The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-23

fered a severe attack of smallpox 9 few
years before coming to Topeka AMI
his health has never been the same
since then. But during all the 50 years
he has been in Topeka he has practiced
his profession assiduously and has the
respect of all the members of The Shaw
nee county bar. OF late years he has
devoted his attention almost exclusively
to the collection end of the legal prGfes-
sion and has carried on this work with
success and is evidently good for many
more years of this kind of work.
That the members Of the Shawnee
county bar have warm place in their
hearts for Mr.. Baldwin was evidenced
by their action yesterday. Some OF
them learned that it was his eightieth
birthday and Judge Z. T. Hazen,
Judge L. 8. Ferry and Charles H.
Magaw delegated themselves as
committee Of the bar association to
see if some sort Of a remembrance
could not be presented to Mr.. Baldwin
by the association, as a token of the
esteem in which he is held. They had
no trouble in raising $40 among the
few lawyers who are now in the city.
They debated for some time as to
whether or not they should buy him
a token of some sort or give him the
money. AS Mr.. Baldwin has not
been in especially affluent circum-
stances during the last few years, al
though he has always been able to
make living, they decided to give
him the money.
The members of the committee
found Mr.. Baldwin in his office.
among his books and papers, many of
than their owner. He was just a
trifie nonplussed at first at being
waited on by a delegation of such
prominent members OF the bar and
was evidently unable to divine their
purpose He babe them hearty vel
h0,x he CHI
hands with them each of them con
graduated him on the fact that he
was so hale and hearty on his
eightieth birthday. He was q bit sur
prised at this for he is inclined to be
reticent about his affairs and could
the fact that it was his birthday. He
ehatted with the committee for awhile
and then Judge Hazen said:
Joe. we heard you were so years
old today In fact a lot of the law
yers heard of It and they concluded
that you we're the oldest lawyer in the
state in active practice. We accord
insly concluded that It would be fit
ting to make some suitable recogni-
ton. As might be expected among
lawyers, we could not agree on what
would be most suitable, whether we
should give you a banquet. or buy
you diamond to outshine Sam
Radges We accordingly agreed to
give you the money we raised and let
you use 1t in any way you pleased .
and then Judge Hazen handed to Mr.
Baldwin $40 in cash and list of
those who subscribed it
For a minute or two Mr.. Baldwin
was at a loss for words and when he
found speech he expressed his thanks
and said that he really did not like to
accept the money but it was given IN
/ such spirit that he could not do
! otherwise.
1T was most handsome act on the
/ part of the members Of the Shawnee
( Bar asst CATION, said Mr.. Baldwin to-
1 day Il appreciate their kind remem-
/ hrance OF me and thank them for It
1 with all my heart"
Mr.. Baldwin talked most interest
| ingly tcday Of an interesting life which
has been his. He PLAYED his part in
| the war of the rebellion and later
when he was a state senator in Mis-
souri, he succeeded in having the reso-
luton passed creating a commission
/ to lccate the site of the famous st.
Louis Eads bridge He also secured
l the establishment OF the Missouri