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The Green Bag.

but he is now residing at the capital, en gaged in the practice of the law. Although descended from a Whig family, he has always been a Democrat. Judge Niblack sat on the bench at a very busy period of the court's history, when it was overloaded with cases, many of which grew out of the financial troubles of 1873 and 1874. His opinions are remarkable for -the ease and grace with which they are written, many of them being elegant models of the use of the English language. His opinion in The White Lick Quarterly Meeting of Friends, by Hadley, against The White Lick Quar terly Meeting of Friends, by Mendenhall (89 Ind. 136,), is worthy of special mention. His strong sense of justice, aided by a wide ex perience in the affairs of the world, united with good common-sense, is almost every where manifest in his opinions. In 1888, although nominated for a third term, he was defeated. In 1889 he was one of the Su preme Court commissioners chosen by the legislature, but the act creating the commis sion was declared unconstitutional. George V. Howk. Judge Howk's birthplace was Charlestown, Ind., and the date Sept. 21, 1824. His father was a pioneer lawyer of the State, and died when his son was only nine years of age. Through the exertions of his mother he was enabled to graduate from Asbury University, of this State. In 1847 he was admitted to the practice, and settled at New Albany, where he now resides. One year later he married the daughter of Judge Dewey. In 1852 and 1853 he was city judge of New Albany; and in 1857 judge of the the Court of Common Pleas of his county. In 1863, and from 1866 to 1870, he repre sented his county in the House of Repre sentatives of his native State. In 1876 he was elected judge of the Supreme Court, re-elected in 1882, but defeated in 1888, although nominated by his party. He has always been a Democrat. While a young man, he was employed in the county clerk's

office, and there acquired a penmanship sel dom equalled. A sheet of writing from his pen was like a copper-plate, and contained as many words to the line as a line of the ordinary printed page. On the bench he was an indefatigable worker, rising even in summer before the sun was up, and in winter long before the break of day, to prepare his opinions, and worked long into the night. But he entailed upon himself much unne cessary work, in making long and tedious statements of the case, or in copying into the opinions long extracts from the record. This he often did, although the case was disposed of upon a question not appearing in these statements, thus greatly and unne cessarily encumbering the official reports of the opinions of the court. This he did, too, with great labor to himself; for in later years he wrote slowly and with much diffi culty. For several years he wrote more opinions disposing of cases than any other member of the court. He had an accurate and extended knowledge of the practice in the Supreme Court, exceeding in this re spect nearly all of his brother judges. His opinions are usually clear, and are expressed in plain and straightforward language, con taining fewer citations of authorities than the usual opinion contains. During the year 1891 he was appointed judge of the Floyd Circuit Court, having been appointed by his Republican friend, Governor Hovey. He died Jan. 13, 1892. John T. Scott. When Judge Perkins died, Governor Wil liams appointed John T. Scott to the va cancy. Scott was an old political and per sonal friend of the Governor, and it was chiefly this that brought to him the appoint ment. Though nominated by the Demo crats, he was defeated in 1880. He was born in Glasgow, Ky., May 6, 1831. He resided awhile in Tennessee, th ere attending college, working at the saddlery trade, assist ing in surveying a railroad; and came to Indiana in 1853, settling at Montezuma,

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