day, November 17th, 1909, at 8 p. m., in the State Museum, 730 Carondelet street. President Fortier called the meeting to order and Mr. Charles G. Gill, the Secretary, read the minutes of the previous meeting. The Society adopted the resolutions prepared by the committee, composed of Mr. W. O. Hart, Chas. F. Claiborne and Col. James D. Hill, chairman, relative to the memory of the late Thomas McC. Hyman. The committee, Prof. Pierce Butler, Dr. L. G. Lebeuf and Charles G. Gill, reported the resolutions relative to the death of Prof. J. Hanno Deiler. The Secretary was instructed to send copies of the resolutions to the families of the deceased. Prof. Fortier reported that the committee recommended that the 30th of April be adopted as Louisiana Day in the public schools. Prof. Fortier, at the request of Mr. W. O. Hart, announced that the Louisiana Historical Society and the Kentucky Society of Louisiana would join in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the unveiling of the statue of Henry Clay, April 12th, 1910. Mr. Samuel Blum was elected a member of the Society. Mr. Charles T. Soniat then read his paper, entitled "History of the Jesuits' Plantation, Formerly Part of the Concession to Bienville and Now Part of the First Municipal District of New Orleans. This was a valuable and interesting paper, and certain facts stated by Mr. Soniat brought forth considerable discussion. Father Biever, who was the guest of the Society, stated that the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus) had always regarded the seizure and sale of their property as a confiscation, and not justifiable. That the Jesuits had property at Martinique and elsewhere which would amply have satisfied all judgments. He said further that the Society of Jesus was now in a prosperous condition; that they had paid $22,000 for the property at the corner of Baronne and Common streets, being assisted by the Ursuline Nuns, and the property was now of great value. He further stated that some years ago a lawyer from France had come to New Orleans and offered his services to the Society of Jesus, to bring suit for the recovery of the property alluded to in Mr. Soniat's paper, but that the Jesuits had refused to take part in the matter. The Society voted resolutions of thanks to Mr. Soniat for his paper. President Fortier gave the Society an interesting account of the visit of President Taft to certain historic parts of the city. Mr. Hart announced to the Society that Prof. Fortier's speech to the President was the feature of the occasion, and he made a motion that the programme of the historic ride, the speech of Prof. Fortier and President Taft's reply be made part of the minutes of this meeting and be published. The resolutions relative to the deceased members, Thomas McC. Hyman and Prof. J. Hanno Deiler read as follows: Whereas, The recent death of Prof. J. Hanno Deiler has deprived us of a ripe and efficient scholar, of a hearty and whole-souled friend, we, the members of the Louisiana Historical Society, desire to express our sense of the loss sustained by the Society and the community. Born in Bavaria, in the year 1849, Mr. Deiler was educated in his native land with that thoroughness and that broad culture for which Germany is distinguished. From the time of his graduation at the Royal Normal College of Munich he was actively and efficiently employed in the work of education. Coming to New Orleans in 1872, as principal of a German school, he identified himself at once with the community that was to be his home. In 1879 he was elected Professor of German in the University of Louisiana, and continued in the institution when it became Tulane University. Of his long service in Tulane, covering almost a generation, many of us can speak with personal appreciation, being his old students; and in no memory of him is there mingled anything but kindness; for Professor Deiler was not only a teacher, he was always the kind and ever courteous friend. But it was not merely in the classroom that he was active. Though ever deeply imbued with the highest patriotic love of the Fatherland, Prof. Deiler was also an active and useful citizen, particularly active in helping German immigrants and inducing German immigration, being President of the Deutsche Gesellschaft, founded largely for that purpose. Moreover, he began at an early date those careful researches into the history of German settlers in this State that led first to his work upon "Germany's Contribution to the Present Population of New Orleans," upon "The System of Redemption in Louisiana," upon "The History of the German Parishes in Louisiana," and at last to his very important "History of European Immigration to the United States from 1820 to 1896," a work of lasting value to the historian. At the time of his death another work of value was in press, and we have every reason to believe that his undiminished powers would have