The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1906-01-24

record requiring admission 70 the
bar, or before justices OF the peace
where such admission was not re-
quired.
First and foremost in point of
time and reputation as lawer was
Major Clark as he was always called.
Where he came from, what his
preparation was or what became of
him, is equally unknown to the
writer. For very many years ne
was the oracle of the law in the lit
tie hamlet. At that time he must
have been in middle life, and had
already acquired sufficient OF what
is called lex scripta, or the law of
the law books, to stand him in good
stead in those days of meager legal
learning. Being naturally of le-
gal turn of mind, he could apply the
principles in which he was well
grounded to the facts of the case in
hand and make what is now called
pretty good guess without study
ing up. He always retained the
confidence of the courts in his
knowledge of the law, and had the
faculty of getting down to the un-
derlying principle governing the
controversy which always in those
days was particularly convincing,
especially before the justices of the
peace. He was what may be
called a silent man; his words we're
measured; he rarely iOked, but was
grave and solemn. He spoke almost
as an oracle, seemingly from deep
well of wisdom, and had faraway
look. Lawyers associated him with
themselves in the trials for guidance
often, but more likely to discuss the
law of the case to the court. He
dispensed counsel on the street,
more often in pleasant weather
from the front door Of the hotel
where he was wont to spend many
an hour. Had it not been for his
confirmed habit, notso rare in those
davs, of continuous use of strong
drink, no one can tell what success
he might have achieved even in
those days of small things. One
thing he did achieve, however, and
that was the universal recognition
of the community that he was. a
profound lawyer.
In those days even justices of the
peace in the village, who had any
legal turn of mind, gradually ac-
quired sufficient knowledge OF the
law from the trials before them to
practice themselves without further
preparation. Such was the case
with Justice of the Peace Arm
strong, who was a conspicuous
figure for many years in both Ca
pacities. He was an Irishnan, or
had some of that blood so essential
to a good lawyer, in his veins
Though quite difident in the use OF
language, he had a faculty ofpretty
carefully sitting the leading and
controlling circumstances of a case
and getting them before court or
Jury as the case might be. He was
rather tall and angular with a
naturally very ruddy complexion
and almost the opposite in appear
ance to Maj. Clark, who was rather
below medium in size with some
thing of a round featured visage
set off with a pointed nose.
Bill Brown was another who con-
fined his legal efforts to courts OF
justices of the peace. He came in
to the law naturally through early
and exciting litigation in his own
family and to a large extent grow
ing out of the property lett oy his
noble brother, George, at the time
of his tragic death at the raising OF
a bent at the mill. Bill Brown for
great many years was regarded
as the best statute lawyer in Sauk
county; in fact he knew little
Of the law than what was contained
in the statutes of Wisconsin, and
these he knew by heart. It gave
him vast advantage over others
who knew even more law, but not
so well, the statutes. Many
victory was won in justice court by
him through such familiarity with
existing laws his adversary knew
nothing of. Bill Brown was an an