Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1920-09-01
DEATH OF L. A. EMERY.
FORMER CHIEF-JUSTICE PASSES
AWAY AT HANCOCK POINT.
Long Term of Distinguished Service
on Supreme Bench--Funerai
AZ Ellsworth Sunday.

Hon. Laeilius A. Emery of Ellis
worth, former chief-justice of the
Maine supreme court and recognized
| as one of the foremost jurists in the
State, died at his summer home at
Hancock Point last Thursday evening
at 6 o'clock. Death came suddenly
and unexpectedly from a heart at
tack, but to his close friends and fam
lily it had been known for some time
that Judge Emery's health was in a
preearious state. He had recently
returned to Hancock Point after
few weeks in the hospital at Bar Har-
Dor
Lucilius Alonzo Emery was born
at Carmel. in Penobscot county, July
81. 1910, the son of James and Eliza
CWing) Emery. In 1850 the family
moved to Hampden, the elder Emery
being for years prominent there as
merchant. ship-builder and town Off
cial.
Justice Emery fitted for college at
Hampden academy, entered Bowdoin.
and was graduated in 1861 in class
later distinguished by the number of
its members who attained eminent
places in letters and in law.
Upon leaving college, Mr.. Emery
entered the Office of Hon. A. W. Paine
In Bangor, to read law. and was ad-
mitted TO the Penobscot county bar
/ in August, 1868. In October of the
same year he opened a law office in
| Ellsworth and enrolled as a member
| of the Hancock county bar.
| Mr.. Emery's ability as a lawyer
was at once recognized, and he rose
rapidly in his profession. In 1866 he
was elected county attorney for Han
cock county, and before the expira-
| tion of his term he was invited by the
/ late Senator Eugene Hale, then just
| entering upon his congressional ca
| reer, to enter his Office as law part
! ner. TIE invitation was accepted.
| and for fifteen years the law firm of
| Hale & Emery was continued
| In 1S74-75 Judge Emery served in
the Maine Senate. and in 1876 was
elected encouragement of the State.
| serving in that capacity three years.
! He was again sent to the Senate in
| 1850, and during that term served as
I t42AAA man VI AAC
| In the fall of 1883 he was appoint
ed TO the supreme court bench by
| Governor ROBBIE. being reappointed
as associate justice three times. In
| December, 1906, following the death
| of Chief-Justice Wiswell, he was ap-
| pointed ehief-justice, and held that
Office until his resignation in June.
| 1911, thus completing nearly twenty
| eight years on the supreme bench of
Maine. record of service exceeded
only twice in the history of the State
by Judge Appleton. who served
thirty-one years, and by Judge Wal
ton, who served thirty-five years.
Judge Emery's long career on the
bench was marked by diligent appli-
cation to work. absolute impartiality
clearness of vision and of dietion
ready knowledge of the law and be-
lief in the law and in justice The
bench was dignified by him, and the
scales of justice were held evenly
balanced in his hands. He has writ
ten into the Reports of Maine opin-
ions involving principles of law that
will ever stand as monument TO his
clearness of thought and of express
sion, and his knowledge of the Law
and the history of law.
In 1883 Justice Emery was elected
professor of medical jurisprudene in
the Maine medical school at Bowdoir
college, which he held until 1912
He also served on the board of over.
seers, and at the time of his death
was member of the board of trus-
tees. Bowdoin conferred upon him
the LII. D. degree in 1898. He had
been lecturer on Roman Law on the
faculty of the University of Maine
College of Law since 1896. He had
ALSO since his retirement from the
bench, leetured at Yale and Harvard
Judge Emery's last appearance in
the court room was at the October
term in Ellsworth last year, when
memorial exercises were held for the
late Senator Eugene Hale. After ar