The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-10-09
OLD FAYETTEVILLE JUR|sTs
Some ReC0IIeCtions of the Bench
and the Bar
climb OF the Law"-Scenes OF Great
Legal Observation-Disclosures of
Brilliant Men OF q PAS Generation.
For The Messenger.

For The Messenger.
Assuming that I have struck a SYM
pathetic chord In the minds of some
OF the readers Of the Messenger by
my article in the issue OF Sunday the
23rd September-perhaps Of the Older
readers, who car themselves recall
some of my "reminiscences; perhaps of
the younger readers, who love to hear
the story of their fathers| will ven
ture On a few more recollections CT
the Old-time bar of Fayetteville.
1t has been an arena for great
achievement in its time; for great legal
battles, victories and defeats; for
doughty Contestants welding the battle
ak; for polished antagonists whirling
the spear of Ithuriel-many Of them
so long dead and gone that the biog-
rapher's pen must rust for its story
to tradition.
John Louis Taylor, a gifted young
Irishman, began practice at the Fay
ettevill bar when hardly more than
10 years Of age, probably about 1889.
1t was said that his family were dis
affected to the J. itish government,
and that his parer IS came to this coun-
try On that account. There was a
story, too, that after Taylor had at
tanned fame and position in this town
and state, n of his uncles in Ireland
was arrested, charged with completely
In the Inflated movement of Robert
Emmett, but was discharged for lack
of evidence.
John Louis Taylor very ably repre-
sented Cumberland in the legislature
1892 to 1894, returning to practise
his profession with signal success. In
1898 he was made judge of the superior
court, where he served continuously 70.
twenty years, being elevated in 1918
to the supreme court bench as chief
Justice, and died in 1929. aged about
62 years, his Masonic funeral being one
of the most imposing ever witnessed
In the state.
A contemporary OF Taylor at the
Fayetteville bar was William Duffy, q
lawyer of profound knowledge, VINE
was regarded as one of the most cru
dite and brilliant expounders and inter-
prefers Of the law in North Carolina,
while before a jury he was unrivaied
for his powers of oratory, invective
and satire. He was q compatriot of
Taylor and was endowed, like him,
with a delicate and rich Imagination.
His Evolutionary gifts were of q very
high order, and as a delightful reader
on the platform, he had no peer, unless
we except w. B.. Meroney, principal of
the high school in the Masonic Lodge,
and one of the most polished and cul-
tured men of his day. Duffy read
law under Judge Murphy. W. r. King,
afterwards vice president of the United
States and Colin Shaw, the first native
of Cumberland to practice the profess
sion. William Duffy removed to Chat
ham county, whore, though his reputa-
ton as a juriSt had preceded him, he
devoted much of his time to literary
pursuits, and died. If I mistake not
about 1880.
John A. Cameron, a Scotchman
practiced at the Fayetteville bar for a
few years at the beginning of the 18th
century, and represented the toWn in
the legislature in 1910, II IL, and
again in 1920. He was appointed
United States consul to Vera Cruz dur
ing the second administration Of James
Monroe, and was United States judge
in Florida during the administration
of Andrew Jackson, and part of the
administration of Martin Van Buren,
He was lost at sea. going down with
the steamer Pulaski on the 18th o.
June, 1888.
John Cameron was a brilliant writer
a man of varied attainments, anG
great versatility of talents, possessed
of large means, both in his own right
and that of his wife. he was an enter.
tainer Of princely hospitality. His
first wife died while on a visit to Scot.
land, and rests under a beautiful monu.
ment on the bank of the Clyde: his
second wife sleeps in the old cemetery
while between the two gifted womer
who had given him their lives and their
love, he found a grave, where the
raves never rest, and the winds never
sleep" in the caves of that cruel Sc;
apostrophised by Mrs. Hernans:
Hold fast thy buried isles and towns
o'erthrown,
But all is not thy own.
Give back the lost and lovely. those
for whom
The prayer went forth through mid.
nights
breathless gloom
And the vain yearning wake mid jes'
and song,
Though not of the Fayetteville bar
his residence here and high position
On the bench, claim for him a place II
this article. Hon. Henry Potter. borr
in Granville county in the year 1765
was appointed United States circuit
judge in the last year Of the admins.
tration Of John Adams, and ably fllet
that position for more than half a cen.
fury. Judge Potter was a trustee Of The
University for nearly sixty years: ht
was the author of a work on the Duty
of Jusices Of the Peace; and, with Jonr
L. Taylor and Lancey. he revised the
statute laws of North Carolina in 1920
Judge Potter resided in a country
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