USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 39
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lican paper. C. W. Johnson soon sold his interest to his brother, R. H. John- son, who remained as sole proprietor until he sold out in 1909.
In 1883, R. H. Johnson, evidently preparing for the presidential cam- paign of 1884, issued the Daily Central, which appeared until the spring of 1885. He had for its editor A. J. Dodge, a fine writer, who afterwards became the Washington reporter for some of the great dailies of the country.
While the weekly Central had a good subscription list and was a fairly paying newspaper, the Daily was not; it was much too expensive for the little support it got in the city and small surrounding country, with the small settle- ment and poor postal service. It was, in fact, a better paper than the country could afford. The Central Wisconsin continued as a weekly paper, a bright, sprightly sheet, reimbursing in part its owner for his losses on the Daily. Since R. H. Johnson sold it to the Sun Publishing Company in 1909, it is issued under the name of Wausau Sun, but it was strongly surmised at the time that the change of the name from an old established newspaper to a new one was of doubtful financial expediency.
WISCONSIN RIVER PILOT
a weekly newspaper devoted to the promulgation of the principles of the Democratic party, made its appearance in the year 1865, owned and printed by Valentine Ringle, son of Judge Ringle, assisted by J. W. Chubbuck as editor, who remained with it until 1874. After that time Mr. Ringle himself edited the paper, occasionally assisted by M. H. Barnum, later by C. F. Eldred and others.
The paper remained under the ownership of Valentine Ringle until 1884, when it was sold to E. B. Thayer, who had commenced the publication of another Democratic paper, the Wausau Weekly Review, in 1882, and after purchasing the Pilot, combined both papers under the name of Pilot-Review, dropping the last name after a few years and issuing the paper under the name of Wausau Pilot. This paper has never missed an issue since its first appearance in 1865; always a staunch Democratic paper, it supported Demo- cratic principles and Democratic nominees. It claims the largest circulation of any weekly paper in Wausau, which claim seems to be well founded. Nearly all the people who ever emigrated from Wausau continue to receive it, and many Wausau people send it to their friends in other states. In the year 1884 for about six months, a daily Pilot was issued until after the election of that year, and the experiment renewed in 1896, in William J. Bryan's first campaign.
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Being in the hands of V. Ringle for nearly twenty years, and now owned and edited by E. B. Thayer since 1884, or over twenty-eight years, it has the advantage of being conducted on one line of policy without having to make concessions to conflicting interests.
WAUSAU WOCHENBLATT ( WAUSAU WEEKLY),
is the oldest established newspaper printed in the German language in central and northern Wisconsin. It was founded by Valentine Ringle, son of Judge Ringle, and made its first appearance in January, 1871. It was founded as a newspaper advocating the principles of the Democratic party and in the interests of the . German-Americans. It has steadily adhered to this course and secured a large circle of readers, although in the beginning its circula- tion was limited because of the limited number of the German population at that time. It has grown with the growth of the city and county and enjoys a large circulation in this and adjoining counties.
When Valentine Ringle was appointed postmaster in 1885, he sold the paper to Lohmar Brothers, who in turn sold it to John Ringle, and he not being bred to the newspaper business, sold it to H. J. Heise about the close of the year 1889, and who is still the owner and editor, with G. Bohndorf as assistant.
DER DEUTSCHE PIONIER (THE GERMAN PIONEER)
is the name of the weekly newspaper of Marathon county, issued at Wausau, adhering to the Republican party published in the German language. It was in 1881 when the leaders of the Republican party felt the need of a publication advocating their creed in the German language, and some of their leaders pur- chased the material of the defunct "Watchman on the Wisconsin," a greenback paper, and engaged one St. Koslowski from Milwaukee as editor, giving him at the same time an interest in the publication. This editor was a very able writer and good speaker, with a sense for business, and he soon brought the paper upon a fairly paying basis. But although strictly Republican in his writings, he had some views of his own, which did not coincide with the views of the main stockholders, more particularly its German and Norwegian stockholders. This disagreement caused his resignation in the fall of 1882. He was succeeded as editor by A. W. Young under the same conditions, but who soon became sole owner, and who edited it until his death, in the year 1897. After the death of A. W. Young, the newspaper was purchased by Gustav Stolze, who edited and owned it until his death, in 1899, and after his death it passed to his son, Paul F. Stolze, who is the present owner.
