Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1912-04-12
COL. A. C. ELLIS

any community. He represented
the very best that is in poor.
human nature: He was of the
very bighe.t type of American
citizen siip'
He was university trained at a
time when the higher educational
institutions still clnng to the
severe classical standard and the
student went forth prepared at a
glance to run a word back to its
original root. and at the same
time from his training to judge
intuitively all that was loftiest in
language.
He went from the university to
the law school. In those days, the
training there was not only a
grounding in the science OF the
law, but it extended TO TIE LAWS
appli alton to the infinite forms of
business, but to the rights Of an
and the obligations and powers and
prerogatiVes of governments.
This training was manifest in
Col Ellis every day of his life.
True, he Joined in a rebellion to
rend the Union in twain. but
behind him was the furious public
opinion of all his friends and
relatives, the training of a life
time = he uprising of millions,
half his co~untrymen, all his person.
al friends.
None of us can tell what we
would have done under the same
impelling causes, and the sincerity
of his convictions was made clear
by the fact that NJ went out and
offered his life for them. and
fought until the cause was lost in
his state and he was a prisoner.
When parolled, he turned his
face to the west and settled in Car
o City, Nevada. and began the
practice of Ian. From the first
day, he appeared in court. those
who heard him and they were
snrewd judges realized that a
masterful scholar and profound
lawyer had appeared among them.
He was never diSrumfitted in
court. The law of any case was
clear to him at a glance, and mis-
pre- cntatiNn of a case was most
beautiful. There was no guess
work. II was the application of
an exact science To a problem
and there was never any ~faltering
in presenting in language every
word of which was the right word
to give to his argument light and
power and charm.
From the first day, too, il was
clear that the sorrows and dis
appointments he had suffered,
were never to be given further ex.
preston in his life. Never a
sectional word, never any repin-
ings over lost hopes, but the
building up of a high name in the
sphere in which he found himself,
and by the splendor of his citizen
ship to earn Tor himself a high
name. He succeeded. too He built
up a splendid practice at a bar
where some of the most royal
minds on the coast were daily
competitors; over ard over the
political party to which he be-
longed tried with passionate
earncstress to heap all the honors
in their gift upon him.
And he repaid them. He more
than once canvassed the state, and
the speeches he delivered were as
sharp and incisive ms were ever
delivered in that state, and at the
same time there was a tone ac-
companying them which even now
fingers in the memories Of tie men
who listened to them with n re-
frain like that Of a stately
anthem.
When the great bonanza went
into borasco. Col. Ellis removed to
San Francisco and hero. for
twelve years maintained his place
in the forefront Of the foremost
lawyers of the coast. when he re-
moved to this city. Here he has
left TO his stalwart partners the
active work Of the firm. bui to the
last his brain was clear: his nature
genial and high as ever; ard The
comfort left his loved CUES is that
as husband, father. and citizen his
life vas rounded full. and he has