Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-02-16

ing their notes. these they have been sued in
Observation-Disclosures was entered against them
for the amount of the note with exemplary costs
by default of course
The infamous lawyers fee bll-the shame of
our statutes, the disgrace of our State, was no
doubt the moving cause of many of these suits
The District Attorney is entitled to this bonus, or
gets it in way, and thus the statutes of a civ
ized State, hold out bride to an unscrupulous
prosecutor TO hiss the officers OF the law upon its
unofending citizens lie that hath eyes to see,
let him read this hideous deormity unrepealed, on
pages 674-5 of our statutes These two leaves,
like the leaves of the Upas, have distilled poison
through our whole judicial system-they have
corrupted and degraded our Courts and had
power, l would rend them from our statutes, tho
our whole system should be rent asunder, in an
attempt to eradicate them. You yourself sent
me report, l think it was of some committee
of Congress, on the lawyers bill in the United
States Court In those Courts, party.s allowed
to tax a lawyes fee-bill, if the law allows it in
the State Courts. Prescott Hall District Ator-
ney in one of the Districts of the State of n Y,
had in some cases taxed lawyers fee-bills to the
amount of S4O0 These were cases in which the
United States were party; and thus it came to
the knowledge of Mr.. Whittlesey, one of the off
GERS OF the Treasury and he exposed the villainy
of the lawyer who claimed. and Of the Judge who
taxed the bills. Judge Belts who has long worn
the judicial ermine allowed the charges, though in
violation of the laws of New York, by which the
charges to be governed.
Have / not Justly declared that this institution
In fact know of an action of ejectment brought
in the District Court of Milwaukee against Mr.
Alfred Wood of Fairplay for forty acres of wild
land, and Wood was not in possesion-he only had
a tax title and yet they elected him by proxy he
paid about $40 costs, of which the lawyers fee bill
was the largest item. To recover this bill must
have been the sole object of the suit The land
open to the possession Of the plaintiff. Wood
could not have afforded to defend an ejectment in
Milwaukee for tract of land worth less than 6
or 100 dollars. Such are the bitter, bitter fruits
that people compelled to eat from that
fatal tree, the lawyers fee bill. When they have
swallowed it, they vomit up their possessions. 1t
is the continual tgator of law-suits-a standing
and sinister bride to unprincipled and hungry AT
tornes to prosecute claims without shadow of
right in Court where there can be no defense
But am dealing with effects rather than
causes-with facts rather than with conclusions
the oppression of remote Court; but actions of
eectment have of late become SO frequent that men
beginning 10 trernble for their possessions
they know not how soon the explosive bomb may
light on their hearths from battery altogether
beyond their reach. l will give you instances
within my own observation, occurring in this
county A gentleman living on the Wisconsin
river lately sued in ejectment in that Court
ragged rotten claim, no better than FilIibusters
to the Island of Cuba he paid four hundred dollars
to buy the privilege of remaining owner of the
sand-banks, along which the rampant locomotives
are to rush in all their glory. The heirs of Dus-
tin have been elected. Mr.. L deposited the torpedo
of an ejectment under them, and blew them up
You, yourself, have expressed the opinion that they
have the legal right. They brought the declara-
ton to me but short time before they were re-
CURED to answer in the District Court, supposing
they we're sued here. 1t was too late to save a
default 4 writ of possession was issued-thcy
were expelled compelled to pay above $50 costs.
and lawyers fee bill of course. l have told you
of my friend A. Wood, who was eiecled from a
40 acre tax title He never was in possession:
however the writ reached him we'll where he
not as where he was. Banhll has been eject
ed, and had 10 pay $50 costs after he had settled
the suit; and the man never the land from
which he was ousted Time fails me, but not facts
facts outrageous, intolerable Men are alarmed,
and nothing but early relief will prevent acts OF
violence No hereditary respect for law, no non
resistance principles not the passive virtues Of
religion, nothing that God or man ever taught or
required, will induce our people to lie quietly
down. and submit to be shorn, ana feeced, and de-
voured by pack of wolfsh lawyers who meany
take advantage Of the inability OF our citizens 10
defend themselves The demoralizing effect of
the Court begins to pervade all classes. Men IN
derstand that by transferring claim however
fictitious to nonresident that ii will become in
vincible; citizens talk of sueing in that
Court where defendants are stranglei By the ~De-
fault Moose"
Now you know what ought to be done. District
the State. No defendant in error living in Grant
person, SnONid De com etieu 10
GO or transport his witnesses further than Mineral
Point. Stick TO this-not an inch further at any
time, term. in any event. In fact Lancaster
would be convenient point, lying near the Mis-
sissipparian counties. / guess I shall publish a
copy OF this letter, its substance o, Cole was
here today and told me 70 sign his name to any |
thing might write you on this matter J Allen
Barber will write. Dewey says he will get up a |
memorial TO Congress. and have no doubt he will
do his best, for he sued in the District Court
himself. | beg you to act-have Congress pass
the bill at once. because individuals in this and
other towns threatened, and their property can
only be saved by early and prompt measures, such
as will put defense in the District Court within
their reach.
Yours very truly,
J. T. MILLS.
Hon. B. c. EASTMAN