The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-12-08
Z eO,rfUi gributc Paid {. Il Snrn-
did Citizen and Ach0lar an $he,
suriSt and a Gallant A0lHirr N lhC
SOuthcCn Confectionery

Herndon.
The several addresses were feel
IingIy presented by Attorneys Joseph
H. Levy. Il. H tirhtrnStein, 2. Hrnry
Shepherd Newton t.. Blanchard. Ed
ward H. RandoIph Leon r. Smith,
John II. Wilkinson. +. h. Herndon
ST.. W. p. Hall. 2. G.. Barrrt. Elmer
son Bentley, r. WaylrS Browne. +,
IJ Loonry q. W. Hardy and Judge
f. W. Suthrrlin.
This memorial was in Keeping
with the life OF the man and tn"
{ haracl"r Of the gentleman who aS
la citizen, as a scholar. 2> a jurlst
and as a soldier of the Southern
| lCOnfpdcraCy. was true to himself. to
the nobIrsi Of principles and to his
God.
The memorial was adopted as fol-
lows:
Resolutions Of Respect.
On the tith day Of November
Judge Thomas Fletcher Bell IaId
down his burdens and fell asleep.
A massive figure has been re
moved from our midst. the light of
la splendid intellect eXtinguishcd
and brave heart has stopped its
beat.
When we saw him last. his face
was peaceful and contented. but
even death had not robbed it of its
resoluteness.
When we laid him in his last
resting place the hands that had
fought through the greatest war of
Iciviization and that, afterwards,
had wrought to upbuild an impov-
Ierished country, were peacefully
(, folded across his breast.
Those eyes which had seen the
greatest political and social upheav-
ais which this country had known
since it struck freedoms blow were
closed forever OH those shifting
scenes.
Judge Bell chose the law as his
| fife's work and was devoted to its
teachings. In it he sought for the
principles of eternal truth. for he
did not regard it as the medium of
oppression or enrichment, but rath-
er as that through which right and
justice are obtained. Having drunk
deep of the knowledge of the law he
was a lawyer of clearness of per-
lceptiOn and possessed a mind logi-
cal and analytical: as an advocate
he had eloquence, force and facility
of expression rarely heard
When he passed from The bar to
the bench, his mind was ever alert
to catch the equity of case and his
efforts were to "poise the scales in
Justices equal hands" rather than
TO seek technical point upon
which TO base his judgment.
Judge Bell was man of versatile
talents-a ripe lawyer, a profound
jurist, an erudite scholar deeply
versed in history and literature, and
a conversationalist of rare charm.
Uncomplaining he met conditions as
they were presented and though his
life had been full of yeara of expe-
rience and achievements, he did not
live in the past, but grappled with
the problems of the present, for flu
ture's sake.
Wherever he was placed, or took
his position, whether as soldier or
citizen, as lawyer, judge, scholar or,
charming companion, he stood in
the first rank. In fine he was every
inch a man. OF splendid physical
proportions. with strong convic-
tions. unflinching and unfaItering
courage, he knew not fear, physical
or moral, yet his heart was as gen.
tie and his sympathy as tender as a
woman's.
He had no inordinate ambition
for power or place, but was con-
tent to receive as his reward the
consciousness of duty we'll and
faithfully performed
He harbored revenge against no
man; singularly without malice,
critical only of selfishness and the
overlapping aspiration of vain me-
diocrity. his one conspicuous fault
was in hiding his light under
bushel and sitting too low at the
festal board, despite the invitation
to move up higher.
In the practice of law and in the
affairs of life he preferred to lose
point rather than stoop TO conquer.
He had that "chas0ty of honor that
felt stain like a wound
Brevity Of praise and truth In its
Al 4 q u