New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-25

by any Of his associates at the bar II be
gan at old and exclusive ST. Paurs school Of
Concord y H, and was continued at Primo ton.
from which ne was graduated with the class Of
1874 Completing his strictly technical studies
at the Columbia Law School he first entered III,
offices "f Clarkson y. Potter. brother OF Bishop
Henry - Potter and later those OF Julien T.
Davies. lie began independent practice Ia lST7
When, nine years later. Mr.. NicolI became As
s.stant District Attorney OF Now York County
he was given charge of the immensely Important
cases Of the doodle aldermen" and his prose
cutian Of these with ability and success led Il
his election District Attorney. That Office he
filled with great credit for three years. during
which period ne triumrhautiy conducted a NUM-
Der OF still well remembered prosecutions lie
VAS member II The constitutional Convent IN
Of 1894, serving on tho judiciary and suffrage
committees Ills work there Was admirable and
resulted in laws that have placed additional and
much needed safeguards around tho purity Of
the ballot. Still IN the prime II lie. Mr. Nicoll
may nevertheless already look back upon a career
that has been distineuvely Of public benefit but
with equal certainty he may look forward 10 the
ACHE, cmcnt Of equally good work in tho futur,
in botl public liz, and thc pryat" ptaetiro 81 hi-
profession.
Abr-ir J i.lkuS. who Was Trimmed !u Tho pub
ir schools - New York and ar Columbia Uni
y-rsi,v differs .-ain,-,v .4s.t fr"r tire aN-rae,
i,.,drr al tho .N,t Yurk bar l,...u-. 80 the FAC.
ihat ,Uils specialization has icrorus thr r1lr
ne known for Iis ahln's rcfnr, Jurics. boz
equity work a1d .u that al counsel Early iu
his career and up L. eight years ago NJ Eikus
mad a.. pl,asrr, ard the at1 aHtaS.s 81 as-'-
citation with tho late Colonel Eiw ard e. james
II WAS the offices Of tie firm ~ which Colonel
James vas then TIA. head that Mr.. I.AIs b
gan his career after DIS admission to th' i,,r
In time Dec became "a partner the firm b"iu1
James Scholl q Elkus and later James. S,helL
Elkus * McGuirr. bat il ultimately resumed
til,. odd form Although Colonel James "ni Nj
SchsH are both dead the firm nam" remains
the same Air Elkus being the senior member
Mr. E.Itus Is noted Tor tb" logic and clo-
duenc. with which De argues his cus,s while
his reputation is equally high an authority
upon corporation and commercial Law. Among
the many public bodies he has ably served as
counsel have been IN" Merchants Association.
. the Merchants Protective Association, the Fur
Merchants Association and the American Asso-
citation Of Woonen ami W"rsted Manufacturers.
outside his profession he has assumed few
important business obligations. these including
the presidency Of the Southern Coal and Iron
Company Now but little more than forty he
has deserved a success already won.
The career OF former Surrogate Rastus Seneca
Ransom has one Of its unusual features in the
fact that his legal studies were broken in upon
by The cali To arms in defence of the Union.
Ensting in 1861 he became the first lieutenant
of Company H. 81 the JOth New York Noiun-
tecr Engineers. and served with the Army OF
the Potomac in the Peninsula campaigns az
Mr. Ransom, who IS a native Of Illinois. re-
suned his studies upon receiving his honorable
discharge from the army, and in 1870 came 10
New York. Here he became managing clerk
/ for Chester 4. Arthur and later entered the
partnership Of Arthur. Phelps. Knevals & Ran
som, which firm continued its existence until
the assassination of Garfield called Mr.. Arthur
to the Presidency.
The name OF Judge Henry Elias Rowland in
stinctivcly comes to mind when making an at
tempt to speak of even a restricted list Of true
representatives OF the New York bar. Judge
Rowland, although practising TN the metropolis
for more than fifty years is a native Of New
Hampshire. His classical training was received
at Yale from which university he Was grad
uated with the class Of 81. For his professional
preparation he entered the Harvard Law School
receiving his degree IN 1851
Judge Rowland was admitted to the bar OF
New York in the year Of his graduation, and
has practised here ever since In 1913 and 1874
he was Justice OF the marine court. was the
Republican candidate for judge of the Court
of Common Pleas in 1884 and for justice OF the
Supreme Court in 1887; for several years he
was a member Of the Board OF Aldermen, and in
1890 was at the head Of the Department of
Taxes. AT the present time he fills many i'm
portant offices. including the presidency OF the
Manhattan state Insane Asylum. the Society
for the Relief Of the Destitute Blind I'm the City
of New York and the Society for the Freserva-
ton of the Adirondac1s, and trusteeships in the
Lawyers Title Insurance Company, the Law
yers' Mortgage Company and the Mortgage
lie oil in he nj