The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-11-03
PIONEER COURTS AND
LAWYERS OF MANITOWOC co
BY j. S. ANDERSON
The Sixth Judge.
Continued from last week.
The Sixth Judge.
Continued from last week.

meet him in private life. Those who
saw him only when engaged in his pub
lie duties in court, absorbed in the dis
charge of the task in hand, austere
authoritative and dignifed, could make
no just estimate of the man.
| Very soon after he had taken his
seat as judge, it became necessary for
me to visit him at Chambers in Fond
du Lac on some eX parte business. I
was received at his office with some
formality, Stated my business and sub
mitted my papers for his perusal.
After a few questions the orders | de
sired were signed and rose to take my
leave. He remarked my train would not
leave for some time, and asked if
had any other engagement. answered
No He then invited me into his rooms
adjoining. We sat down, lighted our
cigars and had, for me at least, a very
pleasant and interesting visit of nearly
two hours All the aloofness and re-
straint of the judicial character was
laid aside and we chattcd on equal
terms as congenial acquaintances.
That line of conduct was not singu-
lar nor confined to me. His attitude
toward others was the same. In court
dignifed, dominating, somewhat aus
tere and with an impressive air of re-
served authority; off duty the genial
and companionable but always gentle
manly and polite fellow-lawyer.
His conversation was always improv-
ing He kept abreast of the times in
other matters than the law and his.
views upon public affairs were broad
and sweeping, not hampered or mar
rowed by his political party prefer
ences. His opinions and judgments on
such matters were worth hearing, even
though the listener felt obliged to dis
sent.
He was not without n sense of hui
NOR. He enjoyed a joke or a good
story and his laugh was hearty. He
could tell a good story and tell it well,
but his mind and talk was clean and
healthy and a certain type of what are
called "smoldng-room stories" was met
with reprcssiye silence
| have, in common with others.
thought that some of the judges
have been privileged to know denied
themselves the pleasure of social inter
course far too much. All men are by
nature social and enjoy companion
ship. 1t is true that people generally
expect and appreciate certain aloof-
ness and austerity as inherent in the
judicial Office and character. But that
can be carried to excess. A man is the
better for mingling with his fellows
and can better judge of the feelings
and motives which sway them, if he
comes in frequent contact under vari-
Gus conditions and circumstances
Nevertheless, there is much truth in
the old adagc, familiarity breeds con
Tempt But there is a golden mean
between too little and too much; and
that each must find for himself
| do not think that outside of his
profession Judge ellison could he called
la learned or even widely read man.
His life had been too much occupied
with actual practical work to indulge
much in the poetry or philosophy of
the scholastic life. His life was work,
his study to learn how to work. The
hard physical labor Of the farm, some
terms of school teaching, and clerking,
with years study Of the law in the
intervals, then five years as soldier in
active campaigning, absent from all
books except tactics and military law.
He was hard at work making history
in that period Of life when young men
are usually studying it, Then a short
course Of law lectures, thirteen years
.of practice at thc bar, followed by
eighteen years on the bench, when he
heard and decided thousands nj cases.
Those who, like the writer, knew his
style of writing only by his written de
cisions or findings in law cases, will
agree that It was terse apd compact to
an extraordinary degree, not super
fluous word, no depression of any kind,
yet no essential word lacking Such
life, such methods Of work, afforded
little scope for study or appreciation
of literature, art or poetry. In this re
spect he much rescmblcd his prcdeces-
sor, Justice Taylor, but he was less ab-
sorbed and preoccupied and much
more obseryant Of what was going on
around him.
| have told elsewhere that did not
support Judge ellison when candi
date for his first term. He had been
nominated and elected as a Democratic
candidate. In January, 1886, he had
entered upon the last year of the term.
The January term Of court was in ses-
sion at Manitowoc II was nearly the
end of the month, and not word had
been said either among the bar or by
any newspaper IN regard to his cleo
ton In the meantime | had become
the owner and editor of the Lake
Shore Times, a newspaper which was,
If nothing else, a sralwart supporter of
the Republican party. The judicial
| election for q enrcessnr fo 1udge cil