The New Student's Reference Work/Russell of Killowen, Charles

Russell of Killowen, Baron Charles, distinguished British jurist and statesman, was born at Newry, Ireland, Nov. 10, 1833, and died at London, Aug. 10, 1900.  Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, he began his career as a parliamentary leader-writer, and was called to the bar in 1859.  From 1880 to 1885 he represented Dundalk and from 1885 to 1894 South Hackney in the house of commons, and twice was attorney-general in Gladstone’s administration.  Though a Liberal and an ardent Home-Ruler, his political aspirations were subordinate to love of his profession, of which he became a great ornament.  He was knighted in 1886.  As a sound lawyer, acute cross-examiner and persuasive advocate, Sir Charles long was without a rival at the bar.  In 1880 he increased his reputation by his masterly oration at the Parnell Commission, where he was counsel for the great Irish leader.  He was one of the English counsel in the Bering Sea arbitration, and also served on the Venezuelan boundary arbitration tribunal.  In 1896 he visited the United States and delivered an address on international arbitration before the American Bar Association.  In 1894 he was appointed a lord-of-appeal in ordinary, with a life peerage, and later succeeded Lord Coleridge as lord chief-justice of England.