267 where he began the practice in 1856. In i860 and 1862 he was elected district attor ney, and during the latter year moved to Terre Haute, where he resided until his death, Dec. 29, 1891. In 1868 and 1872 he was elected judge of the Common Pleas Court. He was appointed judge of the Su preme Court Dec. 29, 1879, and retired Jan. 2, 188 1. After his retirement from the bench he resumed the practice of the law, but in the last few years was compelled to retire by reason of his extremely poor health. He died in February of the present year. William A. Woods. Judge Woods is now judge of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sev enth District. He was born May 16, 1837, in Marshall County, Tenn. When he was a boy, his father moved to Davis County, Iowa. • In 1859 young Woods entered Wabash Col lege, Crawfordsville, Ind., and became after wards one of its tutors. In 1860 he moved to Marion, Ind., where he was admitted to practice, and in the following spring settled at Goshen, Ind., and there resided until his appointment as United States judge, when he moved to Indianapolis. In 1866 he was elected as a State Representative of his county, and in 1873 judge of his circuit. In 1880 he was elected judge of the Supreme Court, — taking his seat Jan. 1, 1881, suc ceeding Judge Biddle. Here he remained until May 8, 1883, when he resigned to ac cept the appointment of United States judge for the District of Indiana tendered him by President Arthur. By his experience on the nisi prius bench, Judge Woods came to the highest tribunal well fitted for its exacting duties. He was and now is a man of splendid physique. He is a man of originality, depending less than the ordi nary judge upon precedents and the opin ions of others. He is fearless, and does not hesitate to express his views when duty requires him to do so. Somewhat combative in his nature, but not offensively so, he is
ever ready to meet an opponent. His inde pendence of character and thought has oc casionally led him into error, though not seriously so, in his judicial opinions. The language of his opinions is forcible, and they are totally destitute of verbiage. He goes directly to the core of the case, decides it in a few paragraphs, reasoning out the contro verted question, and citing few authorities. Although he was but little over two years on the Supreme Court bench, he ranks as one of the strongest men who ever sat upon it. On the death of Justice Miller of the Federal Supreme Court, he was a strong candidate for the vacancy thus occasioned. Quite recently President Harrison appointed him one of the judges of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the seventh circuit. William H. Combs. Judge Combs was appointed Dec. 2, 1882, and served until Jan. r, 1883, filling the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Worden. He then, as now, resided at Fort Wayne, and is nearly eighty years of age. He is a Republican. He wrote only three opinions. His birthplace was in Maine. Allen Zollars. Judge Zollars's birthplace is in the State of Ohio. He was born in that State in 1839, and graduated at Dennison University, Grenville, Ohio, in 1864, and in due course of time at the Law School of Michigan Univer sity. About 1866 he settled at Fort Wayne, Ind., and began the practice of law. In 1868 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, and for six years was the city attorney of Fort Wayne. A few months before he was elected judge of the Supreme Court, he was appointed judge of the Supe rior Court of his home county. In 1882 he was elected on the Democratic ticket a judge of the Supreme Court, taking his seat Jan. 1, 1883. His nomination was unanimous, as it was also in 1888. In the latter year he was defeated with his ticket. He now
