It is doubtful if any county in the United States that possessed at the beginning of the great world war a bar composed of more than two or three active practicing attorneys, can show a record that excels that of the Morrill County bar. At the opening of the war, there were eleven members of this bar. including County Judge Steuteville, who was not very actively engaged in the practice, and excluding two or three attorneys who came into the county near the conclusion of this war or thereabouts. Of the eleven practicing at the beginning of the war, seven of these lawyers, or about seventy per cent of this bar left their clientele and their offices, which furnished their means and livelihood, to enter the service of their country. William Ritchie. Jr.. C. G. Perrv, Thos. F. Neighbors, George Irwin, Yale H. Cavatt and Charles Mantz, all left to enter military service. F. E. Williams went into over-seas service as a Y. M. C. A. worker. Of these remaining at home were Judge G. |. Hunt, K. W. McDonald. Judge J." II. Steute-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

ville, Fred I. Nichols and after his arrival, Judge L. G. Hard. It has been noted that these men devoted the major portion of their time during the war period to the success of the work of the Council of Defense, Red Cross, Liberty Loans, Food and Fuel Administration, four minute men and other war activities.

The Armistice Following the close of the Fourth Liberty Loan, the war work went on during October at the usual pace, until about the middle of the month, when the influenza epidemic which was sweeping the country at that time made its appearance in various parts of this county. It became necessary for the Board of Health, the Board of Education, the Council of Defense and the City Council to consider ways and means, resulting in an order closing all public gatherings during part of that month.