The Washington herald., 1914-01-11
Born IN Peaceful Little New York Village Root BY Steady,
Methodical Wssk, Fights His Way Up from Law OF.
6ce to Position Of Secretary Of State.

Field. who laid the first Atlantic cable
OF Mr.. Justice Field, OF the United States
supreme Court. and Of DIR. Field. the IA
nous Presbyterian minister, author. and
editor; James Graham. the ablest Grim
inal lawyer In New York. and William
fullerton. w. o. Bartlett, and J. E Bur-
rill. all practitioners of wide reputation.
The Jury disagreed at the first trial ot
I the case Tweed was convicted at the
| second trial and sentenced to the peni-
tentiary for twelve years and fined
1880 Judge Noah Davis heard the case
at both trials. Before the second trial
opened Tweed's counsel objected in writ
ing to Davis on the ground that he was
rrejudiced.
Withdraws from Tweed's Case,
After the jury came in with a verdict
or guilt, Judge Davis fined Graham. Full
terton. and William o. Bartlett $50 each
TOR contempt of court and administered a
rebuke to Elihu Root and willard Bart
lett saying: II know how apt young
counsel. when associated with more ex-
perienced and distinguished gentlemen,
are to follow their lead than to act upon
their own Judgment
II was afterward said that Elihu Root
really suggested and wrote the document
Of objection. Tweed having been found
guilty. Root, and Bartlett, his partner,
withdrew from his defense. Early in
December. 1S75. Tweed had an interview
at Ludlow street Jail with two lawyers,
neither of whom was Root or Willard
Bartlett. they having ceased to be his
counselors.
The same day Tweed and three Of the
shertn's deputies went to his house In
Madison avenue for dinner. While the
deputies were eating Tweed escaped. He
was traced to Cuba and thence to Spain
where he was arrested. Brought back to
New York, he died in jail and So ended
his strange adventures.
Elihu Root practiced law until he be-
came Secretary Of War during President
Mckinley's first administration New
problems to the government were press
ing for solution in Cuba. Porto Rico, and
the Philippines. President Mckinley ap-
pealed to Elihu Root for support. telling
him that he owed the nation his advice
and active assistance. Mr.. Roots pro-
fessional income at that time was said
to be sloo.Coo year. He came to WASH
ington at an annual salary OF $500.
Seven months after Elihu Root took
public Office, William II. Taft resigned
his place on the bench to accept the
Presidency of the United States Philip
pine Commission The appearance.
therefore. Of these two men in politics
was practically contemporaneous- Elihu
Root more than President Mckinley.
perhaps. was responsible for Judge
Taft's REIMBURSEMENT of the work he
loved the best.
At all events he entered the room at
the. White House during the conference
between Mckinley and Taft and directly
appealed to Taft's patriotism. exactly as
Mckinley had appealed to his own pa
triotism and as Roosevelt later on ap-
pealed to II when he wanted Root. who
had resumed his law practice. to be
Secretary of State. Mr.. Taft has told
me OF the historical scene at the White
House when, yielding to arguments u
Mckinley and Root, he quit the bench
never to return again but to become, in
stead, the President of the United states.
Taft's story of Roots Appeal.
'T was debating decision at the old
Federal building in Cincinnati" he said
to me, when a telegram was put into
my hands from President Mckinley. L