Madison County, Illinois - Chapter 50: Bench and Bar of Madison County, 1912 (part 2 of 2)

James P. Thornton was born in Alton Sep¬ tember 19, 1859, and was educated in the schools of that city. In early manhood he was in the grocery business with his father for ten years. In 1883 he was elected aiderman and served in the city council for six years. He then began the study of law and attended the St. Louis law school for a term being admitted to the Missouri bar in April, 1889, and later to the Bar of Illinois. He was elected city attorney of Alton in 1891 and held the office for eight consecutive years. He was also a member of the board of supervis¬ ors of Madison county and was appointed city comptroller of Alton under the admin¬ istration of Mayor Henry Brueggeman in 1903. For the past twelve years he has been filling the office of a justice of the peace for Alton township. In addition to his legal at¬ tainments Mr. Thornton is a writer of fine

Emil C. Haagen, of Alton, known by cour¬ tesy and good will, as "Judge Haagen," was born in Alton in 1876. He is the son of the late Louis Haagen, a prominent merchant and honored citizen. The subject of this sketch was educated in the Alton schools and at Washington University, St. Louis. He grad¬ uated from the law department of that in¬ stitution in 1896 with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to the bar the same year. He has since practiced his profession in this county. He is well-read in the law, an eloquent speaker and a convincing advocate before a jury. Mr. Haagen is a Democrat in politics and a popular orator in political campaigns. He was a candidate for the Leg¬ islature in 1906 and, it is claimed, was legally elected but the certificate was issued to his opponent.

B. J. O'Neil of Alton, who occupies an en¬ viable position at the Madison county bar, was born at Irishtown, Clinton county, August 12, 1866. He received his higher education at the Southern Illinois Normal school at Carbondale. He then took a three years' law course in the office of M. P. Murray of Car¬ lyle. He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and in October of the same year located in his profession at Alton. He occupied an office with Judge A. W. Hope until that gentleman's removal to St. Louis. Mr. O'Neil came to Alton a stranger but by careful attention to the interests of his clients and broad knowl¬ edge of the law soon gained a foothold in his profession and has steadily advanced therein year by year and built up a lucrative prac¬ tice. He practices in both the state and fed¬ eral courts. By his integrity and upright¬ ness he has won the esteem and confidence of the community. His career has been a suc¬ cessful one and forecasts still higher honors as his due in his profession. He gives care¬ ful study to his cases and presents them to the court and jury with convincing logic. He is a pleasing public speaker. Mr. O'Neil is of a genial disposition and has the happy faculty of making friends of all he meets.

Levi D. Yager was born at Alton, Decem¬ ber 29, 1863, which city has always been his home. He is the oldest son of the late Hon. J. H. Yager, who was, at his death the Nes¬ tor. of the Madison county bar. He gradu¬ ated from the Alton high school in 1882. Choosing the law for a profession he entered the St. Louis law school in 1885. He passed the bar examination at Mt. Vernon, in August, 1886, in the appellate court, and was licensed to practice law by the supreme court in No¬ vember of the same year. He was elected city attorney of Alton in April, 1887, and served four years. He served as corporation counsel under Mayors Young and Brueggemann. President of the Illinois state asso¬ ciation of corporation counsels and city at¬ torneys from 1897.

Mr. Yager is a great lover of flowers and his favorite diversion is found in the raising and propagating of choice specimens of the floral kingdom. Owing to his taste in flori¬ culture he was appointed a member of the Al¬ ton Park Commission under Mayor Faulstich and is rendering good service in beautifying the city.

In politics Mr. Yager has always acted with the Republican party. He is a successful lawyer and a man of fine attainments in his profession.

