Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-10

was given the present day members OF
the Wapello County Bar association by
Judge Robert Sloan, the eminent
jurist of Keosauqua Thursday after
noon at the annual picnic Of the
lawyers and their families Owing to
J the inclement weather, the picnic was
held In the court room. Judge Sloan
who served twenty four years on the
bench in this county, confined mis- re-
| marks to the early bar and the duty
of the present members. His address,
which has an unusual historical value,
is as follows:
But to return again to the bar OF Eye
olden time and call the roll. Call It
as constituted during the year 1863,
which was the first year Of my serv-
ice. Let US call it reverently at first,
for those whom I shall first call are
with the "immortals' and we shall
hear no response. Let us hope, now
ever, that they may hear in the realms
beyond this life, and be glad:
Judge H. B. Hendershott, Judge T..
L. Burton, Judge Norris ]. Williams,
Judge Eugene Fawcett, Judge Thomas
Bigham, Col. S. w. Summers, Major
Fulton, J. w. Dixon, A. w. CASTOR,
Capt. j. G. Hutchinson, Homer D. Ives,
r. w. Boyd, and little later, w. E.
Chambers and e. E. McElroy. 1t is my
recollection that the last two did not
enter the practice until in the early
seventies. There still remain the
names of the living to be called. And
the first is our venerable friend and
associate, Major A. H. Hamilton,
whose distinguished career, an edl-
torial writer, began about this time, w.
H. G. Jaaues, w. W. Cory, William Nc
Nett, who are still with you. Also E. H.
Stiles of Pasadena, CAL, D. G. Beaman
of Denver, who was admitted in the
spring of 1869, and who belongs both
to this and the Van Buren, county bar.
And last, j. T. Hackworth and I. N.
Mast. who later have distinguished
themselves for their business ability,
but were then in active practice.
| It Is no part of my purpose to un-
dertake anything like eulogy upon
any of them. You recognize, however,
among the names belonging to the
dead past, lawyers who would have
added luster to any bar in the United
States. whose careers began with the
organization Of the county, whose
regulations were not confined to this
county. but we're state wide. Men who
distinguished themselves, both on the
bench and at the bar, and did we'll
their part in the development Of the
state and deserve the gratitude Of her
Ipeople. Ny own life touches both the
I past and the present bar. When was
admitted the pioneer members Of the
bar in southeastern Iowa we're in the
prime of life and the vigor of man
hood. and it was my fortune to witness
many of their achievements, their VIC
tories and defeats as we'll as the un.
firing energy, manifest devotion OF
their clients cause, and legal ability
displayed in maintaining it. We may
we'll cherish their memory and emulate
their example. To have had their
Friendship, to have been associated
with them, to have been engaged with
and against them in their legal con-
tests is we'll calculated to induce a
lfeeling of pardonable pride in having
enjoyed such a privilege.
| Pioneers Left Impress.
A great bar perpetuates itself. In
ideed, like the United States senate. 1t
may be regarded as perpetual body
with life membership. Such a bar
tolerates neither idlers nor incompe-
tents. They go quickly to the wall.
Natural talent may go a long way
toward winning success in beginning,
but it will be ephemeral unless supple
|mented by unremitting toll and study.
The pioneers of this bar have left
in indelible impress upon it, and that
impress will be felt in the future as 1t
lis in the present 1t left with you a
Ilaudable ambition to excel In the pro-
fession and no lawyer is worthy Of the
name unless he possesses it.
Beware of the lawyer with one
book" was almost a proverb with
them. because whatever Of legal
principle it contained, was as familiar
to such a lawyer as the elementary
spelling book, and his ability to use
and apply it. none the less apt. The
libraries Of the early days were very
scant. not only on account Of the
paucity of books from which to
| choose, but also for the lack OF
funds with which to obtain them.
The lawyer who was supplied with the
works of Blackstone, Coke, Kent,
Story, Greenleaf, Chitty. together with
the statutes of the state and its SUI
preme court reports was regarded as
nabob in the profession, and had a
right to be proud Of his extensive
library, but his use Of them was never
exclusive, but every lawyer had free
access to them and if Of any account
made good use Of his privileges.
There were no case lawyers then.
The cases did not exist. OF course they
did not hesitate to make use OF them,
when accessible. In the numberless
new questions that arose not only in
the constructions of statutes, but also
lin the application of the common law
/ and the principles of equity, they were
guided by principle in their discus
sions and the courts must necessarily