The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-29

Slncer1ty-thOSo are the secret OF
the Poindexter success. The peo'
pie believe in him. It was cam.
paign like Lincoln made, travelling
over the district on horseback, that
brought him In close touch with the
voters previous to the congress
sional election. He shook hands
and discussed national affairs with
every farmer in the Inland Empire
One of their number, a plain, out
spoken country lawyer, he met. 1t
was an oldfashioned next-to-the-
people campaign, and it put to rout
six strong opponents.
Through many long years OF toll
and study did Poindexter fit him
self for his later career. He was
born in Memphis, Tenn, three
years after the close of the war, his
father being General Poindexter, in
the Confederate army. A good part
Of his ducation he received at
Fancy Hill academy, in Virginia,
and later he was graduated from
the Washington and Lee university
carrying off class honors.
LONG, LANkY YOUTH.
When he was % years old-in
1S91-Poindexter went west equip
ped to practice law; long, gawky
youth who did not know what to
do with his hands and feet, but
able to hold his own against those
who put up better appearance.
His first experience as yawyer
was gained in the little town OF
Pendleton, Ore, not far from Walla
Walla, Wash, which is one Of the
Oldest settlements In the North
west. To the fact that he became
friendly with Tom Page in Pendle-
ton is due his subsequent marriage
to Elizabeth Gale Page, whose
family boasts the blood Of Indian
tribes who peopled the Pacific slope
countless generations before the
white race took possession Of their
land.
Young Page rode from Pendleton
to Walla Walla every Sunday morn
ing to have dinner with his mother
and sisters. One trip he persuad-
ed Poindexter to go with him, and
the youthful Tennessee lawyer was
his companion on many subsequent
horseback journeys.
You'll find my Pendleton friend
a fine fellow; I'll put my money on
him." said Tom Page laughingly,
as he introduced the stranger to
his favorite sister. Elizabeth.
To-, III f,,,,
was evidently shared by his sister,
for 1t was not so very much later
that she became Mrs. Miles Poin-
dexter.
For six years the Poindexters
lived in Walla Walla. The gawky
youth vecame prosecuting attorney
of the county. Thirteen years ago
he moved to Spokane, and for six
years was deputy prosecuting attor-
ney. Then came his election to
the superior bench as joint Judge
Of two counties. which he left to
enter the congressional campaign
when the district was made vacant
by the elevation Of Wesley l..
Jones to the United States senate.
SPLENDID RECORD ON BENCH.
On the bench Poindexter made a
splendid record. His decisions bore
the marks of deep study. and we're
uniformly JUST Other judges liked
to sit with his In the trial of cases
and liked to exchange benches with
him. His written opinions bore
testimony to the fund Of knowledge
and to the maturity Of judgment
that years of reading and Observa-
ton had brought.
Sleeping only four or five hours
a night, Judge Poindexter had made
use of most of the hours Of dark
ness in reading-classics. fiction,
history, everything that might give
him information. Few men If his
aye Nave been able to store away a
greater fund of useful knowledge.
The habit of sleeping about half
tile. time the average man con
suuSeS Poindexter acquired when
young. yet lack OF the ordinary
amount of rest does not seem to
have impaired his physique, one
reason being his love of the open
air and his insistence upon lib
eral amount of physical exercise
eaeAs.day. IL Napoleon placed those
who slept longer than five hours a
hight in the porcine class he would
have admired the Washington con-
gresham In at least this particular.
On ne stump Poindexter Is not an
oratd, but a clear. logical. con-
vincing speaker-convincing be-
cause of the earnestness and sim
cerity that none can gainsay. He
speaks out just as he thinks. Per
haps voters find this refreshing;
anyway they seem to like 1t. A
vein or humor has helped his time
and again to get the better of his
adversaries.
TWEAkED GRAVES NOSE.
On one occasion Poindexter con-
fronted In court Frank Graves, of
Spokane. a leader at the bar and
one of the Inland Empires wealth
lest men. Ponderously dignified,
Graves was making most serious
argument. The younger man inter
4 n