Edward E. Campbell of Alton, was born August 2, 1873, on a farm in Lincoln county, Missouri. He received his early education in the public schools and himself taught school for five terms prior to attaining his majority. He subsequently entered the law department of the University of Missouri and graduated from that institution in 1896 with the degree of LL. B. He settled in his pro¬ fession at Louisiana, Missouri, and practiced in that city until August, 1909, when he re¬ moved to Alton. He had a taste for journal¬ ism and edited The Times at Louisiana in ad¬ dition to his legal business. On arriving in Alton he, in connection with W. H. Murphy, established the Alton Daily Times, with Mr. Campbell as editor, the first number was is¬ sued September 4, 1909. He also became a member of the bar of Madison county. Mr. Campbell is a man of varied talents being not only a fluent and elegant writer, but an el¬ oquent orator. He is accounted one of the best impromptu speaker in the state. He is a man of fine attainments and broad views, and is especially well read in the political his¬ tory of the country. He is a Democrat in politics and was the manager of Champ Clark's campaign in Illinois in 1912 and a delegate from the state at large to the Balti¬ more convention. His success as a political manager is reflected in Clark's large majority in the Illinois primary and in the solid vote from Illinois for Clark in the National con¬ vention.

Roe Duke Watson, one of the younger members of the Madison county bar, was born in Marianna, Arkansas, September 20, 1886. He has resided in Alton since 1893. He attended Shurtleff College and later the University of Michigan. He graduated from the literary department of this institution in 1908 with the degree of A. B., and from the law department in 1910 with the degree of J. D. (Juris Doctor). He was admitted to practice by the supreme court of Michigan in June 1910 and by the supreme court of Illi¬ nois in October of the same year. He at once began the practice of law' in Alton. He was elected to the office of city attorney of Alton in April, 1911, less than a year after he opened an office.

one of the oldest pioneer families in the county. He was educated at Shurtleff college and took his professional course at the St. Louis Law School. His student career indi¬ cated him to be a man of brilliant intellect which subsequent events verified. He began practice in Edwardsville in partnership with the late W. M. Warnock. Later he opened an office in Jersey ville. From there he removed to East Alton where he is engaged in practice.

The writer of this chapter, Henry B. Eaton, was born on a farm in Hamel township, this county, August 22, 1883. He acquired his elementary education in the public school of that township and attended the Edwardsville high school, from which institution he grad¬ uated in 1902. He then spent a year on the farm and the following fall entered McKendree college where he took up the scientific and classical courses there. He began the study of law in the office of Judge W. P. Early in the fall of 1905 and remained with him one year. He then entered the Bloom¬ ington law school at Bloomington, Illinois, and graduated therefrom in 1908 with the degree of bachelor of law. He formed a partnership with J. F. Eeck and they opened an office in Edwardsville that fall. He is a grandson of the late Judge H. K. Eaton, one time judge of the Madison county court.

The city charter of 1837 provided for the establishment of a municipal court of Alton. Section 21 of that instrument reads: "There shall be established in said city of Alton a municipal court, which shall have concurrent or equal jurisdiction with the circuit court in Madison county, in all civil matters arising therein within said county, and exclusive jur¬ isdiction in all criminal matters arising within the corporate bounds of said city, except such as are cognizable before justices of the peace.

one judge, who shall be appointed by joint bal¬ lot of both branches of the general assembly, and commissioned by the governor, and shall, during his continuance in office reside within the limits of said city and shall receive a sal¬ ary of one thousand dollars annually, payable quarterly, by the common council."

At the next session of the general assembly Hon. William Martin was appointed judge, and in January the most important case ever brought in an Alton court was argued before him at the January term, 1838. It was that of the People vs. Winthrop S. Gilman, indict¬ ment for riot, and of The People vs. the Riot¬ ers in the trials following the pro-slavery mobs of 1837. Just what became of this court seems not recorded in any archives of the city the writer has found, but it seems to have been abolished or died of inanition as in 1859, the general assembly passed an act establishing the Alton city court. The act bears date Feb. 9, 1859. It provided for the election of a judge by the people on the first Tuesday in March, and every six years thereafter. In 1874 the general assembly passed another act changing the name to city court of Alton and making the term of office four years instead of six.

Hon. H. W. Billings was the first judge elected to preside over the Alton city court and he appointed James W. Davis the first clerk. Judge Billings was succeeded in 1865 by Hon. Henry S. Baker who held the office for four terms when he was succeeded by Hon. A. H. Gambrill in 1881, who, in turn, gave place to Hon. J. E. Dunnegan, who served eight years. Hon. A. W. Hope was elected in 1893 and held office for twelve years. Judge Dunnegan was again elected in 1905. re-elected in 1909, and is now nearing the close of his fourth term on the bench.