, 1907-10-28
JUDGE BRAMEL

For almost forty years the figure OF
Judge Bramel passed to and fro upon
the streets of the Gem City. His char
acter, for good or Ill, is printed indell-
bly, upon the history of the city and
state. The good predominates. His
gentle disposition, his sympathetic ma
ture, his unfailing generosity, will en-.
dure, while the faults he had are writ
ten upon the changing sands. In his
day he employed many men and boys.
Ask them the advice given by their
employer. Let him be measured by
their Judgment. He was considerate
of their welfare, prompt in meeting oD-
legations against him II solicitous as
to their habits and mode OF life. BY
precept he pointed the way to the higa.
er and better walks of life. In the old
days, when frontier companions knew
him and loved him best, his was a
good citizenship, and his home was n
haven of sweet happiness and peace.
Judge Bramel's life was u constant
struggle Tor the mastery by the better
elements in man. He united with the
church and other organizations helpful
in holding humanity TO the right course.
He stood for justice in its broadcast
sense. When not beset by the evil in
fiuences hat sometimes oyercame him,
good Judgment marked his daily life
and litigants having business in his
court reached honest, righteous conclu-
sions. And the evil that came to him
was never at the expense of his neigh.
Dor.
Judge Bramel loved appreciation. in
his earlier manhood he was fond of
public speaking and writing. He turn.
ed to newspaper work for u time and
was not unsuccessful. On three oc.
casions he was a proprietor OF a daily
paper In Laramie. His first expert
ence in this field was in 1875 with the
late Colonel E. A. Slack in the publ
cation of the Laramie Daily Sun. Ear
ly in 1876 this paper was sold to the
firm of Hayford 4 Gates, II subse-
Quently, during the spring of the same
year.. Mr.. Bramel started the Laramie
Daily Chronicle, which was continued
till after the election of that year,
when he sold the plant to Webster.
johnson l. Garrett and 1t was moved
to Cheyenne, where 1t was run as II
daily for some time under the name OF
the Cheyenne Gazette. Mr.. Bramel
had some interest in the paper while
it was published at the capital.
While Judge Bramel was engaged in
the publication of the Chronicle some
bitterness sprang up between him and
the Rev. Edmondson, hen pastor Oh
the Methodist church. Edmondson was
a meddler and had his nose into al.
most ~everybody's business. He took
a hand in politics and was bitterly
scored by the Judge for this interfer.
ence. One article that was particular.
ly Objectionable to the preacher had
the following heading: "A Pestiferous,
Pious Politician Pointedly Peppered.'
The article in it's entirety was just ss
pertinent as the heading and resulted
in retaliation on the part Of the minis.
ter by the circulation of a scandalous
story against Judge Bramel that had
no truth in any particular. One day
while busily engaged in the work CT
getting out a daily, the judge went to
the telegraph Office to get some re
port, the boy not having been prompt
in delivery, and as the corner now oc.
cupied by the Laramie Drug company
he met Edmondsop and took him to
task for telling the malicious story
about him. Hot words followed and
the minister, with a sheer that was
exasperating remarked, 'Bramel, l am
not afraid of you" 1t was more than
the hot blood of the judge could stand.
AS quick as a flash he sent a right.
handler to the jaw of the minister and
he measured his length in the gutter.
The editor passed on to his office and
no one there knew OF the occurrence
till some time afterward, when he
came into the composing room with
some copy inc remarked, We'll, l
whipped a preacher while l was out
Later in the DAY he was arrested for
assault and tined that afternoon be,
fore Judge n. l.. Andrews. He plead
ed guilty to having hit the minister
n was fined $40 and costs, which ne
was not permitted to pay. the assem-
bled crowd hastily raising the money
and ~liquidating the fine. The senti-
ment of almost the entire community
was or his side of the case and the
minister soon had to leave the city
because of his unpopularity.
The incident is related simply to
show how quick the judge was to re-
sent an insult. He was elected prose-
cutting attorney of Albany county in
the same election during which this
incident occurred.
AS a public official it may be said
that Judge Bramel was incorruptible.
This fact, together with his strong
sympathetic nature and great adapta-
bility to all circumstances in life, made
OF him a power among the common
people. His third and last expert
n In newspaper work was with
Judge l.. D. Pease in the publication
of the old Laramie Times, in the year
1879. In the days OF his editorial ca.
reer he welded a trenchant pen and
stood for the loftier aims and purposes
in life.
The career Of Judge Bramel was fill,
ed with stirring events. Several sor-
rowful visitations, almost tragical in
their nature, cast shadows across his