FUNERAL OF HON. R. HOLLAND DUELL AND MEETING OF THE BAR

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February 20, 1891.

Funeral of Hon. R. Holland Duell.

   The funeral services of the late Judge Duell were held from the family residence on Church-st. last Saturday at 2 P. M. and was attended by a large number of citizens of this and adjoining towns, besides a large delegation of friends from Onondaga County. The casket was covered with flowers, one offering, contributed by the members of the Cortland County bar, was particularly conspicuous and appropriate for the occasion.

   Rev. J. L. Robertson, pastor of the Presbyterian church conducted the services and paid a deserved tribute to the many excellent qualities of the deceased. The remains were interred in the family lot in Cortland Rural Cemetery. The pall bearers were Dr. J. H. Hoose, A. P. Smith, B. A. Benedict, J. E. Eggleston, C. P. Walrad, A. A. Carley; honorary bearers were, John McFarlan, R. B. Smith, W. S. Copeland and H. P. Goodrich.

   The Faculty of the Cortland Normal school at a special meeting called for the purpose adopted the following:

   For the third time in the history of our school death has removed a President of our Local Board. It is proper, at times like these, that we acknowledge how great have been our opportunities in being associated with such a man as Judge Duell; that we express our thankfulness for all that his life brought into our lives; and that we join our voices to those of the many others who knew and honored him, in mourning our great loss.

   Judge Duell was a leader among men. In the councils of the nation, in the work of one of its most important bureaus, on the bench in his native State—in each of these varied lines of labor his place was a prominent one. In humbler stations too, where the honors and emoluments of office were wanting, he was none the less sacrificing of his time and energies for the good of his fellow men, and none the less influential in fashioning their opinions. To his endeavors our community is not a little indebted for the success of divers of its institutions, financial, literary, educational, religions, as well as those which pertain to the activities of life.

   As president of the Local Board of this school Judge Duell was ever solicitous for our welfare, like his eminent predecessors, with whose policy he was entirely in sympathy, he devoted his best energies to give to this institution a reputation above all else for scholarship. Thus did he put remote from him all desire for that popular applause which delights in mere numbers or in those forms of display not essential to sound learning. As his manifold duties allowed, he took pleasure in being with us, but whether here or elsewhere he was ever pleased to inquire concerning our work, and to give to both teachers and students his careful attention and his wise counsel.

   It is for reasons such as these that it is by us, the faculty of the Cortland Normal School:

   Resolved, That we would add our tribute to the memory of this man, and that we would join with the many others who lose with us, this friend, in expressing our sympathy with the bereaved family.

   The following preamble and resolutions were adopted by a committee of the students of the Normal:

   Whereas, Our Heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom has removed by death the President of our Local Board, Hon. R. H. Duell and

   Whereas, We, as a school, recognize in his death the loss of one who was mindful of our individual welfare, and devoted to the interests of this school, and who was untiring in his efforts in the cause of education, therefore, be it

   Resolved, That we will cherish his memory and prove our high estimation of his character by a more faithful and devoted adherence of the duties of life.

   Resolved, That we extend our heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family with this dispensation with which it has pleased Almighty God to afflict them, and we commend them for consolation to Him who alone can comfort the sorrowing and bear the grief of the afflicted,

   Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the family of the diseased and that they be printed in the Normal News and village papers.

   Signed—Minnie C. Wilber, Augusta Allen, Nellie J. Littage, A. R. Mason, L. L. Jackson, D. S. Zimmer, committee.

CORTLAND OPERA HOUSE CO.

   The following resolutions were adopted by the Cortland Opera House Company, of which association the late Judge Duell was president:

   Resolved, That it is with feeling of profound sorrow we part with our beloved and honored friend and fellow citizen, Hon. R. Holland Duell, who passed away from this life on the 11th instant. Since the date of the organization of this Co. he has been our honored President. In him we have had an efficient, able, presiding officer, a wise counselor, a faithful friend. We will remember him as a public spirited, patriotic citizen, who honored any position, either State or National to which he was called: as a neighbor, a genial, warm-hearted and polished gentleman. We shall feel his loss from our ranks as business men and will cherish his memory in our hearts. We extend to his bereaved family our sincere sympathy and condolence in this sad hour of affliction.

   Resolved, That this resolution be entered upon the minutes of this company, and a copy furnished the press for publication.

   C. W. COLLINS, Secy.

CORTLAND & HOMER HORSE R. R. CO.

