Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-05
WON 1Co JURY TRIALS
Milwaukee Attorney May Have Estab-
ished a Record.


The story of Ray Cannon of Mil
waukee is romance of the legal pro-
fession: tale of a self-made man:
the recital of a marvellous fight which
youngster made against terrific odds
and the brilliant victory which fol-
lowed, writes Frank j. Mengen, in the
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Ray Cannons career is that of
youngster, orphaned in babyhood, who
lived in an asylum until he was IA
years old, passed bar examination
before he was 21, and who is regarded
as one of the most remarkable trial
lawyers in America-and has prac-
tice which nets him approximately
100000 a year. He is now q years
old
"How did it happen?" Cannon was
asked.
1T was all because one of the most
wonderful women in the world gave
me the chance, and after opportunity
came | worked hard and never lost
faith in myself even when things look
ed blackest," was the answer.
The other day in Milwaukee men,
bers of the bar association rendered
a banquet to the remarkable youthful
lawyer to commemorate the establish
ment of what is believed to be a
worlds legal record. And that was
in the winning of one hundred consec-
utive jury cases. Venerable jurists
and veteran lawyers who were there
to honor him declared that within
their memory no attorney in America
ever had been able to score one hun
dred successive legal victories in jury
trial.
AuntfEared for Him..
Cannon was born in Ironwood
Mich. Before he was 1 year old, fever
swept through the little mining town
and carried away his mother and faith
er The boy was placed in a Green
Bay. Wis, orphan asylum.
"Thcn is was that my aunt, Mar
garet Kennedy of Minosqua, Wis
took me out and became a real mother
% me-" related Cannon "She was
school teacher, and her income was
small. But whatever it was she al
ways wanted to bestow the major
portion of it upon me. No sacrifice
seemed too great to insure comfort
and happiness for me. There was
only one thing that she ever asked of
me and that was more of a prayer
than a request.
Ray, l would be the happiest wo-
man in the world if you were to be-
come a lawyer" she said. L have al
ways dreamed of having son who
might become a famous lawyer and ]
have never had boy of my own. But
you are my son now and you can give
10 me the joy that few women know
if you will study law and try to make
a name for yourself in the legal pro-
fcssion.'
Up to that time | had had no real
determination as to what my future
would be. My aunt really made up
my mind. | resolved just to please
her, to become lawyer some day
and at the earliest moment possible
Handles Sport Cases.
THAT summer | served as a guide
for fishermen in the Wisconsin woods
and in the fall in the same capacity
for hunters. ! earned little money
through that source. The following
spring | showed enough baseball abil-
ity to get a job as a pitcher with the
Wausau, Wis, club, which was then
in the Wisconsin and Illinois League.
That meant n little more money for
me and when fall came I passed the
necessary examination and became a
student at Marquette university, Mil
waukec.
But / had always loved baseball
and if it hadn't been for my aunt ]
probably would have stayed on the
diamond During the first three years
that | was n lawyer | spent the sum-