Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-27
Farewell Banquet for
Hon. LymanL L. Walton

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On Thursday evening the mem
bers of the Somerset Bar Associ-
alton rendered one of their number
Hon. Lyman l.. Walton who was
leaving for Foxboro. Mass, to es-
tablish his home a farewell banquet
in appreciation of their love and
esteem and also of their regret at
his departure.
Those present were Judge j. II.
Thompson, a brother in law of Mr..
Walton of Pennington: and Frank
lin county's county attorney. ]. Cur
rier Holman. also of Pennington;
Judge Charles O. Small of Somer-
set Probate court. William b. Brown
and Bernard Gibbs of Madison,
Judge Elmer w. Sawyer of the
Western Somerset municipal court.
and James II. Thorne, Somersets
county attorney of North Arson,
Frank Ames and Leroy r. Folsom
of Norridgewock and the following
attorneys from Skowhegan: Hon.
Samuel w. Gould, George w. Cow
er, Philo Steward, register of pro-
bate court for Somerset county;
Ernest c. Butler. junior member of
the firm Of Butler and Butler; Har-
old ]. Phillips; Edward +. Merrill,
senior member of Merrill and Merr-
ill; William II. Halves; William
Folsom Merrill, junior member of
the firm of Merrill and Merrill;
John Lewis and sherman n. Shum-
way of Cover and Shumway.
\ delicious banquet was served
by landlord Joseph Ransom which
was enjoyed by the guest of honor
and all present. While it was a
farewell party and deep down in the
hearts of all there was a feeling of
sadness, it was not allowed to come
to the front for a moment and the
hours were filled with the spirit of
goodfellowship and joviality. Mr.
Cover in his usual tactful and
pleasing manner presided and ad-
ded much to the pleasure of the
evening.
The first speaker was Judge
Thompson. q brother in-law of Mr..
Walton who in q most interesting
manner told of the boyhood of Mr..
Walton passed on a farm in Mercer,
and spoke of the hardy ancestors
of Mr.. Walton from whom he in
herited a noble character and I'M
usual ability. Brief remarks were
made at the outset by the other out
of the county guest, County Attor-
ney Holman. Attorney Frank Ames
of NorridgeWock who was n former
student in the Walton and Walton
law Office paid a fine tribute to Mr..
Walton and reviewed various per
sonal associations. Attorney Viii
liam y. Brown of Madison who
spent part of his boyhood in SkOw-
hogan and who was also student
at the Walton and Walton office
also expressed his appreciation of
the influence of association with Il
man of Mr.. Walton'S Calibre during
his early years. Among the other
speakers were Judge Small of Madi-
son, County Attorney Thorne and
Judge Sawyer of North Arson and
Edward f. Merrill of Skowhegan.
and councilman J.. r. Folsom of
Norridgewock who spoke of his
first meeting with Mr.. Walton when
he as a young man came II Nor
ridgewock to teach, saying that he
met Mr.. Walton at q reunion o.
the old Eaton school in Norridge-
wock and while at that reunion,
Mr.. Walton as always in any assem-
bly, occupied a big place. The real
speech of the evening was naturally
the presentation speech which was
made by eX congressman Hon.
y
clever in performing this duty and
as all speaking before him allowed
no trace of sadness to enter into
what he had to say.
In beginning Mr.. Gould told a
true story of the olden time when
James Wright was praCtiCing here
and in the days of Edward \. Mer-
rll and S. J. Walton when Mr..
Wright appeared as attorney on one
side of n case and was at the court
house earlier than the parties on
the opposing side, and when Edward
n. Merrill and the WaltOns came in
to represent that side, Mr.. Wight
said in a stage whisper loud enough
for many in the court room to hear,
Judas and Pilot, somebody has got
to be trucified!" From an excel
lent real leather brief bag. Mr..
Gould drew a package Of Camel
cigarettes. saying that they thought
they were the brand of his choice.
apd plug of tobacco which Mr..
@buld said he knew was the brand
! with which he and Walton has of
ten filled their pipes. and Il filled
bottle which Mr.. Gould allowed that
the attorneys present hated to part
with, but that as they knew Mr..
Walton's weakness they were MAX
Ing the sacrifice, but he urged "Ly-
| man" as he called Mr.. Walton fire.
quently during the presentation. to
remember what Moses said and use
it with moderation and he suggest
ed that after a hard days work in
his new field of action and labors
in the profession that he take a sip
of the contents and think of his
colleagues in Skowhegan. Mr..
Gould said that Mr.. Walton was not
going away to stay for that he would
frequently return to Skowhegan and
that here he would always have a
host of loyal friends. Mr.. Gould
finally presented the brief bag to
Mr.. Walton saying that he thought
that by and large lawyers as a. class
are a pretty decent lot of men and
that when man could practice law
In community for over 80 years
as Lyman had and retain the res
pect of all the people with whom he
mad come in contact with he must
be pretty good lawyer and n good
citizen. Mr. Walton graciously res
pended and in opening verified the
story told by Mr.. Gould concerning
the statement made by Mr.. Wright
at the court house when he found
he was opposed by T.. n. Merrill and
the WaltonS. Mr.. Walton recalled
giving an address to welcome n new
pastor coming to Skowhegan and
he' said at the time that he thought