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The Pioneer secured a large circulation in Marathon and adjoining coun- ties, and while still adhering to the principles of the Republican party, lately follows an independent course in matters of policy. It is devoted to the inter- ests of German-Americans and gives much space to the publication of German club news, the editor himself being a member of most of the German societies.
THE WAUSAU SUN
is the youngest of all weekly newspapers, and yet is the oldest, not only in the county, but in all the territory north of Stevens Point. It had been suc- cessfully conducted by R. H. Johnson as the Central Wisconsin, when he sold it to a corporation organized by William C. Brawley, who intended to make it a great weekly Democratic paper whose influence should be felt throughout the state, and therefore the Sun seemed to him to be the proper name for the new venture. William C. Brawley edited the Sun until June, 19II, when he removed from Wausau. While under his control the paper was a Democratic weekly, but outside of Marathon county it exerted little or no influence upon the history of the country or the Democratic party. Its circulation remained limited to this county, but did not increase over the circulation of the Central while under the management of W. C. Brawley. It is now edited by Edw. Fitzgerald and supports Democratic policies advo- cated and advanced by President-elect Wilson and is strongly endeavoring to gain popular favor.
THE PHILOSOPHER PRESS.
Wausau enjoys the distinction of having a press and book making shop of the old kind, when books were made to last for centuries, and the work of printing and making up of books was regarded as an art before it became the machine work of today. The Philosopher Press was founded at Wausau in January, 1897, by Philip V. O. Van Vechten and William Ellis for the pub- lication of The Philosopher, a magazine, and the making of hand-made books in limited numbers.
In the issues of this Press a high quality of paper is used, the books already printed having been made, for the most part, of L. L. Brown and Dickingson papers. Extreme care in press work is exercised. "This part of the work is done by Mrs. Helen Brunneau Van Vechten, who brings to it an enthusiastic love for the work, based on an intelligent understanding of its requirement. The sheets are personally fed through the press by Mrs. Van Vechten, each impression being treated as a separate mechanical process, the
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press being absolutely stopped for each impression. It is this extreme care which gives Mrs. Van Vechten's work the evenness of ink and perfection of registration for which it has justly attracted the attention of book lovers.
The Philosopher Press is endeavoring to reestablish the shop idea, as opposed to the factory plan of industrial development. The practical needs of society require the factory, in which the largest amount of work may be produced at least cost. Beyond this, however, there is room, here and there, for those who choose to do so, to establish shops in which the personal impres- sion of all concerned may be put upon the work done. The Philosopher Press will never grow into a large institution. It will never make more books than Mrs. Van Vechten chooses personally to put through the press. To make the best hand book is her ambition, in the output of which she finds the best solu- tion of her life.
The Philosopher, as a magazine, has ceased to exist, the editor, Mr. William Ellis, having engaged in other enterprises, but the book printing and binding establishment is still the pride of Mrs. Van Vechten, and a few of the books issued from out of her book shop may be cited here, just to show the appreciation of the quality of work done by her : November, 1897, Andrea Del Sarto, by Robert Browning: 8vo. 28, 6 by 9 cloth, 20 copies, privately printed on Japanese vellum paper for Roy U. Conger.
December, 1897-The Old Wisconse, by William Ellis and William Leachman, by James Whitcomb Riley; 8vo. pp. 24, 6 by 9: 5 copies ; pri- vately printed for Charles Allen Johnson; one on Japanese vellum paper bound in full crushed levant.
January, 1908-A Book of Verse, by Edgar Lee Masters; 8vo., pp. 207, 5 by 71/2, cloth : 500 copies printed for and sold by Way & Williams, Chicago.
May, 1903-Saul, by Robert Browning, with introduction by Jenkin Lloyd Jones : 4 to pp. 64, 91/2 by 11. Edition limited to 300 copies on L. L. Brown handmade paper, bound in full leather, with stamped reproduction of a Little Gidding binding. Price, $10.00.
