Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-17
Enrntttg Gl1af

Hon. Hampton L. Carson, the
former Attorney General of Pennsyl-
vania, has for forty years or more
been collecting wonderful old prints,
autograph letters, original commits
sions and thousands OF volumes hav-
ing to do with the early history of
English law and Jurisprudence. He
has probably the most remarkable
collection in the world and those who
have occasionally the privilege of see
ing the results of his labor of love can
best appreciate what he has accom-
phshed in a comparatively short per-
iod. On the walls of his offices are
famous prints of distinguished turists,
the original commission of the King
of England to Blackstone, autograph
letters and deeds, one of them from
Penn to his daughter for 600 acres
in Pennsylvania before Penn ever
saw the State and other wonderful
books and brochures centuries old.
Mr.. Carson is regarded the world over
as the foremost collector Of books and
manuscripts and original letters
which go to make up a complete and
authentic history of the development
of our system of law.
The former Attorney General has
many warm friends IN Harrisburg
where he spent much of his time dur
ing his service as chief law officer
of the Commonwealth and Is always
cordially welcomed on his infreuuent
visits. Among other things which he
has always favored Is a more artistic
treatment of Market Square. He be-
neVes that the central part of the
Square should be treated with grass
and shrubbery, to relieve the glare
OF the asphalt and generally improve
the appearance OF the central bust-
ness section.
1t. is not generally known that it was
In the preparation of a book which
was designed to tell the romance of
Scottish trials that the late Dr.. Ian
AacLaren was seized with his fatal
illness 1t happens also that the data
on which he was working came from
Mr.. Carson's library. DIR. MacLaren
was In philadelphia attending a meet
ing and remarked to Mr.. Carson that
he was in need of subjects. Mr. Car
son suggested that he write something
| about the Scottish cases which have
| become world famous, and the doctor
spent days and days browsing through
the rare volumes and taking notes.
Soon after he started his work in Chi
| N0SO AC DCSo-Ahc LII auQ 01Gd
|
Mr.. Carson was speaker at the BAN
quets of the Dauphin County Bar AS
ISOLATION and at other events when at
torney general and his addresses are
remembered by many who heard them
for their scholarship and for the hap
py manner in which Mr.. Carson spoke.
One address by Mr.. Carson told of the
days OF the fathers in Pennsylvania
law and he paid his tribute to the men
of central counties whose names adorn
the legal history of the nation 1t is
a pity that the addresses made by Mr..
Carson hern could not have been pre-
served for they are filed with rare
Information and were models of Eng
Iish-
In this connection it is interesting to
note that it was Mr. Carson. IN spite of
all that may be said to the contrary
who laid the foundation in the Capitol
furnishing cases In the latter part OF
his term he wrote letters of inquiry on
the charges which were being made
and their purpose not being under
stood there was considerable sarcasm
vented on writing to Carson" The
replies were the subject OF more than
one editorial and of no end of news
stories But when the trials came il
was on the letters to Carson" that the
counsel Tor the commonwealth baSe
their questions and the letters formed
the sailing chart for the prosecution
Mr. Carson told some newspapermer er
one day that he was Throwing out
lines" when he wrote the questions
! Whel the lines were gathered up they
made something which the best law
yers in the State could not break.
While Mr.. Carson has several de.
grees and can be called Doctor Car.
son the same as he was General Car.
} son while serving the Commonwealth
he is known to some OF the lawyers oi
the State as Prof Carson The reason
for this title, which Is seldom heard
nowadays, is that years ago the fam
Gus attorney was professor of the law
of contracts in the Law School of the
University OF Pennsylvania where, by
the way, he was graduated. While
a professor Mr.. Carson began to at
tract international attention and his
lectures were noted for their lucidity
and for the comm onsense which filled
them. More than one man who has
risen to prominence in the courts ot
the Keystone State sat under" Prof
Carson and got his first insight into
| 10 NJ from his lacfIIraa