Harold Clark was born to be a Judge. He had the look - scholarly behind horn rimmed glasses, serious to a fault, stern administrator of righteous Justice. One case, some time ago, involved a defendant who in addition to the charges at the bar, had multiple prior convictions. The Court anticipated that the prosecution would move for the admission of these previous charges to damage the credibility of the defendant.
When the State rested without tendering such evidence, the Court was curious as to why. The State’s Attorney informed the judge that since the defendant had chosen not to testify, it was a matter of law that the prior convictions could not be admitted. Judge Clark, surprised by this turn of events, was nevertheless complimentary to defense counsel’s strategy of blocking admission of previous convictions by keeping his client off the witness stand.
“Very clever Mr. Moorman. Very clever indeed,” was the praise from the bench. Notwithstanding the judge’s misunderstanding of the law, it was one of many effective tactics by a consummate gentleman and genuine legal scholar, one that I was very proud to call my friend.
G. Edward Moorman was born in Edwardsville, Illinois on Sept. 19, 1937. He died in St Louis on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. He left behind a surviving partner and two grown children, and a host of admiring friends and colleagues. Such is the bare biographical information on a life well and truly lived for 85 plus years, almost 60 spent before the bar.
Witty, urbane and a true world traveler, Ed was at times an associate judge, public defender, working lawyer, Bar Associations’ president, in addition to a lifetime of theatrics and public appearances. Student of history, the arts and the law, Ed was a lifetime educator, teaching strangers and colleagues alike with his blend of humor and never-ending supply of anecdotes. While I had known Ed for a long time, I fully came to be in his orbit when I moved my practice to Alton, across the parking lot from Ed, Don Groshong and the Selby clan. Ed and Don were tied as brothers, socially and professionally. My wife perhaps said it best one year when compiling the Christmas party list when she suggested that we invite that “smart guy that hangs around with Groshong.“
Ed did many types of cases, perhaps best recognized for his criminal defense work, but had his successes in the field of personal injury as well, most notably the Illinois Supreme Court victory in GILLESPIE v R D WERNER, a products liability case involving a defective ladder. After a trial verdict was reversed by the appellate court, Ed persuaded the court to reverse and reinstate the verdict. A fine case, used by enterprising young lawyers like yours truly as precedent in tight cases. He would modestly speak of it when pressed at the lawyers’ table for lunch at Alton’s Johnson’s Corner.
Johnson’s Corner is a family restaurant in Alton. On any given day, lawyers gather around a back table. The discussions are lively and varied, and rarely deal with legal matters. It is here that I truly got to know the multi facets of Mr. Moorman. During his time at Yale, he cultivated a lifelong love of theater, as it was still the habit of Broadway shows to have previews in New Haven before New York. We discussed many plays, and oft times disagreed about the value of the original versus the adaptation, the book versus the movie. His encyclopedic knowledge of sports and Cardinals was remarkable, sparkling debates and trivia contests. But for someone not originally from Alton, the stories of a long past more relaxed practice of law were both entertaining and enlightening. His time as the Thanksgiving Turkey at the Alton Wood River Bar November meeting was the stuff of legends. Dressed in an ill-fitting turkey costume, Ed would announce all the things the members should be thankful for…
“Be thankful that Phil Kardis is not your blood donor; be thankful that you don’t look like Ralph Mendelsohn.” And of course, the celebrated Susan Grammar comment. It is perhaps his most enduring legacy.
At the lunch table, discussions would sometimes drift to religion. An avowed atheist, Ed seemed to take delight in sparring with some of the devote Catholics in attendance, Dr. Bill Robinson in particular. I am wondering at the conversation between Ed and St. Peter at the Pearly gates…
“Mr. Moorman, as an atheist we may not have a spot for you,” says St. Peter.
Ed’s reply: “It is true that I did not believe on earth, but I submit that for that now obvious mistake, I should be forgiven, by the God of love and mercy, and allowed in.”
St. Peter’s reply: “Very clever Mr. Moorman. Very clever indeed. We haven’t had a Yale man up here since George Bush Sr. Take a seat.“
Rest in peace my friend. We shall all miss you terribly. But we carry forth with your memory intact. Be not afraid.