Of the many favorable notices which the work of The Philosopher Press has received from the great dailies, the following is copied :
"To the casual person, the pinewoods of northern Wisconsin as a basis of wordly operation suggest nothing beyond the buying, selling and manufac- ture of lumber. Yet here, 'At the Sign of the Green Pine Tree,' is a little printing shop, from which are being issued exquisite handmade editions of rare English classics; and what adds to the interest of this unique situation is, that the entire labor, from the spreading of the ink to the preparing the
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book for the binder, is done by a woman. The business was hardly well on its feet when Mrs. Van Vechten, who is, by the way, a college bred woman of unusual culture, volunteered to go into the office and look after the bookkeep- ing and correspondence of the firm, thereby giving her husband more time to bestow upon the lumber interest in which she was also engaged. Mrs. Van Vechten watched the process of bookmaking with great interest, and threw herself heart and soul into a study of the subject. It soon transpired that upon all matters of margins, arrangements, color, etc., her taste was fine and discriminating. Early in her career as a bookmaker, Mrs. Van Vechten proved her right to a foremost place in the rank."-From Bookmaking in the West, by Delia T. Davies, in The Critic.
Many De Lux editions have been printed in this shop, and to have an institution which brings out books printed and bound as to receive such favorable notices as the above is one of many, is something refreshing in this commercial age.
THE MARATHON COUNTY PRESS.
There exist now in Marathon county not less than twelve weekly news- papers and one daily, under the names and places as follows :
Record-Herald; daily: editor, J. L. Sturdevant ; Republican; Wausau, Wisconsin.
Wausau Pilot ; weekly ; editor, E. B. Thayer ; Democratic; Wausau, Wis- consin.
Wausau Sun; weekly; editor, Edw. Fitzgerald; Democratic; Wausau, Wisconsin.
Wausau Wochenblatt; weekly; German ; editor, H. J. Heise; Democratic; Wausau, Wisconsin.
Pioneer ; weekly; German ; editor, P. F.Stolze: Republican; Wausau, Wis- consin.
Record; weekly; editor, Athens Publishing Company; Independent ; Athens.
Edgar News; weekly; editor, E. B. Crawford; Republican; Edgar.
Gefluegel Zuechter; weekly; German; editor, Henry E. Voigt (Poultry) ; Hamburg.
Marathon City Times; editor, F. Leuschen ; Independent; Marathon City.
Stratford Reporter; weekly; editor. P. Curtin; Republican; Stratford.
The Times; weekly : editor, E. B. Walters; Independent; Mosinee.
Marathon County Register; weekly; editor, E. L. Messer; Republican; Unity.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Bench and Bar-Judges of the Circuit Court from 1850 to 1912-Present Members of the Bar.
BENCH AND BAR.
Four of the former judges of the circuit in which this county is situ- 1 ated are now dead, and as to them some recollections of their characteristics and incidents of their judicial career seem appropriate.
It is needless to say that none of them was ever suspected in the least of be- ing influenced by political considerations, or held any other fealty to any party, except such as under our form of government every patriotic man voluntarily chooses. Indeed, it has ever been the policy of this state to keep judicial posi- tions out of politics, and for that reason all judicial elections ever since the or- ganization of the state, were and are held in the spring election, or town meet- ing day. It was expected that under that mode of selecting and electing candi- dates, only the best material would be chosen, and in that respect the people were not disappointed. As a rule, with hardly any exception in the state, and certainly without exception the judges in this circuit, were men of great ability, integrity, and honor.
But to the later generations who may know but little of the former judges, some little incidents of personal characteristics may be interesting reading.
JUDGE LARRABEE.
Judge Larrabee's name is scarcely more than a tradition at the present time, and the old settlers who might tell us something of him have gone, too. He held several terms of court here, but either because there was no court- house to hold court, or for want of business, he adjourned two terms of court after one day, and then there is no record that he ever came back again.
JUDGE CATE.
Judge Cate succeeded him, and from that time on, the records are fairly well kept and quite a large amount of judicial work was transacted, for Judge
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Cate was a hard worker himself and made the attorneys work as well. He never had the benefit of a stenographic reporter, but took all the evidence himself in long hand, and old lawyers have been heard to say that they would prefer to draw a bill of exception from his minutes rather than from the stenographer's evidence, because so much shorter, only the important evi- dence having been taken down in writing, which answered all the purposes. Judge Cate was an excellent fast writer, and when one was fairly acquainted with his hand writing, it could be read with ease.
