-06-19
HON. EDWARD WHlTSON GUEST
OF THE WALLA WAlLA BAR
ASSOCIATION.
Banquet Given Saturday Evening at
Hotel Dacres-Many Prominent
Attorneys in Attendance.

Hotel DacreS, Drllllant WITH eieclTIC
lights, redolent with the perfume of
rare roses hanging in festoons from
the ceiling and ornamenting the tables.
while Professor Herbert's orchestra
played low, sweet music, forty lawyers
gathered at the banquet board Satur-
day night to do honor to Federal Judge
Whitson. To all outward appearances
it was fine-looking high-ninded body
of noble men, but before the mirth and
jest of the evening was over every
man in it had been singled out and
branded SO that it was made to APP
pear a gathering of forty thieves.
C. C. Gose acted as POSTMASTER and
much of the fun and pleasure OF the
occasion was due to his shafts OF wit
and to his tact in bringing out flashes
of humor and repartee from the jolly
lawyers.
After a delicious menu had been
served, Mrs. Edwards presiding with
grace, patience and dignity during the
two hours insistent demands upon a
punch bowl of wonderful capacity, Mr.,
Gose started the program by speaking
of the purpose of the gathering. He
spoke of the valuable contributions to
the jurisprudence of the nation by our
federal courts and then introduced
Judge WhitsOn as the worthy ap-
pointee to the highest judicial posi-
ton in eastern Washington. Judge
Whitson responded in an eloquent
speech in which he attributed to the
arduous work Of the bar most OF the
great decisions and precedents usually
accredited to the courts. While he ap-
preciated the honor of his promotion
to the bench he recognized the fact
that there were many members of the
bar in this county and in this state
who could have filled the position with
honor. He hoped for continuation
of the cordial relations with the bar
That had so auspiciOusly marked the
opening of his court.
Impromptu speeches were made by
A. J. ellis, Walter Christian, M. o..
Reed, J. H. Pedigo, ]. L. Sharpste1n,
Harry S. Strong, Francis A. Garrecht,
H. S. BIandford and others. Waiter
Christian, who is now state senator
from Pierce county, was called upon
to tell how he passed the commission
bill through the last Legislature. He
admitted the bill had got through in
spite of him and then tried to counter
bv making a thrust at M. O. Reed of
COlfax. The latter was introduced by
the POSTMASTER as the lawyer who
was ALWAYS in contempt of some court
and was always espousing the cause of
some unfortunate woman at ner eX-
nense. Mr.. Reed came back with some
clever gibes at Christian, finishing
with a story of man who sued FOR
L. l0cscs Of
through the negligence of a telegraph
company. When asked by the oppos-
ing lawyer to describe a good meal
this man said it was a feast or good
things that would bring the paunch
of a man seated Is inches from the
table in contact with the same. CHRIS
tan was pointed to as an example OF
what Mine Host Catron's generous
spread had done in that line.
Timothy Paul was called upon as
descendant of one of the earliest pat
riarchs to explain what effect the de-
cision of the United States supreme
court on the union of corporate bodies
would have on the merger OF two
young hearts. Not at all abashed, Mr..
Paul readily replied by quoting the
answer of Socrates to the question
whether or not young man shoulo
marry or not. "Whichever you 90,
said the philosopher, you will regret
it,
J. L. Sharpstein got even with the
bantering of the POSTMASTER by tell
ing of Gose's prOwess as hunter ana
nis ability as a logician. He told how
Gose had proved logically beyond
question that he had killed twenty
birds at one shot by pointing out the
tree in which the birds sat.
In like fashion nearly every man at
the table was made to blush and TO
strike back in self-defense before the
meeting was declared adjourned by
the POSTMASTER.
The fine La France roses overhang-
ing the tables were donated for the
occasion by Mrs. c. c. Gose. other
fine roses came from the court mouse
lawn, but which of the forty guests
was responsible for their being taken
has not been .divulged.