Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-19

L 10 uue very ~ IliS hiiAdiy
couragement and wise precept, to his
generous desire to be more than even
handed and to an association with a
noble, upright and high minded man
and that perhaps therefore / am Der
ter qualified than anyone else to refer
to his personal character and quail
ties.
Mr.. Heath was regarded by some as
cold and unsocial. because he often
passed them on the street without no.
ticing them, but he early learned that
power of concentration of mind upon
the subject matter in hand, which he
possessed in a most remarkable de-
gree, and he took his business out
upon the street with him. The prob
lens in his mind, at the conclusion of
his office hours. remained there all the
way to his home, unless something
important changed the subject matter
in his mind. and | have frequently ae-
companied him. hesitaung to break
the trend of his thought, when he
would walk, at his deliberate pace,
with his head down. without speak
ing, until 1 left him at his door.
But once let him throw off the cares
of business and he was social and
genial, the life of the party. We all
remember him at our bar outings. our
banquets the casual meetings in the
attorneys room outside of court hours
He was very fond of a good story
and liked to repeat them, especially
anecdotes and "reminiscences of the
bench and bar. But his wit had no
sting. He never used it to wound any
one and for this reason he was very
popular as an after dinner speaker,
who had the secret of so mingling hui
NOR with serious fact that he held the
attention of his audience to the end, an
invaluable attainment for the man who
responds TO toast in the wee sma
hours when his auditors are satiated
botii physically and mentally.
But it was in his home life that he
was at his best. True manhood best
thriVes in the religion of the home"
For number of years we occupied
adjoining cottages at the lake during
the summer months and our families
were together at one camp or the 9TH
er nearly every evening Then it was,
in the quiet of the family circle. far
from business cares and perplexties,
that he was at his best His wit fair
- sNihiiiiil0Is anu ne utIlS1lleu play
jokes and stir up the young people.
AT camp he was young with the rest
of Us, 4 boy again among his boys and
girls of whom he was so fond
In the office every ones who ever
worked for him loved him, and the
young men who studied law in the Of
flee tand during his long career there
We're manv) We're his life long friends.
A recent letter to me from one says
Although | seldom saw or heard from
him, yet ] felt sure of his loyalty and
kindness in case of need" Under a
cool exterior he concealed a tender
ness that showed itself constantly in
acts Of kindness to those who needed
help and sympathy, and all who had
the pleasure of knowing him loved him
for his genial. simple, homelike con-
duet-and those who knew him best
loved him most.
Mr. Heath had, perhaps, the reputa-
ton among some Of being adverse to
doing business except for the wealthy
where he could expect large fees, but
an examination of his books and files
would disclose thousands of dollars
worth of work performed with no hope
or expectation of reward except the
sense of having done good deed. His
charities were of the quiet unpublish-
ed type. not intended to be seen of
men.
One of the most important cases he
ever tried. involving weeks of court
work and months of preparation, was
undertaken for a person of moderate
means. With no prospect of adequate
ord a uFh he
thoroughly convinced of the innocence
of the accused and thought great in
justice was being done
Recently. again, he spent several
days in defence of a young men ac-
eused of a crime which it afterwards
appeared he did not commit and took
not d cent of pay for his services.
He liked to see right and justice pre-
vail regardless of legal technicalities
and had no patience with a client who
vented to find some way to evade a
just law or regulation for his own adj
vantage.
If a cause was just he could fight to
the. bitter end as his opponents well
knew, but he wanted nothing to do
With any unrighteous cause, nc mat
ter who might be the client or how
large the fee. AS he himself once said
of another attorney: He fought with
the sword of soldier. not the dagger
of an assassin
The welfare of his city and his State
he had always at heart, and every
movement for social, civic, benevolent
or religious progress found him a
hearty supporter.
His guiding hand has helped many a
legislative committee in the drafting
and putting through of measures for
the general welfare, and many time
he could truthfully have said to them:
I appear here for myself and for the
state OF Maine, not as the paid attor-
ney of any client or interest"
For the youth of the land, the young
men and women struggling for an ed
ucat,on, he had great concern. For a
number of years he has spoken be-
fore the students of each of the col
leges delivering such address as "The
Art OF Cross examination, and other
addresses before the Law school al
Orono; "Medico Legal Ethics before
the Medical school at Bowdoin and
Pubic Speaking before several Of
10 81,