Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-04-01

the probate and criminal courts OF lIeaV'
enworth county.
Being Interested in educational mat
tiers, he became a member of the board
OF education of LeavenWOrth. In 1868
and in 1860 he was made its president
and later on was made superintendent
of the public schools. During 1862 and
1868 he was secretary of the Mercantile
Library association of LeavenwOrth and
president of the State Teachers associa-
ton.
IN 1865 he was elected judge of the
district court for the First judicial dis
trlct of Kansas. serving until January,
1869. During the year of 1869 he was
made county attorney of leaVenWOrth,
holding the same until he was elected Il
justice of the supreme court of Kansas
in 1870. He was reelected to the SUI
preme bench in 1876 and again in 1882
In March. 1854. he was appointed Judge
of the circuit court of the United States
for the Eighth district. In parting from
his former associates of the state bench
he wrote an affectionate letter of fare
well. expressing his appreciation of the
assistance he had received from his col
leagues and his regret upon parting from
them.
Big Decision Is Reversed.
AS circuit judge lie ruled that
brewery built when the law sanctioned
and which was constructed with special
reference to such manufacture. and
which could not. without great loss, be
adapted to any other purpose, could not.
after a change of policy in the state, by
which the manufacture of beer was pro-
hlbited be stopped running. until the
amount of the loss had been estimated
and paid to the proprietor. a judgment
which was subsequently reversed by tie
supreme court of the United States
He also enjoined, upon the petition of
certain railroad companies, the railroad
commissioners of the state of Iowa from
putting into force Il schedule of rates
so low that the earnings of the roads
Hereunder would not be sufficient to
pay operating expenses and interest on
their bonds.
Though urged to become q candidate
for the vacancy in the United States
supreme court created by the death of
Justice Matthews he declined, saying:
THE office was not one to be contested
being too high and sacred;' but his
qualifications We're called to the atten-
ton of President Harrison, and it has
been widely reported that his courtesy
and generosity toward his chief com
petitGr, Judge Henry B. Brown of Mich
igan, who had been his classmate at
Yale. so impressed the executive with
his fairness as to secure his promotion
Other Honors He Received.
He was appointed by President Cleve-
land president of the Venezuelan bound
airy commission in 1896 and a member of
the arbitration tribunal to settle the
boundary line between British Guiana
and Venezuela; orator at bicentennial
Yale university, 1901; president inter
national congress of lawyers and iurists
fho &c
LII. d. from Iowa college, Washburn
college, Yale university, State university
of Wisconsin. Wesleyan university. Mid
dletown, Conn. University of Vermont
and Bowdoin college.
He was the author of several books.
among them THE Pew to the Pulpit"
1897; The Twentieth Century from An
izenship.' 1902; THE United States a
Christian Nation" 1905.
Justice Brewer sprang from the re-
markable Field family, which for three
generations has been prominent in
church, state and law. He inherited rich
ly not only from his mother, who was a
sister of Justice Field, but from his
father, who was an early missionary to
Turkey. His face was regarded as the
most intellectual on the bench, the face
at once OF a student and philanthropist.
His forehead was high and broad, his
blue eyes radiated kindness, and the ex-
preston of his lean, clean shaver face,
was geGi;; fv= that of the typical judge.
Like his father, grandfather, and great
grandfather, and number of his uncles,
he was leader at Yale before taking his
degree with the class of 1856. The class
had q membership of ninety-seven, and
the name of David ]. Brewer stood high
on the list. Among Justice Brewers
classmates were Chauncey Depew and
Justice Brown. 1t was a celebrated
class which included many men who
afterwards became lawyers of distinction
and who held high judicial positions.