Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-11-11

hOnOred By The GratiOt County Bar
Association
OPENING COURT ON MONDAY
Remembered and PraiSed-MrS. whitney,
Hon. A. B. Darragh and Others Present
From st. Louis

On the opening OF court last Mon.
day morning, the Gratiot Count bar
held a memorial in honor of their
deceased brother, l. w. Whitnev.
Judge Stone. president of the bar
association and chairman of the
special comm ittee appointed to prepare
memorial. presented a memorial
which was unanimously adopted as
follows:
Truman w. Whitney of st. Louis
died at Hot Lake Sanitarium. Oregon.
on October l2. 1909 Although it was
not geneally known. he had in fact
been in failing health for some months
prior to his death, and was taken
seriously i'll while on business trip to
the scene of his mining interests in
Oregon. The news of this illness.
followed so quickly nv the announce
ment of his death, came so unexpect-
edly as to be shock to the community
where he had so long resided
He WAS born in Stockbridge. Ing
ham county, Michigan, July 90, 1916.
He reiceived his earlv education in
the public schools at Stockbridge,
later attended school at Austinburg,
Ohio, and was finally graduated from
Hillsdale college After graduation he
studied law in the office of John X.
Parsons of jackson. and in June. 1873.
was admitted to the bar before Judge
Austine n. Giddings at Big Rapids,
Mecosta county. Form newpaper
published at that time, IL being
characterized ''as good an examina-
tion as Verv often occurs in any court
of the state. -
On June %. 1873, Mr.. Whitney was
united in marriage TO Miss Eunice
Marsh of Munith, Michigan, who sur
wives him and resides at ST. Louis in
years ago and from which her husband
was buried on October 10, 1909
During the war of the Rebellion
Mr. Whitney was soldier in the
Union army. On August %. 1864,
when eighteen years of age. he enlist
ed AS a private in Co. f. Sth Michigan
Volunteer Cavalry and was mus cred
ont with his regiment in June, 1865
After his admission to the bar he
pacticed for a time RJ Morley. Mecosta
county. but in the fall of 1874, came
20 ha ,a, ota;, so
home and continued his professional
work during the remainder of mis- life
period of thlrtv-hve wears In
January following his removal to ST
Louis, be formed law partnership
with James X Wright. which continu-
ed until January l. 1877. when the
firm dissolved and a similar connection
was established with Charles W Gid.
dings for one year. In 1875 and again
in 1878, he was elected prosecuting
attorney of Gratiot county He was
an able prosecutor and left good
record. With this exceptions. he never
held public office and was not promi-
nent or active in politics
When the Toledo & Ann AIbor. rail-
road was built to st. Louis. Mr..
Whitney became local attorney for the
company and thus commenced that
part of his professional work which
most largely engaged his attention
during his mature wears. He soon
demonstrated his ability as a railroad
LAWYER, particularly in ths--trial of
confessed cases, and he was made
general attorney for the road. which
position he held at the time of his
death, despite the numerous reorgani-
cations and change of management
which occurred in the company. AS
railroad lawyer he became widely
known personally and by reputation,
throughout the state and much i'm
portant litigation was entrusted to his
charge
Mr.. Whitney had also large
private practice. and was a familiar
figure in the courts of this and adioin-
ing counties. He was especially
adaDted TO, and interested in the trial
of criminal cases. and enioyed we'll
deserved reputation as successful
criminal lawyer. In all his practice
he was uniformly liberal and obliging-
ing and in those matters and things
in which consistently with the in
terests of his clients. n lawyer NAV be
accommodating. and upon his word
and promise the profession could i'm
plicitlv rely. He seemed not to favor
Continued OIL page four.