USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a history, Volume I > Part 31
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In 1892, at Reisser's Cafe, Philadelphia, a rousing banquet was given to Colonel Boyd in commemoration of fifty years' active practice at the Bar.
On the 16th of August, 1902, would be the sixtieth anniversary of the president's (Col. Boyd) admission to the Montgomery County Bar. At the January meeting in 1902 it was, therefore, resolved to give him a complimentary dinner in commemoration of the event, at such time as the popular Colonel might fix. The "stock" committee on banquets- Dannehower, Knipe and Fox (G. R.)-was instructed to make the necessary arrangements. The committee in a glowing letter addressed to the Colonel, in which they characterized his record of sixty years of active practice "believed to be unequalled in the annals of the legal pro- fession of Pennsylvania," and reminding him, "ten years ago we cele- brated with feasting your golden wedding in the law; and at a recent meeting of the Montgomery Bar Association, a committee was appointed to express our sincere felicitations that another decade finds you hale and hearty, beloved and respected of all your associates, still busy with the daily practice of the noblest of secular professions, the Nestor of the Bar in the great Keystone Commonwealth"-asked him to designate the time and place for the dinner. The Colonel in his reply, of October 2, 1902, to the committee, said :
I deeply appreciate and reciprocate the expressions of esteem ten- dered by the Montgomery County Bar Association upon my completion of sixty years of active practice at this Bar, and accept with pleasure the invitation to be the Association's guest at a banquet.
If agreeable to the hosts, let it be held on Saturday evening, October 25, 1902, at the Hotel Traymore, Atlantic City, New Jersey.
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The banquet was held at the time and place designated by the Col- onel, and what a splendid affair it was! The members of the Associa- tion and the invited guests, friends of the Colonel-Edson J. Weeks, W. R. Taylor, high officials of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, Charles Heebner, the company's solicitor, and Hon. Wayne MacVeagh, a close friend of the Colonel-were transported from Cam- den to Atlantic City in special cars attached to a regular train, through the courtesy of Colonel Boyd, vice-president of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. Forty-eight members of the Association made the trip of their lives. The menu was most elaborate. The menu card was a work of art, containing a full-sized portrait of the honored guest. The speeches and responses to toasts were unsurpassed. Miller D. Evans, on behalf of the Association, presented the Colonel with a handsome loving cup, suitably inscribed. Colonel Boyd, eighty-one years "young," felt and acted like a boy. Every participant had "a great time." Many funny incidents followed in the trail of this trip to the sea, which are still recounted with pleasure. It was the "banner" dinner of the Association. This banquet extended the old, unwritten rule (to tender to every member of the Bar who completes fifty years of con- tinuous active practice a dinner by his fellows), to every ten years of active practice after fifty years of continuous practice.
The next attorney to achieve fifty years of active practice at the Bar was the president of the Association, George W. Rogers. The same "stock" banquet committee arranged for the complimentary event. He was admitted to the Bar, January 23, 1854. The dinner was given at the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, February 18, 1905. The toast- master was Hon. Aaron S. Swartz, '75. Rogers responded feelingly to "Fifty Years at the Bar ;" Judge Weand, '60, to "Reminiscences of the Bench ;" March, '60, Evans (Miller D.), '64, Fornance, '66, Gotwalts, '67, and Tyson, '69, to "Reminiscences of the Bar," and Judge Solly, '79, to "The Judiciary." There were fifty-four participants. It was a delightful affair.
At the meeting held on April 18, 1910, Montgomery Evans, Neville D. Tyson, Wm. F. Dannehower, Henry M. Tracy and Irvin P. Knipe were appointed a committee to arrange for a fitting commemoration, on April 21, 1910, of the fiftieth anniversary of Judge Henry K. Weand's admis- sion to the Bar. This committee, on January 16, 1911, reported that owing to a recent death in the judge's family, the commemoration con- sisted simply in the presentation, on April 21, 1910, in open court, with fitting remarks, of a bouquet of fifty American Beauty roses and the adoption of a suitable minute in open court, which was directed to be spread upon the records of the court. The eloquent, eulogistic minute is recorded in the prothonotary's office in Miscellaneous Docket No. 9, page 94.
