University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Law Gfass, ’96 E. A. Moore, J. T. Williams, D. M. Trigg,. J. A. Wilson, Covey Thomas, Knox Jones, Andrews, Jesse Baker, R. S., Baugh, B. P., Boner, W. L., Bowser, D. W., Briant, P. H., Brown, M. S., Brown, O. N., Byrne, J. P., Caldwell, J. O., Caudle, R. G., Clopton, A. J., Cummings, B. Y., Cummins, D., Cuneo, A. E., Dean, R. S., Donaldson, J. W., Doom, D. H., Elrod, A. J., Kschenberg, E.. Faulk, J. H., Fowler, I. D„ Gammon, J. L., Goldsmith, J. I)., Harkey, W. G., Haskell, B. G., OFFICGRS. YE.MBERS. Hearne, W. G., Henderson, V. H., Hornberger, J. G., Howard, J. B.. Hunter, B. W., Jenkins, T. H., Jester, Claude Jones, F. C., Jones, Knox, K ear by, J. W., Knight, W. Y., Kimbrough, W. H., Kopperl, M. A., Lowrancb, F. H., McDade, Keet Meacham, J. M., Mendell, G. W., Miller, W. N., Moore, E. A , Moses, D., Murphy, T. J., O’Keefe, J. A. P., Parker, O. S., Patterson, J. M., Ragsdale, J. H., Render, R. E., Wolf, T. M.. . President. Vice- President. . Secretary. Treasurer. . Sergeant at A rms. Historian. Rentfro, R. B., Ross, T. G., Schenck, W. F., Schwartz, Sam., Sewell, T. E., Shapard, R. S., Simmons, M. L., Slaughter, E. D., Spivey, J. W., Stacy, W. H., Stephenson, Chas., Stevenson, Robt., Stone, T. H., Taylor, J. R., Thomas, Covey Todd, J. D., Trigg, D. M., Turner, R. F., Upthegrove, Davie Wheeler, J. T., Wilcox, C. A., Williams, J. T., Williams, W. M., Wilson, J. A., Wilson, J. C., Wilson, Willet 3°

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HistoTV, L ax Gfsus-s, ’95 THE history of a class should contain nothing but truth, and yet. if the truth is faithfully chronicled I fear we shall be accused of egoism, of lacking modesty. But come what may, truth is imperial, and the truth shall be told. The law class of ’95 originally numbered over sixty members. But where are they to-day ? what has become of them ? some envious academic has had the hardihood to suggest that they have busted, but such is not the case, they have been called home by the death of their fathers. Incredulous ! Within two years forty of sixty-five men should lose their fathers? strange, and yet Tis so. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction. The class of ’95 has been a model class ; they have displayed a zeal for the acquisition of legal knowledge, which perhaps has never been equaled : they are always faithful in the discharge of all the duties imposed upon them by the professors ; not a member of this class has ever made a bush, failed to pass a subject with distinction, or cut a lecture ; the arduous work of the professors has, by the untiring efforts, 'he efficient work, the earnest enthusiasm, and the careful attention of all of the class, been made a pleasure, and we have not the slightest doubt that they will point future classes to us and try to inculcate in their minds a like zeal for the acquirement of legal lore. The brain of this class is something remarkable ; with us the most intricate, difficult and complex questions of corporation law become simple and elementary principles ; the skill with which we apply rules of law to a given statement of facts is certainly very striking; the clever manner in which we master the points of law decided in a given case is surely unusual ; in fact it appears as though almost every member of this extraordinary class has a mind that grasps with ease the most perplexing questions of law, cognizant of the full force and reason, knowing exactly when and where to apply the rule, and fully conscious of the fact that when the reason fails, the law no longer fits the case. We leave for the active field of practice buoyant and hopeful, we feel that our future success is assured, we can not fail, we have the mettle of a Bell-sterling, the dye of a Broum, the experience of a Clark, the gameness of a Cocke, the application of a Davis, the complacency of a Denton, the fiction of an Ellis, the fortuity of a Fisher, the face of a Ham(m)er, the faithfulness of a Hart, the pleading of a Hightmver, the dignity of a Hilbrant, the fertility of a Johnson, the light of a Lampkin. the rhetoric of a Lemby, the brain of a Lobban, the reason of a Mathis, the egotism of a McLean, the adhesiveness of a Myer, the strength of a Myers, the audacity of a Newton, the loquaciousness of an O' Quinn, the integrity of a Phelps, the pride of a Rector, the honor of a Sanford’ the affability of a Spencer, the diplomacy of the Stephens, and the history of a Thomas. 29

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fii-sfor) , Law Gfeuss, ’96. GENERALLY speaking Law is a rule of action, and so also, I do not hesitate to declare that “ specially ” speaking the Law Class of ’96, are men of action. But ’tis not of these special acts that I will speak,—for I would not embarrass any one, or any number of my fellows, by detailing in this record any of their special acts. Indeed, this record is authentic and only Bat(t)s, with the eye of a hawk, could vouch for the acts of these great followers of Blackstone in their rambles over our capital city in search of those great and enduring principles of law, with which some day they expect to squelch criminality, wipe out litigation, and acquit all men at one and the same time of all charges against them, no matter what is the nature; taking care of course to secure their fees by a lien on many hundreds of heads of broken down, one-eyed, cockle-burr-tailed Texas ponies, which they know cannot possibly live until the maturitvof the notes which their clients have so generouslv and unhesitatinglv given. But I propose that we do not show so little consideration for others of the profession who may come after us, by thus growing rich as a Gould, and making ourselves illustrious, leaving nothing to which can be applied the Articles, Sections, Pages, Paragraphs, Lines, etc., of our Revised Statutes, and the wise and judicious “ thou shalts ” and “ thou shall nots ’’ of our most honorable Legislature, to which so many of our predecessors are belonging. Wonderful indeed is this class and wise in the Law, for they can now put in a general demurrer to the famous quotation of the great Dumas when he makes the Count of Monte Cristo say to his wife, as they recede from that fabled isle, “ All things come to those who watch and wait,” judging from the time it has watched and waited for a final judgment on Blackstone “ Exams.” Oh ! that this Daniel ! Yea, Daniel, most rightful Judge! would judge and judge quickly,—and take from our breasts this pound of suspense.—in short, make it “ Satisfactory ” “ though it be not so nominated in the bond.” But aside from this, the Law Class of ’96 has shown what true, good, honest work can be done in a post-graduate course, for it has been said of this class that it is one of the most promising that our glorious State University has ever boasted of. and we 3«