Bruenn, Bernard

Submitted by Mike Miller

Bruenn, Bernard, the subject of this sketch, a native of New Orleans, was born in 1859, of foreign parentage, illustrates the combined effects of racial characteristics and healthy forebears. His father, the late Zachary Bruenn, who died Nov. 23, 1912, in his 90th year, and his mother, Deborah Seligman who died Aug. 5, 1874, from the effects of medical misdirection, were both of European birth, and possessed sturdy frames, as tbe result of prudent living and the avoidance of excesses of any kind, so inherent a trait of the Hebrew race. Coming to New Orleans, the father entered upon a career of merchandising which lasted from 1851 until within several years of his death, leaving an untarnished record of his life's work as the best of inheritances for his offspring. Bernard Bruenn, a studious youth from the outset, acquired his preliminary education in private and public schools of New Orleans, supplementing it as he approached the years of maturity with his own unaided efforts. He entered the law school of the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, and graduated with the degree of LL. B., in 1881. He then started upon the practice of his profession, being taken in 1886 into the law partnership made up of Albert H. Leonard, just then retiring after a brilliant service of 8 years from the office of United States district attorney for the district of Louisiana, and Morris Marks, who had previously filled various Federal offices, the last being that of internal revenue collector for the district of Louisiana. This law partnership endured until the end of 1890. Mr. Bruenn, early in 1891, traveled on the continent of Europe, whence he returned to New York city late in that year, to assume the task of representing a number of English bondholders interested in railroad and other properties in and near the tidewater region of the state of Virginia. From that time and until the termination of the railroad receivership and during the period required for the reorganization of the railroad company's affairs in 1894, Mr. Bruenn divided his labors between the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va.; refusing an offer of the presidency of the reorganized railway company, he went to New York city, winding up there matters of detail connected with his administration of the Virginia properties. The end of the year 1894 saw him once more in New Orleans. He had returned to acquaint himself with the trend of conditions concerning personal ,affairs as they had developed during the almost 4 years of his absence. Individual preference, as well as certain well defined opportunities, tempted his return to New York. Filial duty pointed strongly toward his remaining near his then aging father. He chose the latter course, and at once opened a law office, picking up the thread of affairs where he had let it fall at the end of 1890, and since then has been a faithful follower of his life work in the practice of the law. Very probably because Mr. Bruenn has never sought political preferment, and as likely because he was always liberal in his views concerning matters affecting political expediency, insofar as in his opinion the best interests of the southern half of Louisiana were involved, he has never filled public office. With regard to the only political party in Louisiana, he has held in a quiet way that, under the conditions which have existed since 1876, it was far better that honest well-meaning citizens of the state should ally themselves with its regular faction politically. There, in the regular party councils, more general good might be accomplished by honest men, than by an ephemeral and hastily organized faction, claiming to be in its entirety, the only saving grace of the Democratic party. Nationally, Mr. Bruenn always favored the Republican party, because it was, as he concluded, for the immediate and lasting good of Louisiana that its greatest crops-- sugar and rice--needed yet a while the helping hand of the general government to steady them as against the world's competition of more favored climate and cheaper labor. Now that these industries have been deprived of almost all that has been a reason of their survival, the position taken by Mr. Bruenn has been fully justified. During the prevalence of the dread yellow fever in New Orleans in the summer of 1905 Mr. Bruenn, noting the ineffectual attempts made by the local authorities to stem the progress of the plague, suggested in an open letter published in the Times-Democrat, on Aug. 22, 1905, the taking over by the Federal authorities of all quarantine stations then under control of the several state authorities. Already the officers of the United States marine hospital service, at the request of the general public, had joined forces with the Louisiana state board of health and had shown remarkable scientific efficiency, with the resultant beneficial effects. The idea thrown out by the letter referred to was subsequently practically developed in the purchase by the United States government from the state of Louisiana of its well equipped quarantine station near the mouth of the Mississippi river. Ever since then the entire Southland has rested in perfect security against any further invasion of the much dreaded yellow fever plague. During the factional political fight which prevailed in New Orleans in the fall of 1904, when the regular Democratic organization was opposed by what was then termed the "Home Rule" party, Mr. Bruenn, without his knowledge, was unanimously nominated for the position of district attorney on the ticket to be put forward by tat party. This honor, highly appreciated because of its unsolicited tender, was declined. Besides closely following the duties pressed upon him by diligent attention to his profession, Mr. Bruenn found time to devote himself to some years of busy work on the local along special lines, in which he achieved no little success. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, as also of several clubs and of the charitable organizations. His professional activities have brought him into intimate contact with the members of the local bench and bar, by all of whom he is recognized as an able lawyer and a gentleman of the highest standards.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 72-74. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.