   At a special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Cortland & Homer Horse Railroad Company, called for the purpose of taking action upon the death of Hon. R. H. Duell, a director of the company, it was first,

   Resolved, That it is with deep sorrow that we learn of the death of the Hon. R. H. Duell, a member of this board. Judge Duell has been associated with this board both as director and attorney, since the origin of the road. Pitted against the ablest counsel he fought a long contest for its right to exist and was successful at every step. Kind, gentle, amiable, polished, ever considerate of others, he won our hearts. Prudent, sagacious, astute and learned, he won our confidence and commanded our admiration, he was not alone our able legal adviser and officer, he was our friend. We shall sorely miss his genial and serene manner in our social intercourse, we shall find irreparable the loss of his wise counsel in our official relations. Second,

   Resolved, That we tender to his bereaved family, our sympathy in their deep affliction, that these resolutions be published in our county papers, and that we attend his funeral in a body.

   SAMUEL E. WELCH, Vice-Pres.

   FRANKLIN PIERCE,

   C. P. WALRAD,

   M. H. MCGRAW,

   Committee.

Meeting of the Bar.

   A meeting of the members of the Cortland County Bar was held in the Surrogate's office in this village last Thursday evening, to pay respect to the memory of the Hon. R. Holland Duell. Hon. J. E. Eggleston was chosen chairman of the meeting and B. T. Wright secretary.

   The following persons were present: Hon. J. E. Eggleston, Hon. S. S. Knox, H. E. Willson, Geo. B. Jones, Jerome Squires, James Dougherty, John W. Suggett, Franklin Pierce, Lewis Bouton, B. A. Benedict, I. H. Palmer, W. C. Crombie, John Courtney, Jr., L. P. Hollenbeck, B. T. Wright, H. L. Bronson, Henry A. Dickenson, W. D. Tuttle, H. L. Gleason, T. E. Courtney, W. J. Mantanye, Dorr C. Smith, L. Y. Smith and E. E. Mellon, and all spoke in emphatic terms of the ability of the deceased as a lawyer, his learning, shrewdness, foresight and tact, and of his kindness to his associates and the poor, his readiness to aid the young lawyers and of incidents within their own knowledge and experience as illustrations and with pathos they gave expression to their great sorrow and sense of personal loss.

   It was resolved that the Bar of this county attend his funeral in a body, and that they invite the Onondaga County Bar Association and other prominent legal friends and associates of the deceased to accompany them.

   A committee on resolutions consisting of John W. Suggett, B. A. Benedict, J. Courtney Jr., I. H. Palmer and Geo. B. Jones was appointed who reported the following resolutions.

   WHEREAS, It pleased Almighty God to remove on the 11th inst. from our midst the Hon. R. Holland Duell, the oldest practitioner of our bar; and we, his professional brethren, have assembled to express our estimate of his character as a jurist and as a man. Therefore, it is

   Resolved, That in the death of Judge Duell, the Members of the Bar, not of

Cortland county only, but of the adjoining counties, if not of the entire State, have lost one of their oldest and most distinguished associates—respected by all, ever kind and courteous in all of his professional relations, and especially so to the younger members respecting whom he was never too busy in his active professional life to stop to speak a kind word and explain any question; that in the ordinary relations of life with his fellow-citizens and neighbors he was peculiarly characterized by those fine attributes of the true gentleman which made it a pleasure to even meet or be associated with him, and to the humblest citizen he always endeared himself by these kind expressions of his nature, and that to his friends he was intensely loyal.

   Resolved, That in a public career of over thirty years as prosecuting attorney of this county, as Member of Congress, as Commissioner of Patents, and in other public offices we find that he enjoyed the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, always displaying the same great and commanding qualities. As a judge he manifested the same strength and power of intellect, the same caution in his reasoning to determine what was right and an unconquerable firmness in carrying out the principles he adopted. It may be truly said that he was the most prominent of this bar.

   Resolved, That we not only lament his departure on account of his strong intellect and his peculiar judicial qualities, but also as members of the Cortland County Bar we deplore his loss as the last connecting link which united us with the older practitioners, many of whom have so recently passed away, who made it a distinction to belong to this bar.

   Resolved, That we are aware there are private sorrows attending the rending of near and tender ties, upon which we would not intrude except to tender to the family and afflicted relatives of the deceased our sincere condolence, and express to them our heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement.

