Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-08-06
MANY SEEKING JUDGESHIP
tcontlnued DOM pnge onel

teaching IN lndlana, ana directed MS at
tention westward. lie came to omaha in
December, 1862 and has resided in Me-
braska more than forty years. He prac-
ticed in Lincoln two years and in 1874
moved to Kearney, where he has resided
since. Appointed judge of the Tenth
judicial district by Governor Dawes in
1888, he was twice elected to the same
position. being defeated in 1891 by Judge
Silas A. Holcomb by thirteen votes. Since
then Mr.. Hamer has held no political
office. Two years ago he was a candidate
for nomination to the supreme judgeship,
but was beaten out by Judge Fawcett, be-
ing close fourth in the race for the
three places. He is the only republican
running from the west part of the state
Ambrose c. EppeTson of Clay Center was
born in Illinois and removed with his
parents to Nebraska in 1880. when years
old. The family settled on farm near
Fairfield. and there young Epperson was
raised. He attended the grade schools at
Fairfield and took q course in the local
college, going from there to the state
university law school. He graduated with
a diploma in 1899, and is the first graduate
of the university law department to seek
place on the supreme bench. He served
as county attorney Of Clay county four
terms. and later as member OF the SUI
preme court commission.
Samuel p. Davidson of Tecumseh was
born in Macomb county, Illinois, October 8.
1917. He studied law in the offices of Judge
w. E. Nelson of Decatur and Judge Samuel
G. Parks of Lincoln. Ill. He graduated
from Lincoln university at Lincoln, ILL.,, in
1869, with the first honors Of his class. He
was admitted to the bar in 1870 and began
practice at Lincoln. In December. 1872, he
removed to Tecumseh, where he has ever
since been actively engaged in the prac-
tice Of his profession. Mr.. Davidson has
occupied many high offices in the Masonic
order
One Candidate from Omaha.
John M. mcfarland, the only Omaha
candidate on the republican side, is
practicing lawyer. He is a native OF Vir-
ginia, being born in January, 1856, in JEFF
ferson county, now a part of West Vir-
ginia. Mr.. mcfarland was admitted to the
bar at Wheeling, w. v, in 1875 He mar
ried in the same year Agnes Forrest at
Charleston, w Va and they have six
children Admitted to practice in Nebraska
courts in 1879. Mr.. Macfarland kept his
office at Columbus for ten years. While
resident there he held the office OF city
attorney for a time and was twice elected
has lived in Omaha twenty years. and has
engaged largely in criminal practice, hav-
ing been counsel in twenty-three murder
cases. For many years he was active in
fraternal circles, having been chancellor
commander of the Knights OF Pythias of
this state and also supreme representative
OF the same order.
Joseph L. Cobbey of Beatrice, is best
known as the compiler of Cobbeys stat
utes He il a native of Missouri, born at
GAINESVILLE in November, 1853. His father
removed with his family to Benton county,
Iowa. Here young Cobbey helped to open
a new farm twenty-five miles from a rail-
road, in the intervals attending school.
Later he qualified himself to teach school,
afterwaTd taking the scientific course at
Ames college, from which he went to the
Iowa College Of Law at Des Moines, grad
uating with the degree of LII b. Coming
to Nebraska, Cobbey settled at Beatrice
and was admitted to the bar in 1871 where
he has since resided.
Judge Cobbey has held the office of
United States court commissioner. Also
been county judge one term, city attorney
of Beatrice one term, city councilman two
terms. For many years he has devoted
practically all his time to editing the state
statutes and writing law text books. He
tried for the same nomination he is now
seeking two years ago, but did not land it.
On the Democratic Side.
OF the fusion candidates for supreme
judge, James r. Dean of Broken Bow has
served one year on that bench, by appoint
ment of Governor Sheldon. He was a can
didate for the place at the last election,
but was defeated and was defeated again
last year as democratic nominee for con-
gress in the Sixth district.
William l.. Stark OF Aurora, is a native
OF Connecticut, but was admitted to the
bar in Illinois in 1875 A month later he
moved to Hamilton county, in this state.
He was superintendent of schools in Au-
rora two years, later became county judge
for ten years, and was elected to the con-
gress for three terms by the fusion party
He has been lately farming with incidental
practice of law in Aurora.
1. L. Albert OF Columbus, is the author of
the Albert law passed. Has served as SUI
preme court commissioner and special
counsel for the state in the bank guaranty
cases. He was a member OF the state
senate from Platte county in the last legis-
lature. He was a shining light in the
populist party and only of late years a
democrat.
Joel F. West, Omaha, is a Wisconsin
man by birth, in 1856. but was raised in
Iowa, near Cedar Falls. He graduated
from Iowa college in 1877 and was ad-
mitted to the bar at Des Moines in 1879.
He has been a resident OF this city since
1887 engaged in the general practice OF
law.
John Everson of Alma is a Hoos.er, born
in 1866. Moving to Iowa for few years,
the family came TO Nebraska in 1873, After
finishing his education. Mr. Everson taught
school, then studied law. Admitted TO the
bar in 1883, he settled down to practice at
Alma. He has been county attorney and
county Judge of Harlan county.
Willis D. Oldham of Kearney, is the live
platform wire among the fusion candidates.
Born in Missouri, he has retained all the
Bourbon devotion of his native state for
the democracy, and has been in demand