Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, March 27, 1909, Page 62

| ‘ BEMIDJI, BELTRAMI COUNTY AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA. The latter gentleman is also a product of the State University, graduating two years prior to Mr. Torrance. This law firm is rapidly coming to the front in the legal realm, the members there- of are bustling aund energetic young men who are causing things to move along, and they are mere than entitled to the notice here given. MARSHALL A. SPOONZR. Ilon, Marshall A. Spooner was born at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, May 18, 1838, and resided in his native city until he reachea the age of twenty-two years, when he left home to take up his residence in the North- west. He received his education at Huzhes college, Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he eraduated June 23, 1876, taking part of the honors of his class. He was then eighteen vears of age, and immediately took up the study of law, afterwards attending the Cin- cinnati Law School. While pursuing his course of law, he taught one term at Spring LLake Seminary. When only three weeks over twenty years of age, on June 4, 1878, young Spooner was taken into partnership by Addison Williams, counselor-at-law, and at that time circuit prosecutor and city attorney, who had take. a great fancy to the young collegian, and looked for him to attain eminence in his profession. Ill health soon atter necessi- tated the retirement from active duties ot Mr. Williams, who, having faith in the tact and capacity of his junior associate, en- trusted to his charge legal matters of im- portance. The young lawyer entered upoil his new duties with zest and, taking up the cases of his senior, prosecuted them; tried several cases before the criminal court and secured the conviction of and state’s prison sentences for five malefactors; and this before he was twenty-one, when most embryo attorneys are still at their law studies. A Mr. Williams died in December, 1878, and his law business was continued by Mr. Spooner, who was admitted to the bar on motion of Congressman Holman (the great objector), at the suggestion of the presiding judge, May 17, 1879. In the spring of 1882 Judge Spooner re- moved to Moorhead, Minnesota, where he shortly afterwards formed a law partner- ship with Edward E. Webster. Mr. Web- ster left Moorhead in the spring of the fol- lowing year to take charge of the business of Mr. Kindred, and Frank D. Larrabee be- came a partner under the firm name of Spooner & Larrabee, which partnership continued until the spring of 1885, when Mr. Spooner removed to Minneapolis to con- tinue the practice of his profession. While located in Minneapolis, Judge Spooner had associated with him at various times able attorneys, the firm styles being Spooner & Taylor; Spooner & Flaherty (the latter now district judge); Spoomer & Laybourne, and Spooner & Hutchinson. During the period of his residence in Minneapolis, the judge’s practice was largely outside the city, as chief counsel or ad- visor and on appeals to higher courts for cases of outside attorneys. In October, 1895, he appeared before the supreme court of the United States in the famous North Dakota prohibition case. His practice at this time was of a general character, he having cases before the federal, state supreme and the trial courts of Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin. | A glance through the Minnesota Reports shows Judge Spooner as a practitioner in many cases; and his record as a successful pleader at the bar is known to the attor- neys of the state at large. Judge Spooner came to Bemidji in April, 1902, and formed a partnership with L. H. jailey, which continued until he was ap- pointed to the bench March 24, 1903. He | e | presided as judge of the Fifteenth judicial district, which covers an area of one-fifth of the state of Minnesota, and it is safe to say that there is probably not another district in the United States in which there is such a diversified character of litigation before the court as in this district. Judge Spooner served as judge of the Fifteenth judicial district until the spring of 1908, when he tenedered his resignation and moved to Spokane, Washington, for the purpose of practicing law in that city. The many friendships which Mr. Spooner had made in Bemidji and all over the Fif- teenth judicial district appealed so strongly to him that he decided to return to Be- midji. The decision was followed by imme- diate action, and Mr. Spooner and wife are again living in Bemidji. Mr. Spooner has resumed the active prac- tice of law, and his well known ability as a counsellor will undoubtedly result in a large and remunerative practice throughout Min- nesota, and more especially the Fifteenth judicial district. A. A. ANDREWS. Mr. Andrews is one of the thousands of young men who have demonstrated that there is always room at the top for those who aspire thereto. A graduate of thelaw school of the Minnesota State University, Mr. Andrews was admitted to the bar in the year 1902, from which date he has since practiced in the state courts. Hang- ing out his professional shingle in Bemidji but two years ago, Mr. Andrews has made his power felt as a pleader and debater, and aside from that he has made a host of friends in every circle, a circumstance which tends to show his personality and attainment as an attorney. s ————y e m——r At present Mr. Andrews is attracting a gocdly share of the legal business in this vicinity. Success has crowned his under- takings in a number of important cases, and The Pioneer can openly commend him to the thousands of readers of this Souvenir Edition. A. M. CROWELL. Attorney Crowell has been a resident of Bemidji for about nine years. He was ad- mitted to the bar at St. Cloud in the year 1874, moved to Todd county the same year, where he practiced law for sixteen years. In 1884 he was admitted at St. Paul to practice before the United States District Court. He maintained a law office at Long Prairie for sixteen years,. where he was state’s attorney for a period of six years, after which time he moved to Dawson, Lac Qui Parle county. In each place of his residence Mr. Crowell has made his mark in the legal realm, and proved himself the learned barrister that he is. Since his advent in Bemidji Mr. Crowell has been one of the leading counsel in many important cases, he is well known throuhgout the state, and his ability as a practitioner before the bar has been fit- tingly recognized. D. H. FISK. An,ong the attorneys of Bemidji, of which there are many, Mr. Fisk lines up among the first. By dint of hard strug- gling he managed to pave the way to the securing of a common school educa- tion, and by virtue of aptness mastered the intricacies and usages of Blackstone. Mr. Fisk has studied law in both Wis- consin and Minnesota under numerous