Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1907-05-02
DELMAS SAYS GENIUS is
HARD WORK.

senior counsel in the Thaw trial,
has been the subject of three
column story by Edwin Emerson
in the Boston Herald, from which
the following is taken:
"Delmas was born in France, the
son of French parents. He him
self pronounces his name Delmah,
and in his early days resented any
other pronunciation. He is proud
of bis likeness to Napoleon, and
for this reason prefers to let but
one portrait OF himself get abroad.
This is photo which was taken
many years ago in San Jose, show
ing a stray curl over his forehead
after the manner of certain ia
nous portrait of Napoleon.
"Delmas' people came to Cali
fornia in the gold rush, and set
tied in the Santa Clara valley. In
the town of San Jose street bears
this family name.
"Dephin was educated at the
Jesuit college of Santa Clara, one
of the best classical colleges of
America. He was graduated from
it with the highest honors, and re-
ceived gold medal for his prof.
cheney in the classics.
"Only one other man in Califor-
MIA holds the mate to this medal,
and that is the president of the
college. Delmas, according to the
college authorities, was the bright
est pupil ever graduated from
Santa Clara. Afterward he was
graduated from the Yale Law
school and was admitted to the
Connecticut bar.
They tell this story of his
schoolboy days at Santa Clara:
"Delmas, the better to perfect
himself in Greek, solicited the ia
vor of private readings with Faith
er White, the best Greek scholar
OF the Santa Clara faculty. For
the first lesson he brought his own
copy of Demosthenes' Grafton,
whereas Father White brought
none.
" will you read from my book,
Father?' a ked Delmas.
No replied Father White. Il
need no book. l have my text by
heart
''For the next lesson Delmas
came empty handed.
where is your book, my son?'
asked Father White.
=" i need no book. said Delmas.
i have learned my text by heart.
"Anyone who has ever toiled
through Demosthenes' endless ora
tions may well doubt this tale, but
have it from the lips of Father
White himself
"His story is thoroughly charac-
teristic of Delmas as a student and
lawyer. In Delmas' own words.
There is no such thing as genius.
So'called genius merely means hard
work. If this definition be true,
then Delmas is man of genius,
Apart from Delmas' native abil.
ity and the genius which he him
self would define as hard work.
Delmas owes his high position as
the leader of the California bar
largely to the character of some of
the most prominent cases which he
has tried. Delmas is the only big
lawyer in California who has con-
sistently espoused the cause of the
people against the Southern Pacific.
"Delmas, from the time that he
fought Leland Stanford, Charles
Crocker and Coils p. Huntington,
in the great case of David S. Col
tons widow against those railroad
barons of the past, down to the
present day, has persistently cham.
pioned all manner of legal suits,
big or little, provided they were
brought against the Southern Pa.
cifc.
"A former law partner of Del
mas, who is now engaged in litiga.
tion with his former chief, told me
that Delmas had standing offer
from the Southern Pacific of
$500, 900 retainer, provided only
he would handle no more damage
suits against the railroad"
NEW IDAHO GAME LAW.