Mont-18
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Another complimentary dinner of note was tendered at The Bellevue- Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, on May 10th, 1913, to President Judge Aaron S. Swartz and Additional Law Judge Henry K. Weand, in com- memoration of twenty-five years' service upon the Montgomery county Bench. The affair was given in charge of a special committee compris- ing Messrs. Evans (Montgomery), Tyson, Brownback, Dannehower, and Wright. The elaborate menu was thoroughly discussed by sixty-one legal lights of the local Bar. Judges Swartz and Weand "reminisced" on "Twenty-five Years on the Bench;" N. H. Larzelere spoke sagely on behalf of "The Senior Bar," and Theodore Lane Bean pleaded hope- fully on behalf of "The Junior Bar."
A notably complimentary dinner was given to President Judge Swartz on his completion on May 2, 1917, of thirty years' distinguished service upon the Bench. It was held at the Bellevue-Stratford on the evening of May 2, 1917. Eighty-six judges and lawyers sat at the festive board, including three honorary guests-friends of Judge Swartz -Judge Ryan, of Bucks county, Judge Reed, of Jefferson county, and Jefferson Snyder, Esq., of Reading, Pennsylvania. Judge Solly was the toastmaster. N. H. Larzelere responded to "The Senior Bar ;" Henry I. Fox, "The Junior Bar ;" and Judge Miller, "The Bench." Responses were had also from the honorary guests and others. The dinner was truly a memorable occasion.
Another lawyer to complete fifty years of continuous active practice at the Bar-Joseph Fornance, on April 12, 1916. On April 6, 1916, it was directed to give him a complimentary dinner in accordance with the unwritten rule of the Association, if not of the profession. The arrange- ments were to be made by Messrs. Place, Fox (G. R.), Dettra, Wright and Dannehower. Owing to World War conditions and the request of Mr. Fornance, the dinner was postponed until January, 1919. But in the meantime another member of the Association reached the fifty years' goal of active practice-Jacob V. Gotwalts, on August 20, 1917. On January 20, 1919, the committee appointed for the Fornance dinner was directed by the Association, at the request and with the concurrence of the parties to be honored, to proceed with arrangements for a joint com- plimentary dinner to Messrs. Fornance and Gotwalts. The war was practically over. In the meantime, Mr. Place, the chairman of the com- mittee had died, January 19, 1919. The dinner was given at the Belle- vue-Stratford, on Saturday, May 17, 1919. Fifty-three members and two specially invited guests enjoyed the twin occasion immensely. Each of the honored guests was presented with a handsome and suitably inscribed silver loving cup.
Neville D. Tyson attained fifty years' continuous active practice at the local Bar on August 17, 1919. War conditions being over, Messrs. Dannehower, Dettra, Fox and Wright provided for a great outing (instead of a formal dinner) at Mr. Tyson's democratic request, at
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Kugler's Old Mohican Club grounds, on the Delaware, in New Jersey, on May 26, 1921. Sixty-one members did honor to Mr. Tyson. The honored guest was deeply moved when he was unexpectedly presented by his legal brethren with a handsome silver loving cup, appropriately inscribed.
The most recent testimonial dinner was the one given to Judge Swartz on his resignation and retirement from the active duties of the Bench under the Judges' Retirement Act of 1919, in recognition of nearly thirty-six years of honorable and distinguished judicial service. It was given on June 7, 1923, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Philadelphia. Seventy-nine judges and lawyers participated in the eventful occasion. President Judge Solly, of the Orphans' Court, was the toastmaster. The honored guest painted a masterful word picture of the changes in the personnel of the Bar and of legal practice and the intimate relations between the local Bench and Bar during his long judicial service. Judges Miller and Williams responded to the "Old Bench" and the "New Bench," respectively ; N. H. Larzelere and J. Aubrey Anderson to the "Old" and the "New" Bar; and Montgomery Evans, and Jefferson Snyder, a spec- ially invited guest of the Berks County Bar, to "Friends, Indeed !"
The next in line to be honored with complimentary dinners are: Louis M. Childs, March 14, 1926; N. H. Larzelere, September 29, 1927; Henry Freedley, Jr., November 5, 1928; Montgomery Evans, December 2, 1928; Judge William F. Solly, September 1, 1929; and Wm. F. Dan- nehower, June 7, 1930, perhaps a yearly occurrence between 1926 and 1930, inclusive.
In 1909, on Judge Swartz's completion of twenty-one years' service on the Bench, the Association presented him while presiding in court with twenty-one American Beauty roses.
