FRANK ETHERINGTON POMERENE

Frank Etherington Pomerene was born in Coshocton, Ohio, March 25, 1868, died June 1, 1919. He was admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association July 15, 1896. He was a son of the late Julius C. Pomerene, former Circuit Court Judge. He attended the public schools at Coshocton until he had mastered the high school course and won his diploma in the class of 1885. He afterwards became a student in the Ohio State University. In 1891 he received his bachelor of arts degree and graduated from the law department four years later. Returning immediately to Coshocton, he joined his brother in the law practice and the firm became recognized as one of the leading firms in corporation law in central Ohio.

Mr. Pomerene was noted for the great care and thoroughness with which he prepared his cases. Men of large affairs were accustomed to lean upon his shrewd judgment and wonderfully keen knowledge of the law. He was undoubtedly one of the foremost corporation lawyers of Ohio and enjoyed one of the largest law practices in the State.

In June, 1896, he was married in Coshocton to Miss Mary E. Wilson, daughter of James S. and Sarah (Hay) Wilson.

The only public positions he ever held were in connection with educational interests. For fifteen years he had been a trustee of Ohio State University and its development was ever dear to him. A short time prior to his death he was reappointed by Governor Cox. He had always been active in the upbuilding of the Coshocton public library and was largely instrumental in securing the Carnegie donation thereto. He was for many years a director in the Coshocton National Bank and held the office of second vice president at the time of his death.

His love of home and family was one of his most beautiful characteristics.

CHARLES ANDREW GROOM

Charles Andrew Groom was born in Covington, Kentucky, on May 17, 1876. He was educated in the public schools, at Bethany College and the Cincinnati Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1900 and practiced continuously his profession until the time of his death, which occurred February 17, 1919, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1907 he was married to Miss Blanche Miller, of Cincinnati. In 1912 he was appointed Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. In 1914, he was made First Assistant City Solicitor of Cincinnati. He returned to the Prosecutor's Office in January, 1915, and the following November was elected City Solicitor of Cincinnati, which office he held for one term. He refused re-nomination for this office and entered the law firm of Pogue, Hoffheimer and Pogue, of which firm he was a member up to the time of his death.

For a number of years prior to his death he held professorships in the Y. M. C. A. and Cincinnati Law Schools.

He represented Hamilton County in the important litigation involving the validity of the contracts for the building of the new Court House. During the term in the Solicitor's office, he conducted the important litigation involving the gas rate, the street railway fares, the powers and contracts of the Rapid Transit Commission and many other matters of grave importance to the citizens of Cincinnati. Indeed, few of his years have had leading parts in litigation or legal business of such magnitude in the amount of money involved or interests affected.

His mind was keenly analytical; his temperament, equable; his impulse, to do right. No influence could induce him to do that which his conscience did not approve. He gained and held the confidence of the courts. Law to him was a science in which he

worked indefatigably.

In his untimely death the bar of the State of Ohio has suffered a distinct loss.

JOSEPH L. MCDOWELL

Joseph L. McDowell was born in Coshocton, Ohio, April 6, 1874, and died May 29, 1919, at Los Angeles, California. He obtained his early education in the Coshocton public schools. At the age of 14 he was page for the Ohio Legislature. His parents were John and Catherine (Kelly) McDowell.

Joseph L. McDowell was the first Democratic page to serve in a Republican house. He continued there for eight years and then went with Senator Calvin Bryce to Washington, D. C. He remained at the national capital for two months, when he returned to the Ohio Legislature. While acting as page in Columbus he attended night school and began reading law with Captain E. W. James. In the fall of 1895 he entered the Cincinnati Law College, and graduated from there in 1898 and was admitted to the bar on the 11th of June following. Immediately afterwards he opened an office in Coshocton, where he began the practice of his profession. He soon demonstrated his ability by winning many notable cases, due to careful and thorough preparation and correct application of legal principles to the point at issue.

