Legal Reputation of Abraham Lincoln according to Judge Caton

[David Lockmiller]

Mr. W. Thomas, a lawyer who retained Mr. Lincoln as counsel in an important litigation, wrote him in December, 1859, as follows: "Judge Caton has the Record and he told me that he had not decided what to do and that he was in doubt, etc. I want you and Logan to assist me in presenting this case in such form as to undoubt the Judge. I ought to and must gain this case. If you can be the means of success you will almost bring me under obligation to support the Black Republicans.” (Source: Lincoln the Lawyer, Frederick Trevor Hill, (1906), page 249, footnote.)

What was the “important litigation” case? Of what court was Judge Caton a judge at the time? Six years later on Wednesday, May 3, 1865 (one hundred fifty-five years ago, yesterday), Judge Caton publicly stated that “[Lincoln] was equally potent before the jury as with the court.” What was the location and occasion for this statement?