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From Schoolroom To CabinetBy D. W. GARBERThe Irial of Robcrl Rowland for ihc murder of Franklin Baker in 1840 was like a chan-ter from a novel about Main Street. Actively participating in the trial were three outstanding attorneys of Ohio.uously objected to this ar-ltiy which was almost univcr-rangcmenl since it forced hisjsally fell toward Bowland, wife to come in contact with bought legal assistance from Mrs. Bowland each time shejoutsidc Richland County, wished to visit her father and: *mother. ! Called as attorneys for the* defense were Thomas Ewing.Angry threats passed be-1secretary of the interior un-cach of whom later served tween the two men and. oncdcr President , aylor, and Co-his country as Secretary cf.day in midsummer when they ‘lumbus Delano destined tothe Interior. A fourth legal.met on the street in Mans-'^rvc in the same office un-piant. who assisted the young field. Baker again voiced dcr Grant. Kirkwood was sec-prosecuting attorney, was a heated protest over the *«• Lela,ry. ?' 'ntenor in the former msticc of the Supreme ualion. Words erupted into Garfield administration Court of Ohio. The presence violence and Bowland. in a!Jlide Ebcnczcr Lane for 15 of so many prominent per- moment of fury, fatally_a_ f^sticf cf lhe 0h,°scnahties and the dramati effects of the trial kept public interest at high pitch Mansfield, where the murstabbed Baker jSuprcmc Court, came fromFranklin Baker, a young Sandusky to assist the pros-lawycr. was a close friend cf ecutor but h* refused to serve------------------- .... ...... Samuel J. Kirkwood, the pros-)?***1 as an advisor. He toldder occurred and where the ecutmg attorney In fact both Kirkwood I have no reputa-trial was held in the old courtthad completed their law stud- non to make. . .1 was got here house on the square, was thcnies in 1843 and journeyed to- !o help you on legal qucs-a small town with a popula-.gcther by horseback to Cm- tions and I wi.l leave the case tion of 2.330. but it was the cinnati to take the bar exam- now in your hands. ’ Lane inhume of the most distm-.inauon. They were planningis'slcd that Kirkwood make guishcd group of legal talent a law-partnership m Mans-jlhe final argument to the jury in the state Many membeis field when Thomas W. Bart-! Present as spectators in the .of the local bar were political-;ley. in whose office Kirkwood ]y powerful, and all were in-:had read law. invited him teresled in the murder case,to be his partner. Bartley was because Baker, the murdered high in state politics and was man. had been a promising young attorney.The principals in the casecrowded courtroom were John Sherman. Thomas W. Bartley. Kirkwood’s mentor and only a short time before the president'of' theState Senate, (acting governor of Ohio, and Kirkwood could not refuse the:Probab,y his son Mordecai fine compliment and the firm!BarC,ey*,lh* incumbent governor, who had succeeded his father in the office. To name all the distinguished attorneys who were present from Mansfield would require the inclusion of the 1846 roster of the local bar.' Samuel Medary, comment-in New York City where he.case. Upon the conduct and 'ng editorially in the Ohio became involved with a worn- the outcome-of the trial rest-j5ta,e Journal about the ccn an of questionable character whom he married It had become more and more difficult for him to support his wife and children and hewere brothers-in-law. Frank;of Bartley and Kirkwood was Baker's wife. Margaretta, wa*, formed.Rowland's sister. Bad blood' In 1845 Samuel J. Kirkwood had existed between them for j was elected prosecuting ai-some time. Both men wercltorney for Richland County from respected families but and the trial of Bowland for Bowland was something of a .the murder of his friend Bak-wastrel. Fcr a time he lived er was his first importantbrought them to Mansfield and tried to shift seme of his burden to his parents’ shoulders by moving'his familyed h.s future reputation as an centration of political control attorney lo{ tbe stale m Mansfield,Baker was well liked. wasifacc,!0usl-v suggested that a socially engaging and only a 's,a,c of Richland should beshorl time before he was mur-joran1ued*Kirkwood presented his case against Bowland in an able manner and these presentdered he had been involved with John Sherman in a poetry” rivalry which still amused the community. Theinto their home. Baker stren- defense, sensing the ammos-With The Collectors★ ★ ★New U. S. Stamps To Commemorate Opening Of Olympic Winter GamesBy GEORGE N. CONSTABLEThe third new U.S. postage stamp to be issued this year — a four-cent commemorative to mark the opening of the Eighth OIjmpic Winter Games features the Olympic emblem of five entwined links and a stylized snowflake.The stamp will be issued Feb. IS at Tahoe City. California. The covers will be postmarked Olympic Valley.California.The stamps will be a shade of blue and 120 million were; ordered It probably will be; one of the more popular is-1 sues this year and copies will} gc fast.The Olympic Winter Games are held every four years. The third was held in February.1932. at Lake Placid. N. Y.That February the U. S. issued a two-cent commemorative.The 1932 commemorative featured a ski jumper. Twenty-eight years later the stamp catalogs this way: 35-ccnts for a mint block, eight-cents for a mint single and six-cents for a used singlecents for a mint block, eight-cents for a mint single and six-cents for a used single.★The UN's second stamps of the year will be the first multicolored adhesives issued by the UN. They will be released April 11 and will commemorate the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East.The four-cent Thomas Jefferson Credo stamp, announced for issuance on May 18. will feature the statement by the third President. I have sworn. . . . eternal hostilityARLEN BO.YHCT.'TTFRwere impressed with his abil ity. The accused was convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to hang. Later the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the governor and eventually Bowland was pardoned.In retrospect it is apparert that two men were on trial in the Bowland case, one fcr murder, the other the untried iprosecutor. Kirkwood, trying ! his first major case, and opposed by formidable legal talent won a notable victory Bowland was convicted and Kirkwood’s legal reputation was established.Judge Lane, in declining any compensation for his assistance confirmed the dual importance of the trial n writing to Kirkwood, I offer my congratulations, for lhe result of the case. . .but I more particularly congratulate you. for the success of your professional efforts. There is but one opinion as to that and that most widely spread and its results cannot but be felt, in the reputation thus honestly won. .A bright future was predicted for Honest Sam Kirkwood, the nickname by which he was known to his associates. The predictions came true. In 1854 Kirkwocd was mayor of Mansfield and soon after relinquishing the office he removed to Iowa where he was immediately drawn into politics and became the popular Civil War governor of the slateFrcm teaching school in a one-room, school house at Newville to a cabinet post in (Washington is the story of I Richland County's Samuel jJordon Kirkwocd. It is a story I of success all the way. Baker |and Bowland have long since jbeen forgotten but Kirkwood iis well remembered. Each day hundreds of people view a bronze statue of the young ^prosecutor in the Hall of Fame in the eapitol at Washington.38 Mansfield Newa-Journal Sunday, February 14, 1140Talcs Of Tltc Mohican Country‘’Honest Sam’ Kirkwood Moved
Newspaper Details
Mansfield News Journal
Mansfield, Ohio, US
Sun, Feb 14, 1960
Page 38
Full Page
Clipped by
Jerry E.
OH, USA 08 Feb 2017
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