Background
Russell, Charles Wells was born on March 16, 1856 in Wheeling, Virginia, United States. Son of C. W. and Margaret Wilson (Moore) Russell.
Russell, Charles Wells was born on March 16, 1856 in Wheeling, Virginia, United States. Son of C. W. and Margaret Wilson (Moore) Russell.
Student Georgeton University, 1870-1873, Bachelor of Laws, 1883, Master of Laws, 1884.
Entered Department of Justice, Washington, 1886, argued many French spoliation cases. Legal adviser Dockery Joint Congressional Commission, 1893-1895. General legal, including Supreme Court work, 1895-1901.
Special assistant attorney general in charge insular and territorial affairs, 1902-1905.
Assistant attorney general, United States, 1905-1910. Envoy Extraordinary anu Minister Plenipotentiary to Persia, 1910-1914 (resigned).
Procured employment of Morgan Shuster and other Americans by Persian Government Constituted special ambassador, July 1914, to attend coronation of Shah Ahmad. Investigated and reported on reconeentrado starvation and military situation in Cuba, December and January, 1897-1898.
Legal adviser to Prize ring (The) Evacuation Commission, August-October 1898.
Successfully argued Maine Explosion cases, Spanish Claims Commission, 1901. Sent by Attorney General Knox to Paris, 1902, to investigate Panama Canal Company’s title, and reported title clear, unencumbered and could be given as required by act of Congress. Sent to Paris, March 1904, to effect transfer of title and property of Panama Canal to the United States and $40,000,000 gold to France, arranged for with J. Pierpont Morgan, in Paris.
May 1904, sent to Panama as legal adviser to the United States Government of Canal Zone.
Revisited Cuba to prepare case Countess O’Reilly versus General John R. Brooke concerning her Havana slaughter house monopoly. Successfully defended General Brooke in the case.
Sent to investigate peonage slavery in southern states, October 1906. Prosecuted numerous peonage cases.
Sued several thousand persons at Muskogee, Indian Territory (U.S.), for illegally obtaining Indian lands, 1907-1909, and successfully argued the cases in higher court.
Author: Cuba Libre (play). Poems (privately printed), 1911, 12, 14. Poems, 1921. Editor: Memoirs of Colonel John South. Mosby (his brother-in-law), 1917.
Home: Washington, Distric.
Married Lucy Floyd Mosby, February 19, 1879. Married second, Lelia James Mosby, sister of 1st wife, October 1, 1885. Children: Charles Wells (deceased), Margaret Moore (deceased), John Mosby.