The Washington herald., 1910-03-27

Judge of the United
hand blow that was heard for a consid-
cradle distance. TIE teacher drew a pis-
tol from his pocket and fired, the boy
falling, just where he stood, in the mid
die Of the read.
a hush fell on the. earth. The teacher
and the older boys climbed a fence and
walked away through the field without
particle Of noise. The companions of the
youth who had been shot rode of on
gallop, and the shoes Of their horses
seemed 10 be wool We went TO the mo-
tionless form on the ground, and found
the snow red with blood. A girl asked
me to take the boys head in my lap,
which I did. But death had been IN
Simultaneous. the bullet going straight
through the heart with CHASTITY accuracy
4 was witness before the grand Jury
and, the investigation dragging. I neces-
sarily spent a good deal OF time at the
courthouse. number. OF the famous
lawyers practieing In the region were
then engaged in arguing the constitu-
tional right OF the soldiers OF the civil
war to vote in the field at national cleo
tions I heard their speeches and caught
the meaning and infection of the con-
troversy. l was ten years old, perhaps.
and g call had come, but it was not 10
the ministry.
Left Harvard Law ScheSi.
After leaving college, l went TO Cam
bridge to enter the law department OF
Harvard University About that time my
brother, Benjamin, now Western general
counsel for the Northern Pacific Railway,
and one of the best lawyers on the Pa
clhc Coast. was ready for college. and
my father said he couldn't afford to edu-
cate two OF his Sons simultaneously. but
he would indorse my note at the Ashland
bank and could pay it afterward The
offer was accepted. However, one of the
professors at Harvard got into a dispute
with the authorities Of the university and
went to the Boston Law School. Forty
of Us followed him. and I was graduated
there, and not at Cambridge. 1 was ad-
mitted TO the bar of Massachusetts,. but
puTpOsed TO practice in Cincinnati How
ever, at the request Of my parents. 7 set
tied In Ashland. going into partnership
with an established practitioner"
And at the age OF twenty-four was
nominated for Congress?
Yes. and beaten. because the district
was hopelessly Democratic. Next, my
friends made an unsuccessful attempt to
nominate me for attorney general of
Ohio. After running again for Congress
1 moved to Chicago. 1 had practiced six
years in a rural community and was
pretty good rough-and-tumble lawyer
John Sherman gave me letter TO Leon
ard SWEET. once the partner and friend
OF Abraham Lincoln. He had cleared
nineteen men charged with murder, and
had a large business of a civil character.
l was put on trial in his Office. being
given a cumbersome abstract of title,
which he told me to examine. Toward
the close of the afternoon I took the pa
pers to SWEET and laid them on his desk.
Not Good with Abstracts.
- never did such work. I said, and
never again shall try it. With me. alb
stracts of title are simply impossible.
However. can get ready to try a lawsuit
between here and the courthouse.
IF you can try lawsuits SWEET re-
piled, go to court at 10 O'Clock tomorrow
morning Here are the documents.
1.-The trial lasted for ten days and I
won it, I was Immediately admitted to
the partnership. and so my troubles in
Chicago, somewhat drearily begun, were
soon ended.
Il suppose SWEET often talked about
Abraham Lincoln"
yes, and most interestingly: but in his
public address he became conventional
and was never impressive. I shall always
remember one of his stories because II
revealed Mr.. Lincoln's peculiar moral and
intellectual character. He said that while
living in Bloomington, he was called to
Washington by telegraph. He took the
first train, and, after hard travelling for
thirty-six hours. arrived at the National
Capital early in the morning. Surprising
Mr.. Llncolns business with him to be of
great Importance. he went eirectly to the
White House.
THE President was not fully dressed
for the day-having old carpet slippers
on his feet and a wooden shawl around
his shoulders-but he sat down with SWEET
and talked with him about mutual friends
and acquaintance. After a lengthy visit
and many personal inquiries and answers.