Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-11-08
NESTOR OF MADISON
BAR REMlNiSCES
Hon. w. B. Smith Tells of Other
Days and His Experiences
On 66th Anniversary

On the closing day of the Madi
son Circuit Court. October ZPih,
when the court convened. t1c reg
ular motion hour and all other
legal matters were shifted To the
background ior the space OF an
hour or 50. during which time
Mad son countv's oldest member
of The Bar. and one OF her most
distinguished citizens. ". j..
Smith. addressed the members ~
the Bar. and detailed at length
many anecdotes and rcminiSccr-
ccs OF his fcllow-lawycrs. Wl'"
had practiccd with him at the
Richmond Bar since his admission
to the Bar 90 years ago. this be-
! ing his Goth anniversary as a pr;t,
! titioner OF law. 1t was an occa-
sion to be long remembered by
his MANY friends present. and MS
talk was full OF inspiration Tor
Younger members. One could
Younger members. One could
scarce realize that he had been 50
long n member of the Bar. Is his
talk was especially vigorous and
most emphatic 1t was greatly
cnioycd and appreciated 10y all
, Who were privileged to hear u III
Mr.. Smith began with The year
r 1850. and said: Right over there
. finotioning to a place at the bar,
/ sat Major Turner. and right nest
/ to him was Col. w. II. Capcrt"n.
) Farther around there yvaS iudS 3
Daniel .Breck. and little iartheT
around was !. Speed Smith. and i
little farther around-not 80 old
/. in the practice Major Cur
= It's +. Buruam and Thomas lui-
| ncr. AMI Richard Kunyon- here
sat Major Turner, born 4 Mad s"r
% county man. a man of limited cd
: ucation. but in d { tiSabl'
!. strength. Next to him was Juig'
i Daniel Breclz. a man that wendet
: his WAY from the hills OF Connec
t t;cutt down here to this Blue
7 Grass country and Inc was th'
It best educated man OF them all d
+ that time. And nest came t!g
5 Genial. cheerful, happy Capertor
e ifter that J. Speed Smith. and Al
l. ter that Richard Runyon. Curti
X Burnarn and Thomas Turner
k | witnessed ma " cases i
ii vhici, Major Turne- was the az
i tive LAWYER. He was man tina
ri stuck closely to his clients. "a
what YOU please about him. II
never betrayed u client and di
Ieyerything hc7possibly could t
bring his client success. and Will
he was abused by many he Ina
MANY strong. good qualities. II
mi accumulated more money tFol
a. the pratice OF law at this ia
a, than any other member that eve
lhad practiced at it. He had gre;
success. The record will shoN
Judge Shackelford, that he iii'
)n more amendments than nearly
Ie- the LAWYERS at this bar, except
vel Parrish. and | am not saying In
he to his discredit. He lived loi
OF time. He practiced law twen
ST wears and was stricken IN l
nit Court OF appeals with paraiyS
,e- and came home and died.
he Then came after Turner a III
nd of an entirely opposite charact'
mi \ man about six foot tall. OF go
ct. physical frame, cheerful Ia,
1m bright ewes, a soul full OF love !
IN ali mankind. Col. VIM. II. Cape
en- ton. \ man that didn't ca
en- ANYTHING about cases. but ne re
M Blackstone and Storys Equ
iss and Col. Caperton was one ot
adj strongest men, not only at I
Of Bar. but the strongest lawyer
The this state. There was nur'
Iish case in Lexington once IN win
Of the great Commoner. Henry Il
AMI was OH one side and Col. Cap
ton ON the other. and it was
hill mitted By all, from the Ju'
of down. the speech that Col. CAP
i'd ton made in the case was
strongest and best, most rhet
ales cal. most logical. Col. Caper
the, lived to be only OF years old
ans (Continued ON Page y