William Daily – US Marshal Recommendations to President Grant
William became a Deputy US Marshal in 1870. In 1872, President Grant appointed him US Marshal for the District of Nebraska. Grant reappointed him in 1876.
The following recommendations for these appointments are found in the US Marshal Service records at the National Archives. They include a US Supreme Court Justice, two Nebraska Senators, Nebraska’s only Congressman, two Chief Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court, the Mayor of Omaha, four Federal District Court Judges, including Elmer Dundy, the presiding judge at the Standing Bear trial, and John Webster, one of the attorneys that represented Standing Bear.
An excerpt from Judge Dundy’s letter for Daily’s reappointment in 1876 echoes the other recommendations in stating, “In my judgment he is one of the best officers in the service of the government. He is capable, efficient and honest, and his moral character is above reproach. I think the good of the service requires his retention in office.”
1872 – Original Appointment
Isham Reavis
US Judge for Arizona Territory
John T Dillon
Judge US 8th District Court
Samuel Miller
US Supreme Court Justice
E S Dundy
US 8th District Court Judge – Presiding judge at trial of Standing Bear
John Taffe
US Congressman from Nebraska
P W Hitchcock
US Senator from Nebraska
1876 - Reappointment
Hon George Lake
Chief Justice of Nebraska Supreme Court
Edwin S. Towle
Speaker of Nebraska House – Prominent Falls City businessman
J L Webster
Prominent Omaha lawyer – pro-bono attorney representing Standing Bear –
President of Nebraska Constitutional Convention – member of State Legislature
James Neville
US Attorney Dist of Neb – State district judge
Watson B Smith
Clerk of US Courts – District of Nebraska
John J Redick
Prominent Omaha lawyer – member of US Supreme Court Bar
H M Atkinson
Adjutant to Col. Furnas – Prominent attorney and businessman in Brownsville
Elmer S Dundy (2)
US District Court Judge – Standing Bear Judge
Lorin F Miller
Mayor of Omaha – World Herald journalist
Isham Reavis
US Judge for Arizona Territory
John F Dillon
Judge US 8th District Court
Hon P W Hitchcock
US Senator from Nebraska
Algermon Sidney Paddock
US Senator from Nebraska
Daniel Gantt
US attorney for Nebraska – Chief Justice of Nebraska Supreme Court