Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/67

 50

semi-official endorsement through the pur of the periodical since widely known, and chase by the Legislature of a large number still successfully issued, under the name of of copies for distribution to State officials. "The Central Law Journal." This con While engaged in this work he started the nection was doubly valuable to the young publication of a series of " Unreported Ten author, for the success of the publication nessee Cases; " but the first volume, pub not only made him favorably known in his lished at a newly organized and imperfectly own community and through the county as equipped printing-office, was found to be so an able editor, but it also gave him the full of errors that the editor insisted on its respect and esteem of Judge Dillon, who suppression, and the whole edition was de made him Master in Chancery and referred stroyed, except a few copies which had strayed to him several important cases, thus further into circulation. These now rank among advancing his reputation as a sound practi the curiosities of American law literature. cal lawyer. In 1880 he accepted the Repub Being thus fairly launched on the resist lican nomination for the position of Judge less flood of printer's ink, the young lawyer of the St. Louis Court of Appeals, and was next published a collection of cases illus elected in the face of what was then, in trating the law of self-defence. The idea that district, a large normal Democratic of the book was suggested, and many of majority. This judicial position he has the cases furnished, by the late Judge Hor- since held, as a large number of his decis rigan, of Memphis; and although Thompson ions, reported in the " Missouri Appeals" prepared most of the notes which rendered series, will attest. In 1882 he received this work so valuable that it is still selling, from the University of Missouri the degree his modesty led him to entitle the collection of LL.D. Judge Thompson succeeded Judge "Horrigan and Thompson's Cases on Self- Dillon as editor-in-chief of the " Central Defence." Law Journal" in 1875, and retired from These three works were published in St. the editorial control in 1878. In 1875 he Louis, and to facilitate proof-reading the also became editor of the " Southern Law author finally changed his residence to Review," — then revived and transferred that city. Here he found himself again a from Nashville to St. Louis, — and continued stranger, with few acquaintances, and with to edit it until 1877. In 1883, when the "American Law Review " migrated from but a meagre income from his books, strug gling to establish a practice at a bar already Boston to St. Louis, and absorbed the "Southern Law Review," Judge Thompson over-crowded with new-comers. Just at this time (1874) the Hon. John F. became its associate editor, — a position Dillon, then United States Circuit Judge for which he still occupies. the Eighth Circuit, conceived the idea of During these years of busy labor as editor, founding a law journal which should fill for Master in Chancery, and judge, this untiring the West the same place then well filled in worker has found time also to lecture in other sections by established periodicals. the Law School of the University of Mis Although willing to give such a journal the souri, and to write and publish, successively, benefit of his guidance and advice, his ab treatises on " Homestead and Exemption sorbing labors on the circuit prevented more Laws," " Liability of Stockholders in Corpor active work, and he therefore cast about ations," " Cases in the Law of Negligence," for an editorial assistant of the right ca "The Law of Carriers of Passengers," " The pacity. The publishers whom he selected Law of Officers and Directors of Corpora were also the publishers of the " Cases on tions," and, in connection with Mr. Merriam, Self-Defence," and they recommended Mr. a work on " Juries." His last and best Thompson, who was at once placed in charge known book is the recently published work