Nicholas Hill. I remember occasions when he would order hats and gloves to be sent to the office, and they would remain there unused and evi dently entirely forgotten by him, until some member of his family would come in, and then began a house-cleaning and gathering together of the many things which Mr. Hill had sent to the office and had never used. It was said that he would go to the tailor's and order a suit of clothes, and perhaps the very next day give the same order over again, and had to be reminded that such an order had been already given. I don't believe he knew anything about financial matters, for he seemed to depend entirely upon Mr. Cagger, and would approach Mr. Cagger and inquire if he could have some money, just as deferentially as any of us boys in the office, or in a manner that would indicate that it had just occurred to him that he needed some money. I thought then, and my experience since proves, that that office was one of the best equipped offices of general practice in the State. My last recollection of Mr. Hill in court was in the argument of the celebrated Albany Bridge case, which took place before the United States Circuit Court, in the City of New York, in which case my recollection is that Hon. Reverdy Johnson was the leading counsel on the other side. Mr. Hill was not a demonstrative man, nor was he at all repell ing. There was that about him which almost immediately won your confidence and respect, without any demonstration on his part. A few simple, concise expressions would direct your mind and your friendship towards him. And while he was absorbed in his cases, he always had room in his great mind to be instructive and considerate. Somehow I cannot call baGk many incidents or characteristics of Mr. Hill. I am so oc cupied that I have been very tardy in send ing you even this. Perhaps you will recall other anecdotes that I have before stated. One now comes up. On one occasion Mr. Dean Richmond was in the library, and
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while conversing with Mr. Hill, related his experience with a colporteur, or distributor of tracts, on the railway trains. Mr. Rich mond had recently issued an order prohibit ing such distribution. It will be remem bered that at that time there were no sleeping-cars, and what little rest or sleep passengers might obtain was by sleeping in their scats, and these distributors would frequently wake up a passenger and en deavor to interest him in • some religious matter. Mr. Richmond's story was that he had that morning come in from Buffalo, and while on the train he met one of these gen tlemen, who vehemently berated him (Rich mond), of course not knowing that he was addressing Mr. Richmond, the president of the road, for his action, characterizing it as sacrilegious to prohibit the distribution of religious information. In relating this con versation to Mr. Hill, Mr. Richmond elab orated the remarks of the religious gentle man with a great many profane or ' cuss ' words, which was well known to be an un fortunate habit of Mr. Richmond's, although not at all malicious. Mr. Hill heard him patiently, asked him to repeat what the minister said carefully, and after he had repeated it, embellishing it still more, Mr. Hill quietly remarked,' ' Why, Mr. Rich mond, did the Dominie swear like that? '" Mr. Hill left surviving him a widow and two children. Edward Bayard Hill, his only surviving son, was admitted to the Bar in Albany. Just as he was entering upon his professional career the war of the Rebellion broke out, and he immediately went to Washington through Baltimore, a journey which at that time was attended with some difficulty and danger, and carried important military intelligence to the government. He was appointed a lieutenant, in the regular army, and commanded a battery in the first Bull Run battle. He obtained the credit of saving his battery and bringing it back to the Union lines uncaptured and unsurren dered. Early in the summer of 1862, at one
