The Istoriaphile’s Corner

Okay, I know it’s close to Mother’s Day but there’s something about Fathers and Daughters.  God knows, I adored mine.  He was funny, smart and bullheaded, just the kind of man to indulge a mischievous daughter who didn’t want to obey her mom.  Yes sir, I think my father was brilliant but a lot of girls feel that way about their dads..  Adela Rogers St. Johns certainly did and she captured that father-daughter spark in her biography, Final Verdict.  Of course, when she said her Old Man was brilliant the rest of the world agreed.  Earl Rogers may still be the greatest trial attorney that ever entered a courtroom. It’s funny but no one remembers Earl Rogers these days.  Mention Johnny Cochran or F. Lee Bailey or Gerry Spence and legal heads will nod.  Talk about Bill Kunstler or Clarence Darrow and some history mavens will admit they had skill but they point out these guys lost as many cases as they won.   Talk about the man who Perry Mason was based on and you’ll hear “Perry who??”  Well, such is the nature of fame.  Still, in the first half of the twentieth century, if you were charged with murder…