Some Kentucky Lawyers of the Past and Present.
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in the State. The following is told as an illus man and, as has been said of another great tration of his ready wit : " On one occasion Kentuckian, " his mind fits well his splendid he was much interested in having a certain body." public measure adopted in Scott County, Judge W. S. Pryor, who honored the and to that end called a mass meeting at the court of appeals bench for a quarter of a court house in Georgetown. When the century, and was four times chief justice, is time came, he and a Mr. Johnson were the beloved and respected from one end of the only ones present. After waiting some time State to the other. It is said, " Judge Pryor's Judge Duvall said, ' Well, Johnson, I'll take life has been as regular as the ticking of a clock." the chair, and you act The first court ever as secretary.' This held in Henry County, being agreed to, he Judge Daridge pre produced a set of siding, is said to have resolutions, with a convened on Judge caption : ' At a large and respectable meet Pryor's home farm, ing of citizens of Scott that the bench was a County, etc.' This he stump of a tree and signed as president the jurors' scats an and handed it to Mr. old log, still to be seen Johnson to sign as near a spring. He secretary. Mr. John was a circuit judge in son hesitating, Judge 1868. The first time Duvall asked, ' Are he held court in Trim you not large, and am ble County, an old I not respectable?' fellow with whom he ' That is so,' said Mr. used to fish came into Johnson, ' it is a meet the court drunk. He ing of large and re called out to the spectable citizens,' Judge, "Well, Bill, and he also signed how are they all at the paper." home? " " I ordered W. S. PRYOR. him to jail," said Judge William Lindsay, Pryor, "but before present United States senator from Kentucky, has won a place the sheriff reached the door with him, he among the greatest lawyers of the country. called back to me, ' Now, Bill, since you've He was a gallant Confederate soldier, and been elected Judge, you think you've played judge of the court of appeals, part of the well, and forget I've drank with you many time chief justice, for eight years. Senator a time when we've been fishing in the creek.'" Lindsay is a Virginian by birth and a This plea was too strong, so the Judge or Scotchman by descent. It is said no sena dered him released. tor, during the last administration, received SHELBYVILLE. a warmer welcome at the White House than Senator Lindsay. President Cleveland rec Col. John Allen, who had few superiors as ognized the great ability of the big Kenttick- a lawyer, fell at the battle of the River Raisin ian and never tired of hearing his comments in 1813. He was associated with Henry upon men and things. He is a very large Clay in the defense of Aaron Burr. His
