Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-19

Died at Small Point, Sunday evening
last, Hon. Orville Dewey Baker of this
city.
| Mr.. Baker was bora in Augusta, De-
cember 23, 1S47, and was consequently
in mis- siNty-tirst year. He WAS born
in the same house which he had oc-
cupied all his life. His father was
Joseph Baker, very distinguished
lawyer. Mr.. Baker graduated from
Dowdoin College in the class of 1868,
studied law with his father and COM
pleted his legal education at the Har-
ward Law school from which he gradu-
ated with high honors in 1872. The
same year he was admitted to the bar
and began the long career of hard and
| successful work which has just now
terminated. In 1883 he was admitted
| to practice before the United States
Supreme Court and in 1885 he became
attorney general, serving two terms.
During this time he conducted the
prosecution of David l.. Stain and Oil
yer Cromwell convicted of having
murdered Cashier Barron Of the DeX-
ter Savings Bank-one of the most
was counsel in many other great cases,
and Of late years often appeared for
water companies in appraisal proceed
ings. of which the most important was
the case ii the Portland Water compa-
MES which occupied several months
last spring. He was counsel for the
Maine Central and Boston Il Maine
Railroads, Western Union Telegraph
| Tf.a tny1,
wards Manufacturing Company, Hall
DWELL Graz mite Works, the estate of j.
Manchester Haynes and in the ex-
tensivc timber .ani litigatlons OF the
Coburn heirs.
| Mr.. Baker was unmarried. Ills sur
viving relatives are Mrs. f. c. Dudley
of Augusta, Mrs. r. w. Dunn OF
Watc.viile, Mrs. Albert $. Rice Of
Rockland, Mrs. Alfred +. Buck of At
ianta. Ga. Mrs. Frank A. Ham of Hall
DWELL, Sanford A. Baker of Chicago,
Henry B. Lewis Of China and sister
now living in Lynn, Mass.
AS lawyer Mr.. Baker has LETT a
name ana reputation that comes to but
few men in any state. He had the
best of training His mind was en-
riched by the ripe scholarship that
came from his four Well-Spcnt years
1T Rowdoin. There he was close
student, his standing prophetic of his
future ability Travel and study in
Europe broadcned his mind carly in
youth He fitted for the bar ut Har-
ward Law School. showing even then
a mastery grasp of the law as a
? philosophical science. He came to the
Bar in 1872 in partnership with his
father Joseph Baker, then the &C
knowledged leader of the Bar Of Maine.
, The son grew rapidly, not because Of
. his fathers standing but from his own
, power. He early became known as a
trial LAWYER There he was at his best.
: His rise was rapid and in many re
, spectS remarka bic. X is unnecessary
to recount the many notable cases IN
which he appeared in this and other
!. states. During the past twenty-five
. wears there have been but few great
cases in Maine in which he did not
take part Perhaps the famous STAIN
and Cromwell case will be the longest
remembered. No man in Maine OF the
present generation cXccllcd him Lead
ing lawyers have said he had no su-
periors in New England.
In direct examination he built the
, story of the cause with the touch Of
: a novelist. In cross examination he
/ had his greatest weapon There ms
fertility of resource carried his mind
along from point to point with Il skill
. pleasing to all but his opponents. In
advocacy he was aggressive. coliril-
geous. logical and, when the occasion
required it, eloquent. But in the Law
Court. i'm battling for new propositions
of law it is no reflection upon his tel
ow-members OF the Bar to say he had
no equals. So great was his concep-
ton of legal principles. So accurate
was his IDEA Of their relations one with
another, so finely analytical was thc
keenness of his logical mind, that IN
his hands the common law expanded
with society and equity took on new
: shape. He did much for the science he
so dearly loved.
lie WAS never a politician, with little
or no ambition for public office Ite
served his State as attorney general
and honured the office. Beyond that.
he was content to follow his profession.
Still, he was 9 close student OF pupnc
affairs. strongly conservative ana as
firm in his convictions upon public
questions as he was aggressive IN as
, sorting them.
He c5uld well be called an orator, a
much-abused term in modern times
when all takers are called orators
Graceful in manner. of attractive ad-
) dress. with a pleasing, we'll modulated
voice. he brought to his work all the
extor1,als Of true oratory. His dlctlon
/ was rich. at times q prose-poem. But
v.rd,,ainter as he was. he never for
r,t that the real work of an orator is
70 convince. The Juries. judges. lesls-
1.turas and aulie..ces that have listen
: ed to him will all bear witness that
he more often convinced than lost ne