Complimentary banquets were not confined to those given by the Association to honor some judge or lawyer. The tables were occasion- ally reversed and some notable banquets or receptions were given to the Association. Colonel Boyd, in 1892 or 1893, tendered the Associa- tion an elegant and elaborate banquet at the Colonnade Hotel. On Sat- urday evening, January 18, 1902, Montgomery Evans entertained the Association at dinner at the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia. It was well attended and greatly appreciated. Three or four years later, George W. Rogers, president of the Association, gave a banquet at the Hotel Hamilton, Norristown. It was served according to his pet idea, "with- out wine." It was a notable affair. Judge Swartz, N. H. Larzelere, Louis M. Childs, F. G. Hobson, C. Henry Stinson, were others who at various times entertained the members of the Association.
Necrology-Between December 22, 1880, and January 19, 1821- forty-one years-fifty-one members of the Association died. During that period it strangely happened that in eight instances three died
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within periods of from one to ten months, and five instances when two died within a period of from half a month to five months. And there were three intervals of three years or more when there were no deaths- between August 16, 1887 and January 20, 1891, February 1, 1896 and March 10, 1899, and November 14, 1909 and May 30, 1913. Strange fatality ! The death roll is as follows :
Joseph L. Allabough died September 20, 1881; Benton Ramsey, October 25, 1881; and Charles Slemmer, November 12, 1881; three in less than two months.
Judge Henry P. Ross died April 13, 1882; Warren C. Evans, August 28, 1882; Charles Henry Garber, November 9, 1882-three within six months.
Gen. John Henry Hobart died March 29, 1887; J. Wright Apple, June 16, 1887; and Judge B. Markley Boyer, August 16, 1887-three within five months.
Charles Hunsicker died October 27, 1895; Walter S. Jennings, No- vember 14, 1895; and Isaac Chism, November 20, 1895-three in less than one month.
Ex-Judge Charles H. Stinson died March 10, 1899; A. Edwin Long- aker, September 13, 1899; and Henry R. Brown, January 12, 1900-three within ten months.
George N. Corson died April 12, 1902; Capt. William Rennyson, April 14, 1902; and Edward E. Long, October 26, 1902-three within seven months.
George S. Egolf died March 6, 1908; Jacob A. Strassburger, March 30, 1908; and Franklin March, April 14, 1908-three within one month and eight days.
Miss Lelia Jenkins died January 17, 1917; Oliver L. Evans, March 18, 1917; and Jeremiah B. Larzelere, Jr., March 27, 1917-three within three months.
James H. Maxwell died September 27, 1909, and Benjamin Harry, November 14, 1909-two within two months.
John W. Bickel died May 10, 1913, and Miller D. Evans, October, 1913-two within five months.
Ex-Judge James B. Holland died April 24, 1914, and Judge Henry K. Weand, July 30, 1914-two within about three months.
Harvey L. Shomo died September 25, 1915, and Mrs. Irvin P. Knipe, November 30, 1915-two within about two months.
Jacob V. Gotwalts died January 6, 1921, and J. P. Hale Jenkins, Jan- uary 19, 1921-two within two weeks.
The Bar Association Officiary-The following shows the officers of the Bar Association from its organization until the present year (1923) :
Presidents-Col. James Boyd, 1885-1887, resigned ; B. E. Chain, 1887, to March 28, 1893, died; Col. James Boyd, 1894 to October 18, 1904, died ; George W. Rogers, 1905 to July 24, 1907, died ; H. K. Weand, 1908 to July 30, 1914, died ; Joseph Fornance, 1915 to date.
Vice-Presidents-George W. Rogers, 1885 to 1905, elected presi- dent; Miller D. Evans, 1905 to October, 1913, died; Joseph Fornance, 1914 to 1915, elected president ; Jacob V. Gotwalts, 1915 to January 6, 1921, died ; Neville D. Tyson, 1921 to date.
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Secretary-Wm. F. Dannehower, 1885 to date.
Treasurers-Henry R. Brown, 1885 to January 12, 1900, died ; I. P. Knipe, 1900 to 1904, declined ; George K. Brecht, 1904 to date.
Committee of Censors-B. E. Chain, 1885 to 1887, elected president ; Charles T. Miller, 1885 to September 3, 1885, died; Joseph Fornance, 1885 to 1914, elected vice-president; Louis M. Childs, 1885 to 1896, elected vice-president ; Montgomery Evans, 1885 to date; Charles Hun- sicker, 1886 to October 27, 1895, died ; H. K. Weand, 1887 to 1888, elected president; Isaac Chism, 1888 to November 20, 1895, died; N. H. Lar- zelere, 1896 to date; J. P. Hale Jenkins, 1896 to January 19, 1921, died ; F. G. Hobson, 1896 to January 10, 1906, died; John W. Bickel, 1906 to May 30, 1913, died ; Neville D. Tyson, 1914 to date ; Gilbert Rodman Fox, 1914 to 1921 ; Freas Styer, 1921 to date ; Jesse R. Evans, 1921 to date.
