Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-11-06
Hons. H. Dzod al
dresses Bar Assn

clark county courier AuuTeSS Oh
Hon. S. II. Elrod given before the
Codington County Bar association at
its meeting and adoption OF resolu-
tons on the death of Hon. {. X. Sew
ard. late Judge OF the circuit cour1.
Of the Clark County Bar association:
MIR. President, until a very few
hours ago, I did not expect to say
anything on this occasion. and now
rise to pay in a very few words that
personal tribute 30 the memoir of
our late circuit Judge of which he and
the work of his life are SO e~minently
worthy. 1t was my good fortune to
meet Charley Seward in Judge Kid
der's court acre in Watertown in
July, 1889. He then spoke words Of
kindness and encouragement hat |
shall never forget, and a friendship
began which grew stronger and yet
stronger day by day until he was tax
I'll away ! liz ny hti as lIt
pioneer lawyer of northeastern South
Dakota. Practically all his life time
and energy was given to the practice
of law from 1880 until he was elected
circuit judge of this circuit. For many
years he was acknowledged 10 be the
strongest lawyer IN Nh" circuit and
one OF the ablest lawyers in ,hr state.
He had a legal mind: knew the law;
was a wise counselor; an exceptional
ly strong trial lawyer. He dit his
work so simply and so easily that he
was most effective. He did not speak
for the applause of the galleries; he
spoke only to convince the court and
,he jury and to accomplish the pur-
pose he had in view. We are all
agreed thar he was an ideal Judge
Charley Seward was kind hearted to
a fault, but how noble to err on that
side in these days Of selfishncss ANA
dollars. He was honest in the broad,
'Sl lltdliiIE VI tldt SOOu Olu WOTN.
No one ever questioned the purity of
his motives. He had no ambition to
accumulate wealth. He liked to win
and usually did win his cases. but
often received little or no compensa-
ton for his services. He might have
had money, but his mind did not run
in hat direction. In these DAYS of
greed let us remember that Charley
Seward died a poor man, and that no
i'll -gotten dollar ever reached his peck
ct, and that from the beginning he
lived a life free from the faint of dis
honesty. He was devoted to his
friends. He may have been too loyal
to them, but he never fell into the
blunder of neglecting them to favor
his or their enemies. Charley Sew
ard had a warm place in his heart for
the people OF Clark county from its
organization to the day of his death.
The first warrant issued by our coun-
~ was drawn to him for legal services
rendered for the county commissions
ers. He probably attended every
term of court held in the county, and
always commanded the respect and
admiration of all present. so mOdestly
yet SO ably did he represent his
client. And when he came to us as
circuit judge all our people were
pleased. Such is the estimate. briefly
stated, that | have conceived of
Charley Seward. He sleeps in yon-
der ever growing city of the dead.
and no words of ours can give him
care or grief. He has nassed from.
this life, and not long hence we must
in our turn join him. May we be so
guided here that when our time comes
our associates may be able truly to
say of us something of the good that
is this day said of Charley Seward.