The Washington herald., 1918-07-15
ABLE LAWYERS
DEAD LATELY
Many Advocates Of Mark
Gone Within Few Years,
Says Holland.

II Is something of a tragic coin
cidence that John w. Sterling who
was named by James Stillman as
one OF the executors of the large
estate left by Mr.. stillman. and fur
thermore. that Mr.. Stillman himself
who was named by James Gordon
Bennett as one OF the executors or
trustees of Mr.. Bennett's estate,
should have died within q few
months of the other. Mr.. Sterling
could not have progressed very far
in his duties as one of the execu-
tors OF Mr.. Stillman's will On the
other hand Mr.. Stif1man died short
iy before James Gordon Bennett
passed away and there appears not
70 have been opportunity for Mr..
/ Bennett to name ANOTHER as one Of
the trustees under the Bennett will.
1t sometimes happens so. Russell
Sage was inspired by personal affec-
tion, and by a high estimate, of the
abilities OF Almon Goodwin. for the
relation between the lawyer and the
eccentric man OF large capital was
intimate for many years. To Mr.
Goodwin. Russell Sage entrusted the
delicate professional task of draft
ing the Sage will. In that document
Mr.. Goodwin was named as one Of
the executors. But he died shortly
before Mr.. Sage passed away. Had
he lived and been able to serve as
executor his legal fees for that serv-
ice would have brought him q con-
siderable fortune.
Both Men Alike.
That would have been accountable
to Mr.. Goodwin, but neither Mr..
Sterling nor Mr.. Stillman would for
moment have considered as Of any
importance such remuneration as each
would have been entitled TO receive
had he been able to serve as exec
utor or trustee.
When the subject could be discuss
ed with dignity and propriety after
the death last winter of Mr.. Still
man, It seemed to center upon the
possible IL not probable choice Of
(, Mr. Sterling as the successor OF Mr..
Stillman as the executive leader Of
the National City Bank, for Il was
matter OF common knowledge that
much OF the brilliant organization
achievements of Mr.. Stillman after
he became president of this bank re-
hected both personal and professional
aid which he received from Mr.. Ster-
ling. Both were very able men and
in many Of their intellectual and
some Of their temperamental quail
ties were alike, and their intimacy
was profound and sincere.
But il was to be otherwise, pos
sibly because it was considered more
appropriate that Mr. stillman's son
should be named for this important
post; possibly because were the sug-
gestion made to Mr.. Sterling he
would have replied that he had reach
ed the time Of life when men do not
wisely accept new and important re-
sponsibilities
The very able lawyers whose profess
| sional services were Of inestimable
Importance, beginning as they did at
the dawn Of the new era after the
close Of the civil war, have almost all
passed away within a few years
There was johnson, of Philadelphia,
whose name stood among the List Of
pre-eminent lawyers and whose serv-
ices were Of far greater consequences
than the public knew; there was Cad
walader, who, like Mr.. Sterling,
was Of enviable professional reputa-
| ton. and, furthermore, as was the
case with Mr.. Sterling. little known
| to the public; there was Southmayd.
who some have thought possessed the
profoundest intellect OF any OF the
partners OF the law firm Of which
William N. Everts was the head
There was Choate who used to be
ranked among the most brilliant Of
American advocates There was
James c. Carter, who was frequently
referred to as the leader Of the Ameri-
can bar. and others who gained pro-
fessional fame which matched that
! secured by the great lawyers OF ear
lier times. even by Rufus Choate, or
Charles O'Conor or Samuel ]. Tilden.
These lawyers had much to do with
those readjustments Of American
business and Industrial life which
were necessary after the nation was
reunited, especially when the tele-
phone, the fast mail and other instru-
Tnentalities for the instant communi-
cation of intelligence and the short
ening OF time and distance made in
evitable vast changes in the indus
trial, commercial and financial life Of
the American people.
Was Enthusiastic Angler.
Mr. Sterling knew no mistress but
the law although he permitted him
self that form OF recreation which
seems TO have been especially char
acteristic Of some of our great legal
minds and our ablest statesmen, as
for instance Daniel Webster and