He served as city solicitor of Coshocton from 1900 to 1904. In 1903 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Coshocton County, which position he filled in a highly capable manner.

He was a member of Coshocton Lodge, No. 376, B. P. O. E., Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Church and a member of the Holy Name Society.

August 5, 1907, Mr. McDowell was married to Miss Ella Connerty. The record of Mr. McDowell is marked by advancement through successive stages and he certainly deserves the proud American title of a self-made man.

Joe McDowell always took the short course toward the object which he wished to attain. His heart pulsated with the most noble emotions and he was the very essence of kindness, quick to aid anyone in distress or sorrow. His many noble deeds will always be a monument to one whose earthly career has now terminated.

JOHN ABNER TROETTE

John Abner Troette was a son of Benjamin and Sara Troette, and was born near Monongahela City, Washington County, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1842. He came to Cambridge, Ohio, in the fall of 1867. He attended school at Mt. Pleasant College in Iowa, and returning to Cambridge, read law with Captain Ross W. Anderson and Colonel Milton Barnes, and in 1873 he was admitted to the bar. In 1876 he married Mary Turner, daughter of Elza - and Susan Turner. His death occurred at his home in Cambridge, August 13, 1918, after a long illness from paralysis.

At different periods of his active career in the legal profession, Mr. Troette was associated with Judge Weyer and Samuel Dixon, both deceased, and James Joyce. During the last few years of his life he was the head of the legal firm of Troette and Gregg. His practice at the bar was varied, involving all sorts of questions which made him familiar with many branches of the law and a capable lawyer. It was by rigid frugality, economy, right living, good character and great perseverance and industry that John Abner Troette, boy and man, rose from humble environment to greater prominence as a busy and able lawyer. His leading characteristics at the bar were his close application to his profession, his indomitable perseverance, and his wonderful ability, without a rugged constitution, to endure almost any amount of continued physical work and mental effort, and his ready and deep insight into intricacies of the law. He was remarkably strong and skillful in the drafting of pleadings and in the introduction of evidence on the trial. These, with a wonderful knowledge of the law, made him at the same time a worthy and dangerous opponent to the strongest adversary and furnished him the secondary characteristics of great preparedness and a ready command of resource.

In an unpretending way he was an eminent citizen, and a kind, devoted husband.

And last but not least, he was a patriot. In the war of the Rebellion, at about the age of nineteen, he enlisted at Birmingham,

Iowa, as a private of Company H, Fifth Iowa Infantry, and he served for twenty-one months when he was discharged by reason of a severe wound he had received at the battle of Luka, Mississippi. He was a faithful and obedient soldier. In all the relations of life he performed well his part.

Judge Troette was admitted to membership in this association July 11, 1900.

EDWARD K. BRUCE

Edward K. Bruce, first Assistant U. S. District Attorney at Cincinnati, died suddenly at his home in College Hill, Sunday, October 20, 1918. He had been ill with influenza for one week. At no time was his case regarded as serious, and on Saturday he was feeling so well that his associates looked for him back at his desk soon; instead they were met with the surprising news of his death. Mr. Bruce was so generally known and admired that the news of his death came as a severe shock to a wide circle.

Mr. Bruce was thirty-three years of age. He was the son of John E. Bruce, of the Cincinnati bar, and for some years had been his father's partner in the practice of the law under the name of Bruce and Bruce. He was born in College Hill, educated in the common schools, the Ohio Military Institute and at Western Reserve. He then entered the Cincinnati Law School, and upon graduation joined his father in the practice. He leaves a widow (Kathrine Pearson, daughter of the late Joshua L. Pearson) and three children, the youngest of whom is one year old.

Mr. Bruce, like his father, was a Democrat in politics. He became a member of the State Legislature in 1910, and was credited with casting the deciding vote for Senator Pomerene in the party caucus. He became First Assistant U. S. District Attorney in 1914, and had made an excellent record in that office. During the last year his time had been largely occupied with espionage cases, of which more than one hundred had been prepared for the grand jury.