Judge Cate was essentially dignified and courtly in his manner, which fitted well with his distinguished appearance and classical face. He was an able and upright judge, but was essentially an advocate, and for that reason not entirely at home on the bench. He enjoyed a joke, but one would as easily have looked for one from him while presiding in court as from a Roman senator.
His mental and intellectual make-up made him a strong figure for the forum; as an advocate before a jury he had no superior in the state, and it is to be regretted that the political complexion of the district in which he lived all his life, was averse to his political opinions, and that he had only one term in Congress where he surely would have made a shining mark, if returned for a few more terms, for the benefit of his constituents and the state at large.
His career was remarkable from many points of view. He worked as a common laborer when he first came into the pinery, hardly over nineteen years of age, wheeling dirt into the Schofield dam and working in saw mills for a while, until he earned money enough to open a law office, and began the practice of the law, which was meagre enough at that time. Soon, how- ever, he was elected member of the assembly for Portage and Marathon county, and made one of the managers in the Hubbell impeachment trial, which ended in the Judge Hubbell's triumphant acquittal.
Judge Park had a keen wit and a quiet and polite manner which slightly softened the edge of his sarcasm.
On one occasion an attorney who duly loved a joke, summed for the defense before a jury, and not having any facts to rely on for a favorable verdict, indulged in a good deal of criticism and ridicule of the opposing attorney, much of which was pretended for "showing up." When he had done, he made a grab for his hat and cane preparatory for leaving the court ' room, when the opposing attorney who had to listen in silence to what seemed to him an uncalled for and nonsensical argument, got up and addressed the court, saying: "Your Honor, I want you to order Mr. - to stay
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here while I close my case and reply to his uncalled attack upon me," and the judge answered with a smile: "Well, Mr. -, this court has no power to inflict cruel and unusual punishment, you know that is forbidden by the constitution."
A young man on his examination for admission to the bar under the old rule, having gone fairly well through the examination so far, was asked the question : "Why is it necessary that a promissory note must be in writ- ing ?" and upon his hesitation to answer, the judge came to his assistance with a knowing twinkle in his eye, saying, "You see, if the note was not in writ- ing, you could not indorse it for a friend." Doubtless that had been one of the judge's experiences with promissory notes.
JUDGE WEBB
has a shrewd, quiet vain of humor that was always kindly. Instances might be multiplied, but a few will illustrate not only his humor, but the justice and kindness of his nature.
On one occasion a young lawyer was arguing before him an appeal from the decision of a justice of the peace, and was endeavoring with great ear- nestness to clinch a nail that he had driven home to the best of his ability some time before. "Mr. -," said Judge Webb, with a quizzical droop of one eyelid, that was a hobby of his, "you have said that ten times before." "Your honor," responded the discomfited lawyer, "I beg your pardon; I forgot that I was not in justice court where I repeated it twenty times with- out being understood." The judge responded with an entire change in tone : "I am the one who ought to ask for pardon, argue your case in your own way."
Another time when a youngster at the bar had at last completed a long and searching cross examination in a cow case to his satisfaction, Judge Webb suggested to him dryly that there was still time to ask the witness one more question not yet asked "on which side of the fence the milk pail set." Mr. was attorney for the plaintiff in a case which the court had just non-suited. The next case on the calendar was "Damm vs. Smith." and when the case was called, Mr. arose, but before he could make an announcement, Judge Webb remarked, with his odd smile, "I suppose you represent Damm."
JUDGE BARDEEN
went upon the bench with a host of warm personal friends in and out of the bar, who had been accustomed to call him "Charlie." This in no way less-
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ened the effectiveness of his judicial work, but it made it a little hard for him at times in quieting the controversies that will occasionally arise between attorneys, even in the trial of cases. His natural quick temper also intensi- fied the situation. Nevertheless his success in restraining himself in such instances was remarkable.
It is recorded of him that once, when a placid phlegmatic friend coun- seled him in a fatherly Sunday school way that it was his duty to overcome his temper, Judge Bardeen as quick as lightning, almost, responded: "- I have overcome more temper in a day than you ever had in all your life."
