The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-12-25
JUDGE STEELE PASSES AWAY
Continued From First Page.


Judge Steele's friends and acquaint.
ances, two Ssuhjects were constantly
remarked up0i; e was bis Rentility
toward and lack OF cri icism of all and
the other, the universal respect OF
others for him
| No man in the community had
fewer harsh words to regret al d none
possessed more highly the confidence
and esteem in the county and town
where his long and active life was
spent,
Judge Steele was gentleman, not
of the old school alone, but OF every
school in every time. He was Lot Cne
who paraded himself as gentleman,
but by his conduct and demeanor he |
forced from all who knew him the
acknow edgement that he was a gentle !
man.
But whatever could be said of Judge |
Steele from a social point Of view, and
much more could be said, it was in his
chusen profession Of lawyer that he
proved his greatest usefulness and
value to the com munity and county In
which he lived. The work OF a lawyer
in the discharge OF his duties TO his
clients and the public may be compar-
ed to dangerous weapon or high
explosive, in that it's use is very val
liable in the hands of one who can and
will properly and intelligently control
| arA y,1Au and docfrInt il q
when iguorautly, carelessly or improp
erly used.
Judge Steele had drunk deep of the
fountain of the law and was noted for
his great knowledge of its underlying
principles. And coupled with this
wide range of knowledge was ready
and accurate mental perception which
enabled him at a glance to see with
remarkable clearness the complete
legal bearings of a question, all Of
which combined to place him at the
head of the column and give his
advice and judgment on intricate
points of law, the weight of author
ity. And, when there we're added to
| Ill6S6 QudllJiOo, lliS illRl VI pOi-
. sonal and professional integrity, his
:, strong sense of justice and absolute
and never failing impartiality of
Judgment, he became the ideal, the
Il honorable lawyer, who sheds luster
upon and bring to his noble profession
:. the confidence and respect of the
IS people. These qualities Judge Steele
!, was universally known to possess and
g their practice undoubtedly made his
K opinions and advice more generally
}. sought than those of any other mem.
Der of the local bar, especially during
IS the latter half Of his professional life,
g position he held at the bar until
b failing health removed him from the
t 1sAks.
:. Judge Steele's mind was naturally
s. of an analytical and investigative
!, turn. He was law scholar and while
none surpassed him in the breadth
and thoroughness of his professional
Il knowledge, others there were more
} adept In the presentation and con-
duct of cases to juries, or as is fire.
IS quently expressed, were better trial
II lawyers. But the best support that a
trial lawyer could have in the trial of
!. case and valuable above his own
brilliancy, however great, would be
the wise, clear headed, sincere sug-
gestions of Judge Steele. But In cases
presented to the court alone, Judge
Steele was pre-eminent, not alone be-
cause of his great knowledge of the
law, but also because Of his known
sincerity and perfect frankness with
courts that he would not urge on the
conrt any proposition of law which
did not have the fair and impartial
endorsement Of his own judgment.
But it was as judge that Judge
Steele performed his greatest service
and that was the place where he sig-
= nalized his great power as an ex-
FOUNDER of the law and proved the
far'reaching thoroughness of his un-
derstanding of the law as we'll as the
possession Of those invaluable quail
ties of temperament I: Patience, JUS
tice and impartiality, which form the
indisputable proof of strong moral
character and convictions. Judge
Steele served approximately 10 years
upon the Common Pleas bench of this
district, from Feb. 1872, to Oct, 1881,
and long before the close of his SER
vice, was looked upon as one of the
fairaSf and most thorOuohlV enuinnad
members of the Ohio bench. 1t was
while serving on the bench that he
was thrown much with the late Judge
r. A. Harrison, of Columbus, who for
uaa 20 haRora hic danth uae nonSidarad