Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/243

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The Green Bag.

in politics. He served as city attorney in prominent men of his time, he derives from his youth, and, as a good citizen ought, he social intercourse and travel great pleasure helped good local government by serving as and instruction, and imparts to others vastly member of the city council and twice as more. As a writer he is clear and concise, mayor, once without opposition, and to the and master of an excellent judicial style. great betterment of tax-payers; and in 1869 Never an impassioned orator, his arguments he was candidate for attorney general, with were direct and clear, in good logical order, and they made plain to court or jury the out prospect of election. He also repre sented the Madison district for one term in most intricate matters. In his younger days the lower house of the legislature; but he he reported the loth volume of Wisconsin has never sought office, nor allowed interest Reports, and in 1872 he gathered up the unreported and imperfectly reported work in politics to interfere in the least with devo of the territorial court and old Supreme tion to his profession. In 1891, as the term of Chief-Justice Cole Court, which was. published in three vol drew near its close, and his advanced age umes, as " Pinney's Wisconsin Reports." An rendered it just that he be relieved from important contribution to Wisconsin ju further judicial labor, the legal profession dicial history was given in the preface to throughout the State, irrespective of party, the first volume, to which the present writer very generally signed a call on Mr. Pinney is much indebted for valuable historic ma to stand as a candidate. He did so, and in terial. the April election was elected. He entered upon judicial duty ripe in experience, and ALFRED W. NEWMAN was born at Dur with a mind most thoroughly trained and ham, Greene County, New York, on the equipped for successful labor on the bench. eastern slope of the Catskill Mountains, His work thus far has fully met the most April 5, 1834. His ancestry was English; sanguine expectation of friends. Careful and his mother, Patty Rogers, was a de and painstaking, he brings to this duty every scendant of John Rogers, the martyr burned quality of the judge. With a mind quick at Smithfield, in the reign of " Bloody and subtle in its discrimination, with a mem Mary," in 1555. It will be recalled by all ory of inexhaustible storage capacity, so to who read the books of Martyrs that this speak, with marvelous familiarity with the distinguished victim of religious intolerance law books, he is a helpful man on any left ten children, " one at the breast." Ac cording to tradition handed down in the bench. Outside of the professional range he has family, Patty Rogers descended from the been a wide and careful reader. He is fa youngest child. miliar with history, has traveled much in Like most American boys of his genera Europe, keenly enjoying everything of his tion, Newman was bred upon a farm, and toric or biographical interest, and finding taught in all the mysteries of farm work. At the best of it in everyplace. He has a taste nineteen, he entered the Ithaca Academy and appreciation for art and architecture and was there two years. He spent two rarely found in the inland bred lawyer of years (1852— 1854) at the Delaware Literary America, and is familiar with most that is Institute, Franklin, New York. He gradu written of the various schools and stages ated from Hamilton College, with the degree of sculpture, painting and architecture. A of A.B., in 1857. While in college he pur most agreeable companion, full of incident sued extra studies in law under Professor and anecdote, well informed as to men and Theodore W. Dwight. After graduation, affairs, abounding with memories of the he continued the study of law in the office