JUDGE W. C. SILVERTHORN
was appointed judge of the sixteenth judicial circuit by Gov. Edw. Scol- field in the spring of 1898 and elected in the same spring; he held his first term in Marathon county in May of that year.
He had been in the practice of the law in this county ever since 1864, been a leader of the bar for many years, and it was his laudable ambition, which is the ambition of most every lawyer who loves his profession, to wind up his career as a lawyer and public man upon the bench of the circuit court, that court being the only court in the state having general jurisdiction.
He lived to see his ambition gratified, and having been re-elected after the end of his first term, showing that the people of the circuit approved of his administration as circuit judge, he voluntarily resigned the office in the summer of 1898, after fullfilling the duties of this high office for ten years. He felt that he had done his full duty, and that after a life work of over fifty years, loaded with honor and in comfortable circumstances, he might well take a rest and spend his remaining years in leisure and caring for his health. He not only resigned as judge, but also withdrew from legal work as well, taking pleasure in travel and sightseeing. His work as secretary of the Northern Chief Iron Company in which he has a large financial interest is all that occupies his attention, which leaves him plenty of time for recrea- tion. Next to his official duties as circuit judge, he will be best remembered here as the leader who successfully fought and defeated the bonding of the county for $250,000 bearing ten per cent interest for twenty years, for a spur track of the Wisconsin Central Railroad from Stevens Point.
A. H. REID
was appointed and elected to succeed Judge Silverthorn and is the present circuit judge. He was admitted to practice in Madison in 1890, a graduate
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of the state university of Wisconsin, and immediately after admission became a member of the firm of Curtis & Curtis under the firm name of Curtis, Curtis & Reid in Merrill, Lincoln county, Wisconsin, which became the lead- ing law firm in that city, and where he remained until his election as circuit judge. He then took up his residence at Wausau, Marathon county, being by far the largest county in the circuit, and Wausau, by reason of railroad facilities, the easiest of approach of the county seats.
Since his elevation to the bench, the work of the circuit court has immensely increased, partly explained on the general increase of all business in this county and in the northern part of the state, but largely also because a large amount of legal work is brought before him for decision from other circuits. He enjoys in an unbounded degree the confidence of the bar of other counties as well as of those in his circuit, and when for some reason, cases are removed from the county where instituted, the choice of the attor- neys favors this county and this judge, because of the enviable record made by him as judge or arbiter of differences between litigating parties.
This applies not only to matters in litigation of private rights, but to criminal cases as well. The time of Judge Reid is always occupied, leaving him but little time, if any, for rest. In the few years since his election to the bench, he has been called upon to hold court for other judges in twenty counties besides his own, and there is not one judge in the state whose time is more taken up than his with the trial of cases.
There is a general feeling throughout the state that the next vacancy happening on the supreme court of this state, should be filled with his eleva- tion to the highest tribunal which would add to the confidence which the people have for the same, and reflect lustre upon the court.
THE BAR.
In early years the records show that Eli R. Chase was a prominent figure among the bar. Most of the business transacted shows him connected with one side or the other. Nevertheless it could not have been very lucrative. With money as scarce as we were told it was among businessmen, it is not likely that it was more flush among lawyers. Chase was postmaster for a term and removed from this county and practiced his profession in Cali- fornia, where he died in the year 1912. About the middle of the sixties (1864) W. C. Silverthorn, then a very young man, came to Wausau to practice his profession, the law, and with Eli R. Chase divided the practice. Soon after his coming he was elected district attorney and re-elected several
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times, and in 1873 formed a partnership with another newcomer, M. A. Hurley, under the firm name of Silverthorn & Hurley. This firm from its beginning was the prominent firm in this county without a rival, until both members retired more or less from actual practice about the year 1890, or soon thereafter.
For many years this firm carried on its large business without any other assistance except a copyist in the office, while the number of young lawyers which came into practice about that time or soon thereafter, nearly always had Judge Cate as an assistant at a trial. The firm of James & Crosby, both young men, acquired a large practice, too, but James died young. Crosby did not survive him many years, and with the death of B. W. James, the practice of the firm and surviving partner declined.
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