Norwich bulletin., 1913-12-23

T and twenty years in the exalted place of judge of the rights of mankind sup plemented the hopeful significant years of his boyhood and young man had We have just briefly surveyed. If not physically robust, he lacked nothing of determination and fixed purpose Cautious perhaps suspicious, 1 like good general. he accommodated i before venturing into unfamiliar ter ritory. Honesty. like a golden thread ran through his professional activity. As lawyer and a judge he looked for such precedent as rested upon l sound principles He did not allow research to another reason or pre- 1 cedent to prevent justice He was con tent to preserve the best from the past to try all things and hold fast to that which is good His directions to the jury were in clear and well chosen words, seldom equalled and more rarely excelled- His judgments were honest
 During Judge Wheeler's career the personnel of the entire bench was wholly changed many times. So rapid are the mutations of timei If Judge Wheeler, after twenty years of faith. full, efficient service of the state as judge of the superior court. enter tained the ambition to sit in the ex- alted place of a justice of the supreme court of errors, no just criticism could be made, for, in the opinion of his brethren, both on the bench and at the bar, he merited the promotion. It will not be well for the nisi prius bench to believe that patient, efficient and faithful discharge of the high and important office of the arial judge is to be disregarded and the reward of this promotion denied
 But the time comes when the judge of temporal courts for the last time shall command that court be adjourn ed without day. To the complete ex- haustion of physical strength, Judge Wheeler filled out the full measure of duty to the state. From the passing of Judgment he came before the judg- showed his statutes and Judgments unto Israel and whose judgments are true and righteous altogether.
 Donald Gilbert Perkins.
 Amos A. Browning read the follow ing paper and moved it's adoption:
 Memorial and resolutions upon the death of Donald Gilbert Perkins.
 Donald Gilbert Perkins was born in Norwich on the 14th day of June, 1858, He was the son of Edmund Perkins, a lawyer of wide reputation and a leading member of this bar more than half a century ago. After his gradua- tion from Phillips Exeter academy, MT. Perkins studied law in the office of Hon. Lucius Brown, with whom he was later associated in the well known firm of Brown & Perkins. While a student of law he taught school for several terms at East Great Plain and in South Windham. Soon after his admission to the bar in 1873 he was appointed assistant clerk of the Connecticut house of representatives. and at succeeding sessions, in 1883 and 1884, was advanced successively to the clerkship of that body and of the state senate From 1888 to 1889 he was city of In 1880, he married Florence Gould, daughter of George w. Gould, of Nor wich- Mr. Perkins and his wife were killed at Branford on May 10, 1913, as the result of an accident which over- turned the auto in which they were travelling to visit their youngest son in Westport
 During the 34 years that MT Per kins was a member of the bar he built up a large and lucrative practice He quickly disclosed gifts that advanced him rapidly in his profession He was constantly before the counts in this and other counties of Connecticut. He tried many important cases in this state and before the United States courts in Providence Boston and else where. Several eases in which ne was engaged were carried to the supreme court of the United States and were heard in Washington. One of these was the celebrated Mondou case in which MT. Perkins secured a reversal of the decision of the Connecticut courts declaring unconstitutional the act of congress imposing additional liability upon certain common carriers engaged in interstate commerce, and also their decision that it was not the duty of the state court to enforce that law.
 While MT. Perkins was an able and discrete counsellor and wondrously quick in examining the law and un- tangIing the facts of a case or con- troverry, his exceptional gifts were best displayed in the court room. MT. Per- kins was at home In the trial of a cause and no evidence, however un- expected or hostile. disconcerted him. He saw intuitively the issues upon which the decision must turn. Alterca- tions with opposing attorneys were avoided. The remark of an eminent and Ianented judge concerning him animation of witnesses and the con- duct of a case depended no less upon his avoidance of doubtful questions and dangerous Sloughs than the pres entation of the evidence favorable to his client His memory was remark ably accurate and tenacious He took few notes of the testimony and yet the evidence however detailed or con- tiicting seemed always fresh and clear In his mind, and he never lost a point by oversight or forgetfulness.
 As husband and father he was kind, indulgent and generous; as 8 citizen his duties were ever faithfully performed The terrible accident which closed his busy life shocked the community in which he lived and the large number beyond that community who knew him personally or by repu- tation. In the death of MT. Perkins the bar of this county and state lost one of it's leading members.
 Resolved, That the bar of this county desire to record this remembrance and tribute to his eminent gifts and worth and their abiding sense of his loss from among their number. They re- quest that the superior court cause this memorial to be placed upon it's records.
 Resolved, That copy hereof be transmitted by the clerk of the court to the members of his family.
 They were prepared by William H. Shields, Amos A. Browning, Charles B. Wkittlesey.
 Tribute by William H. Shields.
 A fine tribute to the memory of Don aid G. Perkins was made by Attorney William H. Shields, who said in part
 The memorial and resolution of the bar of this county read by Mr. Brown I ing are q fitting recognition of the life and worth of our Late brother, Donald G. Perkins, whose unfortunate and de- ploralole death has left a vacancy in to be completely filed Mir. Perkins died in the fullness of his exJraordi- nary powers and usefulness His TO- bust health and unfi1lno energy gave