The Tupelo journal., 1905-11-03
PEN-pICTURES OF THE 0LDEN TIME
SY COL w L. CLAYTON.

III
About the first of January, 1859
HI moved to Fulton, in Itawamba
county to take UP the st udy OF
law, having read a little in Black
stone before then. James l..
Finley also began the study OF
law at the same time and place,
he occupying the Office of Owen
and Owen, and / that of Billiard
and Kitchener. Finley was one
year older than |, and | was then
twenty two, and | am very sure
two country men ever went to
the study of the law knowing
less in respect to what would be
required of US. In those olden
times it was not considered nee
essary that the applicant for adj
mittance to the bar should be
even we'll grounded in legal prin-
ciples, much less be considered
learned in the law. The usual
cause for admission to the prac-
tice was to remain in a lawyers
office for a time and study law,
and do such writing for the firm
with whom the applicant was
studying as might be desired.
If the young man was of good
moral character, and showed
some aptness for the law, he
had no difficulty in securing a
license to practice. | doubt if
Owen and Owen paid but little
attention to the progress Finely
was making and | know Billiard
and Mitchell gave no special at
tentlon to my progress. | did
however, all | could from the
first of January till the first of
March, 1859, in applying my
self to the intricacies OF the law
hoping to be admitted to practic
the first Monday Of March, When
the circuit court would be held.
The time came, and boJn Finley
and | applied for license. 1t was
the custom then to appoint a
committee of three lawyers to
examine the applicants, and they
were taken into a private room
beyond the court house, and eX-
amined or not as the committee
might choose, as the report was
not then required to be sworn
to. | remember very well the
course WA...l was pursued with
~Ice 10 rI-Acy and the writer
u tbs. We even requested to
meet the committee in the office
of Billiard and Kitchener, which
committee consisted of A. b.
Billiard, 3. L. Owen and j. Rob
ms, father of our worthy attor-
ney J. Q. Robins Of Tupelo. Bull
lard was asked to lead of in the
examination, and being my friend
and an old friend Of my father
and knowing that | had not been
reading law long enough TO stand
an examination, he extended the
kindness Of his heart even be-
You'd me over to my friend Finley
and announced himself as sat
isfied. Owen was next called
on, and having Finley III his
Office, and being specially fond
Of him, and his good sense and
knowledge Of the law teaching
the same thing as TO the dellclell-
cies of his friend, took me under
his protecting wing, and MADE
the same announcement which
Judge Billiard had just maze.
Col. Robins, always the frleno OF
the friendless, and the champion
Of all young men struggling Tor
advancement Whom he had reas-
on to believe worthy, sala II
Billiard and Owen, with whom
the young men had been study
ing, were satisfied, he ought to
be and was. But" said he, anu
| see the mischief trinkllng in his
eyes even now as I write after
all these years, young gentle
men, let me give you some adj
vice. Be sure you have your
fees secured. Have only three
chairs in your office, one for your
office, che for yourself one for
your client, and one for your
clients security" and he and
the others gave that old time
la1lch that made the Welkln ring.