led to still further productions of a high order. Throughout his active life Prof. Deiler, a trained musician of high talent, had done much for music in this city, and had a reputation of no mean sort in this field throughout the United States and even in his old home, being several times a delegate from this country to great musical festivals in Europe. Be It Resolved, That the Louisiana Historical Society hereby express to his family their high sense of the fine qualities of Prof. Deiler, and their sympathy in the bereavement that has come to them. IN MEMORIAM. PIERCE BUTLER, Thomas McCabe Hyman, many years the accomplished clerk of the Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana, died June 28, 1909, after an illness of a single day. Born June 7th, 1848, in Alexandria, La., he came with his father, the late Chief Justice Hyman, to live in the City of New Orleans in 1862. He began school life in Alexandria, and took it up again in New Orleans, in the College of the Christian Brothers, where he continued and concluded it. In 1869 he was appointed minute clerk of the Supreme Court, where his unusual aptitude and clerical ability, the identification he secured for himself with the best people, and the discretion and delicacy employed by him in the business of the court, brought him into notice and earned for him. uncommon consideration from the Bar throughout the State, and from the public. In 1875 Mr. Hyman was graduated from the Law Department of the University of Louisiana, and became a member of the Bar. When in the popular uprising which carried General Francis T. Nicholls into the office of Governor of Louisiana, the Supreme Court of Chief Justice Ludeling yielded office to the Court of Chief Justice Manning, Alfred Roman, the newly chosen clerk, on the petition of the entire Bar of New Orleans, reappointed Mr. Hyman to be minute clerk. He resigned that place to accept appointment on the legal staff of the City of New Orleans from City Attorney Carleton Hunt, upon the election of the reform administration of former Mayor Joseph A. Shakespeare. Mr. Hyman's professional services as an Assistant City Attorney in the enforcement of police regulations and in governmental prosecution, to which department he had been assigned, were rendered with marked efficiency and carefulness. In 1891 he left his work in the City Hall, to be made, on the suggestion of Judge Pardee, minute clerk of the District Court of the United States and United States Commissioner, but during the same year withdrew from this appointment to accept the office of Clerk of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, which was tendered him by the unanimous vote of the Court. He continued in the devoted discharge of the duties of Clerk until the day of his death. Endowed by nature with the manly beauty and graces apt to distinguish the native of Louisiana, with engaging manner and address, and a disposition that never wearied of obliging others, his attendance upon the Court met with the greatest favor, and entering as it did into the dignity and decorum of its proceedings, appeared to be an appropriate and becoming feature of them. The purity of character, the capacity, and the diligence in office of Mr. Hyman secured for him position in the community and popularity with the Bar. He reached the honorable post so long held by him simply because he was the best qualified person in Louisiana to be entrusted with the delicate and responsible duties belonging to the office of Clerk of her highest judicial tribunal. He methodized his work and made it run smoothly as well as regularly. He was an example of industry. He saw to it that the rules of the Court were constantly revised and amended, in order to carry them forward towards perfection. His knowledge of them in the course of events became admirable. He devoted no small amount of time to the preparation of the Louisiana Reports. The General Assembly at its last session, in full view of his services, raised his fees of office. No sooner was opposition manifested that it was completely overthrown by the suggestion that, if the opposition did succeed, it must be at the expense of doing Mr. Hyman injustice. He set the example to others of reverence for the administration of justice. He cherished every tradition of his time and station. The historical gallery of portraits in the Supreme Court, which attracts so much attention, was largely his gathering. He carried with him everywhere the memory of the honored magistrates and great lawyers, association with whom had been allowed him. Having always striven to improve, and to perform with utmost fidelity the part in life which fell to his share, he died contented with his lot. He was frequently heard to express gratitude for the friendships he had been able to form. Well-merited testimony was rendered to him as a man of highest spirit and character by his promotion in recent years |