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Arkansas Lawyer
1 July 1972 TO ALL CONCERNED: The July 1972 issue of The Arkansas Lawyer is highlighting "History of Law in the Arkansas Ozarks", and is dedicated to the Arkansas Bar Association's four living past presidents in the Northwest Bar District. Author G. Byron Dobbs of the cover story commented that to cover all of the outstanding lawyers in Western Arkansas up to now was impossible in this connection. Mr. Dobbs soon became fascinated with the careers of David Walker and the other early circuit riders - and so, his cover story. This issue is the first in the series of The Arkansas Lawyer being devoted to the legal heritage of the Arkansas Lawyer.
The Arkansas Lawyer
Eugene A. Matthews
Eugene A. Matthews, son of George M. and Maggie Bunch Matthews, was born in Manila, Arkansas, on Novem-
PAGE 156
ber 25, 1908. He attended the public
College at Siloam Springs, Arkansas,
schools of Manila. His fellow classmate, Oscar Fendler, reminisces about
and from Henderson State College, at
those days. "About 2:00 or 2:30 the
times were difficult and Gene worked in a variety of jobs to get through school. In those days debating was a major actiVity on campus, and while at Henderson, Gene and Associate Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Lyle Brown, won the State
country school class was devoted to recitations, mathmatical contests and spelling bees. In 1920 when Warren Harding was the Republican nominee and James Cox was the Democratic nominee, a debate was held and Oscar represented the Republic nominee and Gene the Democratic nominee. Gene was an excellent speaker with a good personality and very persuasively won the debate, and Cox won all the Manila votes. This was the beginning of his debating career." He graduated from the Academy Department of John E. Brown
Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1931. The
College Debating Championship in 1930-31. In 1931 he enrolled in the Arkansas Law School at Little Rock and during the day worked for the
Han. Tom F. Digby, Sr. (father of the present Pulaski Circuit Judge, Tom F.
Digby, Jr.) to whom he attributes the inspiration and the "wherewithal" to attend Law School in those de-
THE ARKANSAS LAWYER