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THE EVENING SUN
BALTIMORE, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1925.

Wizard OF Legal Research Helps Reid Defend Mitchell

William H. Webb, With His Vast Pile Of Data, Plays 
Silent But Important Part In Court-Martial At Washington.

Washington, Nov. 3.—He cannot be seen as he sits hunched behind a big pillar in the courtroom, and as he seldom even whispers, his presence is unnoticed by spectators; and yet, besides Representative Reid, chief counsel, he is probably the most important personage among the Mitchell warriors at the court-martial.

His name is William H. Webb, and when Congress is in session he is officially known as the clerk to the Committee for the Revision of Laws. He is the pivot of the defense, and it was his nimble fingers that thumbed the thick legal volumes that Reid quotes so glibly.

Reid Knew His Ability.

When Reid was summoned by Mitchell to defend him in the court-martial, the Representative's first move was to obtain Webb's services. Reid is a member of the Committee for the Revision of Laws and was aware of the young man's ability to gather information.

Webb went to work immediately. He made the Library of Congress his headquarters and his office in the House Office Building began to resemble a library. Friends say he seldom quit work before midnight, and the rapidly mounting pile of notes indicated his industry.

Had All Precedents At Hand.

When the trial began the defense was in possession of every known preceent [[precedent]] in military or civil law. The digest was so arranged thta [[that]] never has Reid had to hesitate to quote an authority. The huge sheaf of papers that Webb holds in his lap is an index of his own notes, and before him on a table are precedents that may be needed during the day.

A huge volume, entitled "A Bill to Revise and Condense the Laws of the United States," is a formal monument to the young man's endeavor. In this book are all the Federal laws, regulations and requirements, and its compilation is one of the most ambitious activities of the House of Representatives. It took a year of hard labor to complete the work, and if it is ever passed by the Senate it is calculated to save millions of dollars intake and energy to Government officials, attorneys and corporations.

Just Out Of Law School.

In appearance, Webb is a studious youngster with a quick wit and a boyish smile. He has recently finished a law course and will go up for his examination this winter. He is a nardent [[ardent]] admirer of both Mitchell and Reid.

"There are two thing in my life that I am proud of," he says. "One is my work on the revision of laws and the other is my participation in the Mitchell court-martial."

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