David Moylan (LOC)

David Moylan (LOC)
Originally uploaded by The Library of Congress

"THE ARMLESS JUDGE
Ten years ago David Moylan was a railroad switchman working in a Cleveland yard. A switch engine running in the dark without a headlight ran him down and cut off both his arms. That would have settled the fate of most men. And it did settled Moylan's fate--but not in the usual way. He firmly declined to pass the rest of his life in a state of semi-dependence on his relatives, or hold a tin cup for charitable nickels. Since he was disabled physically, Moylan decided to earn a living with his brains. They were good brains, although it had never occurred to him before to make much use of them. He had a pretty fluent tongue too. So the switchman made up his mind to be a lawyer. As soon as he got out of the hospital, Moylan bought a copy of Blackstone. He read it by turning the leaves with his tongue. He learned to write with his teeth. In three years he passed the state law examinations for admission to the bar, ranking among the first ten in a class of 205. That was seven years ago. Attorney Moylan has made a fair living ever since. But now he is Judge Moylan. On November 2d he was elected to the Cleveland municipal bench. And his professional brethren say that he'll make a mighty good judge."
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060914/1915-11-19/ed-...