The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-06-12
Keokuk, Iowa ........ June Il, 1909.

JuDaE JOHN l.. DILLON.
The current issue OF the Annals Of
Iowa contains an interesting and in
forming sketch Of the character and
life work of Judge John F. Dillon, OF
whom 1t Is said In the introduction
that no other son Of Iowa has con-
ferred more substantial and endur-
ing honor upon her name, or more
justly deserves to be embalned in her
historic archives The article is from
the pen of Hon. Edward H. Stiles,
who for period of thirty years was
! q practicing attorney residing at OF
!, tumwa and during that time was q
leading member OF the Iowa bar.
From 1856 until 1875 he was reporter
! of the supreme court of the state. His
4 reports fill sixteen volumes and are
IN practically every lawyers library.
Judge Dillon was born in New
4 York and came to Iowa as child, so
: he may be reckoned as an Iowa pro-
duct. His home was In Davenport,
where he lived for forty-one years,
until his removal to the city of New
York. After being admitted to the
bar he became successfully q Judge
of the district court; judge and chief
Justice Of the Iowa supreme court,
Judge of the United States circuit
court for the Eighth judicial district,
In which Iowa with other states was
embraced; professor of real estate
and equity jurisprudence in the Co.
lumbia College Law School; Storrs-
professor OF Yale University; author
OF Dillon on Municipal Corporations;
of Removal Of Causes from the State
to the Federal courts; OF billions Re-
ports of the United States Circuit
Court for the Eighth Circuit; OF Laws
and Jurisprudence of England and
America; and OF various opinions,
essays. lectures, addresses and papers
as lawyer, author and publicist of In
ternational fame.
Like Justice Samuel F. Miller OF
the supreme court of the United
States, Judge Dillon began his pro.
fessional life as physician. He
commenced the study Of medicine
when but seventeen years OF age, and
two years thereafter, in 1850, was
graduated as a physician at the Col
lege of Physicians and Surgeon!
at Davenport. This institution
was the immediate predecesso
Of the College of Physicians and Sur
geons of Keokuk, becoming the latte
upon Its removal to this city yea
or two later. Judge Dillon was
charter member Of the first Iowa Stat
Medical society, organized at Burlint
ton in June, 1880. From the NEE
ing at Burlington he went to Farm
ington. where he located for the pra'
tice of his profession. An interes
ing feature Of Mr.. Stiles article is
letter written by Judge Dillon to d
George F. Jenkins of this city,
which he tells of his career as a phi.
stefan and surgeon. Much of the lie
ter is given over to relation of tn
circumstances of post-mortem b
made at Croton in this county. Tn
following extract from his letter
DR.. jenkins, written February i, 100
is Of interest as a matter OF loc
history:
"My exchequer was far fro
plethoric and / was obliged to pra
tice strict economy. | rented for
office a small brick building on Il
crumbling bank of the Des Moin'
river one story high, about TWEEN
feet square, in dilapidated conc
ton. at a cost of "a per month.
engaged board and lodging at boar
ing house kept by Mrs. Corwi
where | made my home during u
three or four months | remained
Pennington at a cost OF $500 p
week. Among the boarders was
Young lawyer by the name OF HOW
who had resided in Harrington son
little time. We became well acquair
cd and spent nearly every eyenil
walking up and down the banks
the Des MONIES river, speculatil
,,non what the future had In
serve for us. He was almost as d.
finite of clients as was OF patien
Fsssrhere were at least two old {
tablisfed physicians in this lit
Mace DIR. Barton and DR.. Lane. He
could young man under twenty yea
of age expect to find employment U
der these circumstances unless DO
of these physicians were engaged
out of the place? / will mention o
case with little particularly sin
it was epochal, having had the effe
of changing the whole current a
career of my life. On the hills ne
Pennington, about two miles dlstal
there was large brickyard. On
hot August day the men worked ha
and their skin being relaxed and thu
appetite vigorous, they ate hear
supper. when cool and grate
breeze sprang up and swept the v
ley. These workmen sat out in
became chilled and two or tfr
hours afterward were seized wi
violent attacks of cholera morbl
They sent post haste to town for
physician, but both DR.. Barton and
Lane were absent, and there W