The Montgomery County Law Library-Intimately associated with the Bench and Bar of Montgomery county, is the Montgomery County Law Library. This library, located in the court house at Norristown, the county seat, has few rivals in Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The law libraries at Carlisle and Scranton alone are in the same class.
During the first twenty-five years of the local library's existence, its prospects were not encouraging. The law library committee which had it in charge did not hold stated meetings, and its conduct and manage- ment were indifferent. In 1895, however, under the judicial régime of Judges Swartz and Weand, new life was infused into this seemingly corpse-like organization. From then on, the affairs of the library assumed business-like proportions; Judge Swartz himself presided at the committee meetings; a secretary was elected who kept minutes and recorded them in the minute book. Judge Swartz put heart and soul into the enterprise. He was determined to build up a library second to none in the State outside of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. His associ- ates on the committee were inspired with a like determination.
In 1901 Judge Solly became a valuable and enthusiastic member of the committee, and in 1914 Judge Miller, as the successor of Judge Weand, deceased, added his zeal and energy. The hands of Judge Swartz were ever steadily upheld by the other judges and by the able, willing, faithful and harmonious non-judicial members of the committee.
The English Reports, United States Reports, the Reports of every State in the Union, and the Pennsylvania Sidebar (County) Reports were procured; also the latest Digests of Decisions and Encyclopedias of Law; the Statutes of the United States, of many prominent States, and of this State ; the latest text-books and works of reference-in brief, all the law books that go to make up a full, complete and up-to-date law library. The 10,098 volumes of the library are handsomely housed in a central room on the second floor of the court house, facing Swede street ; are carefully and systematically shelved in handsome steel cases; are fully indexed both as to author, title and subject matter, and well kept
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by the obliging and capable librarian, John O'Neill. The library is a splendid and a valuable asset of the county and a modest monument to its founders and its builders.
The Law Library Committee-The Montgomery county law library committee that has charge of the affairs of the library, is the creature of special legislation. The special Act of Assembly, approved March 12, 1869, applicable to Montgomery and Perry counties, provided that thereafter
All fines and penalties imposed, all forfeited recognizances in the several courts of Montgomery and Perry counties, to which the said counties are by existing laws entitled, are hereby directed to be paid to the treasurer of the committee of members of the bar appointed as herein provided, for the use of a law library to be kept in the Court House of the respective counties for the use of the courts and the bar thereof.
The Act further provided :
That the money thus arising shall be expended for said law library from time to time under the direction of the President Judge and com- mittee of at least three resident members of the Bar of the respective counties, to be appointed by the judges of said respective counties annu- ally, or oftener if required, and the said committee, together with the President Judge, shall adopt such rules for the regulation of said library as may be deemed expedient.
The Act also provides for the collection of forfeited recognizances by the district attorney and their payment to the treasurer of the com- mittee. The county commissioners are required by the Act to desig- nate and fit up a room in the court house for such library, which shall be in the custody and under the control of the committee.
On April 15, 1869, about a month after the Act was passed, Judge Henry Champan appointed the following seven prominent members of the local Bar as the committee, namely: James Boyd, Daniel M. Smy- ser, Charles H. Stinson, Carroll S. Tyson, Benjamin E. Chain, Charles T. Miller and Charles Hunsicker. This committee met in Col. Boyd's law office for organization in the afternoon of August 19, 1869. All the members were present except ex-Judge Smyser. Judge Chapman also attended. Col. Boyd presided. Charles T. Miller was appointed secre- tary and treasurer. Messrs. Tyson and Miller were appointed to prepare and report rules for the regulation of the library.
At the next meeting, again held at Col. Boyd's office, September 29, 1869, he was reelected chairman for the ensuing year. Rules of regu- lation were reported and adopted. Messrs. Chain, Stinson and Hun- sicker were appointed a committee on books, and Messrs. Smyser and Tyson on room. The committee on books was directed to secure a librarian whose salary was not to exceed $50 per year.
The rules for the regulation of the law library, which were reported
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by Messrs. Tyson and Miller, and adopted by the committee, provided for the annual appointment of seven members of the Bar to manage its affairs, from whom a president, secretary and treasurer were to be appointed, and also a sub-committee on books and another on room. The committee was to appoint a librarian annually. The library was to be kept open for the use of the members from 10 to 3 daily, except Sun- days and legal holidays. The duties of the officers were defined. The treasurer was not to pay out any money except upon a resolution of the committee. Charles T. Miller was chosen treasurer. On April 14, 1870, the original committee was reappointed.
