Description 

A friendly helpful soul especially toward kids, however has been known to be stern toward trouble makers and those with bad intentions. He tends to do what he can to help others and more so by helping to bring justice to those who cause harm. James is a widower and had a son he never knew about.

Early Life 

The last survivor of an Irish farming family from New York, James (pronounced jaymus), was named for his uncle who drowned on the voyage over to America.

When James was a kid his father had joined the US Army as a JAG Officer and served in Montana with the 10th Cavalry until James mother got sick. His mother, Elizabeth, died of illness along with his sister, Sarah. James was a teen when this happened. The family (James, William - his brother, and Henry - father) then moved to Pennsylvania where his father worked for a lawyer as a clerking assistant.

When his father got the job in Pennsylvania he hired a nurse maid to take care of the boys (James and William). The boys called her Miss Jane, since his mother was long dead she became the motherly influence that helped James with schoolwork and taught him about showing respect for those less fortunate than him. James was taught by her what how terrible life is like for the victims of bad town leaders and out of control criminals. It was Miss Jane's influence on him that he decided to go to law school at the University of Pennsylvania.

Upon graduation from Law School James was recruited into the Merchant Marines. Before he left he married his childhood sweetheart against the wishes of her parents. She later passed away from an unknown complication. He returned home for the funeral and was turned away. A few years later while James was a sea, his father had died of illness, some say he worked himself to death. Tired of the sea life and probably from sadness he got a teaching position at the New York Nautical School. He enjoyed his days preparing new sailors for life at sea but that didn't quite feel like he was doing what he was meant for.

After a few years he applied for a job clerking for the Magistrate Judge in Boston and was accepted. This job felt right to him, and he was very excited to begin that chapter of his life. His brother came to town to help him pack and move to Massachusetts. James brother was waiting at the local saloon for one last drink while James was getting a couple of last moment supplies for the wagon before leaving town. A man that was being accused of cheating at poker pulled his revolver and killed William and two others before the Sheriff shot the man.

Heartbroken about the loss of his brother and feeling like there was nothing left for him in Pennsylvania, James quit his job and made his way out west seeking a new life. When he arrived in New Alexandria, he found a job in Saint Denis working for the Pony Express delivering important goods all over the state. The expression on folks faces when they get a letter from loved ones or something they ordered puts a smile on James face every time. He would often provide legal services for the people in New Austin when his travels took him to the area until he was offered a Judgeship for the State which he accepted. After a month on the bench his fellow Judges voted him in as the first Chief Justice for the State where he served until his retirement in August of 1899.

Upon his retirement the President of the United States, Henry Coleson, appointed him as the Ambassador to Guarma where he served until his recall to the State of New Alexandria as a Senior Judge assisting the Chief Justice, Markus Underwood, with appellate cases.

Present Life 

Mr Tully, though retired, assisted the Courts until February 1st of 1900 as a Senior Judge. When he wasn't working for the Courts, he does his best to provide legal advise, when asked, for the people of New Alexandria.

Affiliations 

• New Alexandria State Judiciary
• US Ambassador to Guarma (Honorary)

Death 

The Honorable James Tully passed on February 18, 1900 in Blackwater after a wolf attack. He was on his way to Blackwater to spend his final days before catching the boat to Saint Louis.

Just before his departure from the Judiciary for the final time he started to finally notice the break down in his mental condition. A doctor diagnosed him with mild dementia. Having nobody to care for him in New Alexandria he bought a boat ticket from Blackwater to Saint Louis and then off to Pennsylvania via train where his nieces and nephews lived. Most of his belongings had already been shipped and he was staying in Blackwater at a hotel until he was ready to head home.

A few days before his train ride he filed for a Judicial Review for a state House Resolution that wasn't even voted on yet. This was the first time his dementia had been shown publicly. Nobody but his Doctor knew of his condition when he filed it.

His final act as a Lawyer was to secure a plea agreement for a man who had just lost his best friend and got into a gun fight.

Quotes 

"In a land of immigrants, there will always be a need for someone to help mediate between the injustices of the minds and malice of men before they be judged by God." ~ Judge James Tully, 'on being a Judge', 1899 (March 2020)

Trivia 

• He was the first Chief Justice of New Alexandria.
• There is a law named after him, the Tully Act, to establish parole for prisoners.
• His gavel, a sawed off shotgun, is named "Ex Parte".