Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/137

118 selves anew. This step, so merciful in these days of pecuniary depression and oppression, would revive emigration again to Minnesota, and fill it with enterprise and money."

Judge Meeker lived in Minnesota but a short time after retiring from the bench, and died while temporarily stopping at a hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1873.

David Cooper was born July 22, 1821, at a place known as " Brooks Reserve," in Frederick County, Maryland. In 183 1 the family removed to Gettysburg, Pennsyl vania, for the purpose of giving an elder brother James, subsequently United States Senator from Pennsylvania, an opportunity to pursue his legal studies. After a short time spent at Pennsylvania College, David Cooper commenced the study of law in the office of his brother at Gettysburg. After being admitted to practice, in 1845, ne removed to Louistown, in Mifflin County, where he soon became known as a very suc cessful lawyer. After a legal and political career somewhat brilliant for so young a man, Mr. Cooper was, at the early age of twentyeight, appointed one of the first Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Minnesota. Judge Cooper seems to have been rather a difficult person to get along with, and soon made many enemies. His ability was un questioned, but his irascible temper was the cause of much trouble to himself and his friends. Judge Flandrau writes : — "Judge Cooper was a very industrious and painstaking lawyer, but irascible in the highest de gree. He so fully identified himself with the cause of his client, that fair criticism from oppo site counsel of the merits of the case would be construed into a personal affront, and he never forgave a judge who decided against him. With all these peculiarities, the judge had a very genial side to his nature." The conduct of certain Federal officers gave rise to bitter complaints. In January, 1 85 1, a local paper printed a savage article on " Absentee Office-Holders," in which Cooper was characterized as a " profligate

vagabond." This abusive publication led to a street encounter between the editor and a brother of Judge Cooper. Like Meeker, Cooper was eccentric. He was a gentleman of the old school, and to the end of his life wore the ruffled shirt and laced cuffs of a past generation. After re tiring from the bench in 1853, he practised law in St. Paul until 1864, when he removed to Nevada. The career commenced so aus piciously amid the brilliant successes of youth ended in darkness in an inebriate asylum at Salt Lake City. In accordance with the Governor's procla mation, the first term of the district court was organized in St. Croix County, August 2, 1849, at the village of Stillwater. This was the first court ever held in Minnesota. Chief-Justice Goodrich presided, and Judge Cooper sat as an associate. As usual, the lawyers had preceded the courts, and had evidently been kept waiting for some time, as the paper announced that "about twenty of the lankest and hungriest were in attendance." We find the following account of this first court in the " Chronicle and Register " for August 5 : — "The proceedings were for the first two or three days somewhat crude, owing to the assembling of a bar composed of persons from nearly every State in the Union, holding all their natural prejudices in favor of the courts they had recently left, and against those of all other places in Christendom. But by the urbanity, conciliatory firmness, and harmonious course taken by the court, matters were in a great measure systematized, and busi ness finally despatched to the satisfaction of all concerned. The industry and impartiality of the court were matters of commendation on all sides.'' The editor then proceeds to compliment the prosecuting attorney upon his ceaseless energy and firmness, and the landlord and citizens of Stillwater upon the sumptuous hospitalities extended to the visiting citi zens. One startling feature of the great event duly chronicled was the fact that one of the jurymen wore boots.