The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-10-22
EGAN TO SPEAK.

Hon. Geo. W. Egan, the Sioux Falls
lawyer, who was recently disbarred
by the supreme court of the state,
will speak at the opera house tomor-
row (Friday) evening. Mr.. Egan has
the reputation of being the finest
orator in the state and his talk will
be especially interesting at this time
as he proposes to give the entire in
side history of the famous Kaufman
case and the events which led up to
his disbarrment.
In a speech at Sioux Falls Thurs
day evening Mr. Egan said in part as
quoted by the Sioux Falls Press:
IF, perchance, | can show you that
there are involved in this case issues
based upon fundamental principles of
liberty and the rights of the plain peo-
pie, then it may be that | can merit
this tribute from my friends and my
neighbors.
I'm my heart is no ranking; in my
mind no great grief. | wish to say
that if it We're in my power this night
to take from any member of the bar Of
Minnehaha county the right to earn
his living | would refuse to do it,"
The speaker told with impressive
pathos of the death of his father from
broken heart, brought on by the
attacks on him, and of the sickness
now of his mother in her Iowa home.
But he declared that tears belonged
to women and children. and added:
Il stand here tonight to defy every
cowardly enemy and assure him that
I can make my living and keep my
home right mere in Sioux Falls and
will do it, so help me God" Whereat
the audience burst into thunderous ap-
plau3e.
The speaker told how he had come
to the state, first appearing in South
Dakota to prosecute a criminal case.
Il cannot conceive he said, why,
when | think of the magnificent abili-
ty of the Minnehaha county bar, they
should have crossed the borders of
Iowa and brought me here to try that
case"
He declared he proposed ito skin
his enemies" and observed:
They have sent word to me that
should not criticise some of these
men. They have told me my lecture
would be reported and l would be
brought before the supreme court for
contempt. But they can not deny me
the Irish-American right Of free speech
not under the stars and stripes.
There are good men in the Mime
haha county bar, men who have not
approved Of this persecution of me.
But If Dick Haney means to lift up
the morals of the bar in this state, as
he says, it is one of my missions to-
night to place before my friend Dick
some pictures of few members of the
Minnehaha county bar. They were all
here when ! came here, so l could not
have contaminated them, especially
since they say / don't know anything
about the law"
Here MIR. Egan described a meeting
held down on Phillips avenue" the
day before the bar association resolved
, to proceed against him and stated it
was attended by r. E. Rodabaugh,
Frank r. Aikens, Harry Judge, c. p.
Bates, County Attorney Orr and Sena-
tor Kittredge.
And l wonder why" Mr.. Egan inter
jected, Senator Kittredge is not out
speaking for the republican ticket, for
l read in the Argus-Leader last spring
that he had developed in a single
night from silent. sphinx-like states
man into magnificent orator. describ-
ing as the tears ran down his classic
cheeks, how he had blistered his feet
running up and down Pennsylvania
avenue for the dear people"
Mr.. Egan said that his attorney was
stopped by the supreme court when
he started to show the jealousy and
feeling against Egan ever since his
arrival In the state, but that the court
allowed Senator Kittredge to walk up
to the bench and pound his fist on 1t,