Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-11-03

part IN the legislative hall in the ses.
SION OF 1867. and when the question
Vi Inc ratlhcat'on of the 10Th amend
ment came up in that body he return
ed home and called mass MEETING If
the citizens of the county, calling
upon them to express by resolution
.helr sentiments on this great and
important question that he thereby
might be able to voice and vote the
VIII OF his constituents when the
question should come up for a final
vote in the house of representatives
AT this meeting in speech flowing
with patriotism and love of man. he
informed his hearers how he felt and
believed upon the question, but as
Inc question had not been made an
issue, and was not an issue in the late
election, he felt that they should now
have an opportunity to say whether
they were, or were not, in favor of
the adoption of the amend ment, and
announced that his vote in the house
should be in accord with the majority
opinion of his constituents, regardless
OF his own personal opinion.
he cast his vote for tie amendment
as instructed by the meeting, his vote
and the majority voice being in full
sympathy and accord with the senti-
ment contained in that important
amendment to our fundamental law.
In 1870 Mr.. Dunn received the nom
nation of his party for congress,
Lawrence county at that time being
in the old district composed of the
counties of Vigo, Clay, owen, Greene,
Monroe, Sullivan and Lawrence.
His opponent was the late Hon.
Daniel w. Voorhees,, afterwards United
States senator, man renowned for
his oratory and as a campaigner and
stump speaker Mr.. Dunn made a
thorough canvass of each county, and
aft, rwards in each county seat of the
district met his opponent, Mr.. Vor
bees, in joint debate. Although de-
teated at the polls in this canvass and
joint discussion, Mr.. Dunn made a
state wide reputation as an orator
and public speaker.
Mr.. Dunn was admitted to the bar
in 1865 but did not enter into the
active, vigorous practice of his pro-
fession until 1872, when he formed a
partnership with Francis Wilson, now
deceased. This firm enjoyed a large
and lucrative practice and vely few
cases of importance were tried in our
courts of that day in which the name
of this firm did not appear upon one
side of the cause. This partnership
continued until Mr.. Wilson was elect
ed to the bench when it was dissolved.
George G. Dunn, the only brother of
the deceased, took the place of Mr..
Wilson and the firm become known as
Dunn & Dunn. This firm enjoyed
the confidence of large clientage and
its business continued to grow and
increase steadily until the death of
the brother, which occurred at Bed
ford in 1891. after which Mr.. Dunn
ceased active practice.
Perhaps no member of the bar in |
southern Indiana ever made as much |
what might be called ''new law" as |
Mr.. Dunn, and this is particularly |
true as to the law of personal in uries, |
as a glance at the supreme court re- ,
ports of the day will show.
He originated and thought out new |
propositions and important points |
and if necessary so 10 do, carried the |
case 10 the supreme court and there |
urged his view of the law of the case
with such power and sound reasoning
as to generally convince that body |
of it's judicial soundness, and as the |
law of the case.
One of Mr.. Dunn's characteristics |
was the attachment for his brother |
George, and for weeks and months |
after his death he never could speak |
of him or hear his name mentioned
without being moved to tears.
With the death of the two Misses |
Fell, his aunts, within the last few
years, Mr.. Dunn lost the last of his |
Immediate near relatives and as heI
often said, "He was the last leaf upon
the tree"
Mr.. Dunn was never married. He |
made his home with his mother on
the old farnl northwest of town until
her death in 1870. Then he took
rooms in the second story Of the Dunn
building ON the north side of the pub
lie square, which he had fitted upl
With curios, pictures. statuettes and
mementos of his numerous travels
in foreign countries. To this he adj
ded one of the best and perhaps the
largest private libraries in the state,
in which are many rare and costly
volumes. In one of these rooms he |
breathed MS last His books, as he |
often said, were ''my companions;
when am with them | cannot be
lonely. l find in them solace and
comfort for every and any mood"
Yet he was the most companion
able OF men and ever delighted in the
society and companionship OF his
friends. Nothing he could do was
too good for them. His door was
always open for them and if need be
his personal service and belongings as
we'll.