1910 Saloon Cases. Remaining Characters.

Attorney representing the Stevens Point chapter of the W.C.T.U.

Rufus B. Smith, lawyer for the W.C.T.U. From Madison, Wisconsin. Born March 1, 1846, died Tuesday June 1, 1926 (Appleton Post Crescent, 1 June 1926) Direct descendant of Stephen Rogers who came over on the Mayflower. Served in the Civil War (second connecticut heavy artillery according to Eau Claire Leader, 11 April 1915), enlisted in New Haven, Connecticut. Eyewitness of “Sherman's ride when he was escaping wounded from the battlefield.” Ancestral birthplace, Litchfield, CT. City attorney for four terms, president of Dane County Bar Association, council for the Dane County Humane society. Circuit Court commissioner for fifty years. [Biographical information and picture from “Rufus B. Smith Observes 80th Birthday Monday”, The Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, Feb. 27, 1926]

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For the Defense:

David Irving Sicklesteel. Born in Chatham, Ontario (Stevens Point Journal, 16 Jan 1909) around 1868. Studied law for five years, called to Ontario bar in 1894. Immigrated from Canada 1896. Ran for County Judge and State Senator as Republican (losing both times). In that primary (1910) he had campaign costs of $1330.27 of which $253.30 for refreshments receiving 3118 votes, meaning it cost him almost 43 cents per vote. This sum is slightly more than the salary and mileage for four years in that position would have been (Stevens Point Journal, 17 Dec 1910). 1912 ran for district attorney in Stevens Point. Died January 1, 1915 (at time of death he was the District Attorney, Stevens Point Weekly Journal, Jan. 8, 1916 list of deaths in 1915). Unfortunately the issues of the local papers for the first week of 1915 were not in the collection on-line so I have no information on the cause of death. (Those interested can order copies from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point library's Obituary Index.)