The next meeting was held in the library fitted up in the court house, on April 25, 1870, when Col. Boyd was again chosen president and Charles T. Miller secretary and treasurer, and the former committees on books and room were reappointed. Harry Drake was chosen librarian. Books amounting to $1300 were purchased from Kay Brothers. An- other lot of books was purchased early in 1871 from the same firm, amounting to $1479.75, and in 1873 to $1701.65.
On June 1, 1871, Col. Boyd and Miller were reelected, and B. Markley Boyer became a member of the committee and was appointed on the committee on room, to succeed Carroll Tyson.
Up to this time, Judge Chapman had been the president and sole judge of the courts. It seems he took no active part in the proceedings of the committee. He was succeeded on the bench by Judge Ross in 1872. He, too, it appeared, took no active interest in the work of the committee.
On January 6, 1873, the old officers were again reelected. Henry K. Weand became a member of the committee, succeeding ex-Judge Smy- ser. Franklin T. Brewer was elected librarian. On October 25, the law library was moved to the room in the court house before occupied b.' Col. John R. Breitenbach, United States Internal Revenue Collector.
So far as the minute book discloses, no meeting was held in 1874, only one in 1875, September 20th ; then none until December 19, 1881-a gap of six years ; and then none until February 21, 1883.
In the meantime, in 1882, Judge Stinson succeeded on the bench Judge Ross, deceased, who in turn was succeeded, on the first Monday of January, 1883, by Judge Boyer by election. Then Judge Boyer called a meeting of the committee to be held in his room in the court house on February 21, 1883. There were present beside himself, Joseph Fornance, Henry R. Brown, and Louis M. Childs. Neville D. Tyson and Charles T. Miller were the other members of the committee. Nathaniel Jacoby was the librarian. Judge Boyer was elected chairman and Mr. Childs secretary. Tyson and Brown were appointed a committee on books, and Fornance and Childs, on room. There were signs of the commit- tee's rejuvenation.
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New rules for the regulation of the library were adopted. The library was to be kept open by the librarian from 8.30 to 12 m. and from I to 5 p. m., except Sundays and legal holidays. General Bar meetings were permitted to be held in the law library. No books were to be taken out of the library except by a judge of the courts or a member of the Bar of the county ; but no book was to be taken out of the borough of Norris- town. During the sessions of any court for jury trials or of any regular argument court, books were prohibited from being taken out except for use in court. Turning down of leaves and pencil marks were prohibited.
Another meeting at which only routine business was transacted, was held during the following week, and then, strange to say, there is another gap in the minute book of twelve years-until January 25, 1895. During at least a part of this interval ex-Associate Judge Nathaniel B. Jacoby was the librarian, and, to the writer's recollection, after April 1, 1890, was also the secretary of the committee and kept minutes of the meetings. These minutes, however, do not appear in the only minute book in the committee's possession. What became of them is not known. They would throw light upon the changes in the personnel of the committee.
There was an infusion of new life in 1895. The meeting held on January 25th was attended by Judges Swartz and Weand, who had been on the Bench since 1887. John S. Jones was elected as secretary. From then on, monthly meetings were regularly held on the last Friday of every month, and minutes of the meetings were faithfully kept and recorded in the minute book. The committee at that time consisted of Messrs. Montgomery Evans, J. P. Hale Jenkins, Wm. F. Dannehower, Jacob A. Strassburger and Isaac Chism. The committee took on new life and set out on a faithful performance of their duties and the building up of a law library worthy of the name. They little dreamed, however, that the library would grow to rank second to none in the State out- side of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
After the reappointment of the original committee in 1870, the records of the Court in the prothonotary's office show no further appoint- ments until November 20, 1885, when Montgomery Evans was appointed by Judge Boyer to succeed Charles T. Miller, who died September 3, 1885. The record mentions the remaining members to have been Joseph Fornance, Neville D. Tyson, Henry R. Brown, and Louis M. Childs.
In 1887 Judge Aaron S. Swartz and Judge Henry K. Weand became members of the committee by reason of their appointments as President Judge and Additional Law Judge, respectively. The latter served until his decease on July 30, 1914.
On the 3rd of March, 1890, the Court (Judges Swartz and Weand) appointed from and after April 1, 1890, B. E. Chain, J. P. Hale Jenkins, Montgomery Evans, Wm. F. Dannehower and Jacob A. Strassburger,
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