   Resolved, That as a testimony of our respect to his memory and our grief for his loss the members of the bar attend his funeral in a body, and that a copy of these resolutions be furnished to the press for publication and sent to the family of the deceased.

   T. B. Courtney, Henry A. Dickinson and Dorr C. Smith were appointed committee on floral offering.

   The meeting then adjourned to meet in the afternoon of the 14th inst.

   On the 14th inst., after the obsequies at the late residence of the deceased the meeting reconvened at the Surrogate's office, and in the absence of Judge Eggleston, Hon. S. S. Knox was chosen chairman. Several distinguished members of the Onondaga County Bar were present and addressed the meeting, in substance as follows:

   M. M. Waters: My acquaintance with Judge Duell commenced about 30 years ago. Duell had some of the best qualities as a lawyer. He read diligently, planned always for the future. Some qualities were his, well to call up at such a time as this. In all litigations I found him possessed of gentleness, of a quiet dignity that I never saw surpassed in others, he tried cases with wonderful ability, but with no bitterness; he so possessed himself with his case that he was able to out-plan you if you were not prudent and watchful; this with his gentleness enabled him to try his cases successfully and make friends. If I should be asked what made him so dangerous as an opponent I should add to what I have already said, it was because of his gentleness, sympathy and kindness that made him ever welcome to court and jury. All cases he touched he adorned. I am glad to be able to say I knew him as a friend.

   Harrison Hoyt: It is both a duty and a privilege to come here to-day to pay my tribute to the memory of Judge Duell. In 1864, when I received my certificate to practice law I came to Cortland to settle and soon made the acquaintance of Judge Duell. I have been assisted and opposed by him in cases and in politics but the day never dawned when I heard a single unkind word or saw a single unkind act by him toward me. Under no circumstances did he ever lose his self control. He ever lived with the same quiet dignity, and dying he goes to his grave honored and respected by every member of the Bar in Central New York. He leaves no sting behind. We are glad he has lived this long and glad to know he will receive his reward.

   W. P. Goodale: I endorse all that has been said by those who have preceded me. For a few years it has been my fortune to mingle with the members of the Cortland County Bar and have thus learned to know Judge Duell better than ever before. He was a strong man, not in the sense of a noisy, boisterous man, but a man of power, extremely well balanced, this coupled with his great diligence and pains taking was wherein his strength lay, this made him successful, he saw the weak point of his own case and always entered court thoroughly understanding his case; herein too was an element of his strength; these qualities added to his kindness and gentleness spoken of by brothers Hoyt and Waters, made him formidable as an opponent. I meet few who study their cases as he did. He has set us an example. He was the foremost of this bar. You look up to him as the father of this Bar. You went to him to counsel as to a father. He cannot be replaced. Number of your members will lament. The state has lost an eminent citizen, this community a valuable member, we all mourn our loss.

   T. K Fuller: To you who have lived with Judge Duell it is hard for us who are strangers to say anything; but he was not known exclusively here. I first knew him about 22 years ago, when I was called here to assist in a will case. Judge Duell was associated with me. He thought it kindness to give me what he called the "laboring oar," but that oar worked easily because of the aid that was behind me in Judge Duell. I then formed an attachment for him that lasted through life. He was one of Nature's noblemen, who labored to be of use wherever placed. He could ever preserve his equanimity during a trial. He who is able to do that can command himself and command others. Duell had that in a marked degree. I pay my tribute to a man I loved and honored and I know it is the same with you.

   Ceylon H. Lewis: This is indeed a sad occasion not only to the Bar of Cortland County but also to the Bar of Onondaga County. I am here to mingle my tears with yours. I was born and reared on the borders of the two counties, and I well recollect how as a boy I used to watch the papers to see what men like Mitchell, Pratt and Sedgwick in Onondaga and men like Duell in Cortland County were doing. I remember the first time I heard him in a political speech, then I honored him for his candor. After I went to Syracuse I became better acquainted with him. His universal kindness of heart, especially for younger members of the Bar, endeared him to all. Few men start in life as he did and attain such grand success; few attain to the honors he did; but best of all he acquired first position at the Bar and by that he is to be remembered.

   Judge A. P. Smith and Riley Champlin, members of the Cortland County Bar, who were absent at the first meeting, took this occasion to add their tribute of respect.

   The meeting then adjourned.

   Letters have been received from Hon. C. E. Martin, Hon. G. A. Forbes and Hon. W. B. Edwards regretting their inability to attend the funeral and speaking in laudatory terms of the deceased.