The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-07-18

From "Pyrter's Spirit OF the Tines
TRIAL IN ARKANSAS.
BY ssPETER CASEY"
One Of the chief pleasures Of practising
law on the frontier, Is, as technically sty led,
oo;no nm the circuit. All restraint is dof-
ed: good huinor, anecdote, and merry laugh
/ ter reign supreme. This is SO; whether On
the long horseback ride, seated in group
around the hospitable country fire, or IN
the amusing incidents Of the court room.-
IL is OF ons of these court room incidents
that write.
In one Of the eastern counties of Arkan-
sas, there lived, some years since, two limbs
Of the law, Vanmeler and Hedge Triplit.-
The first was a sober sided, long faced col
lector, whose invarable rule was to bring
suit IN one week (whether the unfortunate
was friend or foe) after the claim was put
in his hands for collection. This course
brought all the plaintiffs to him, and as nat
| uraly caused the defendants to blasphene
whenever his name was mentioned. The
second priced friend, and felt friendly to
all defendants, whether on the criminal or
| common law side of the docket; was for
any one who could smile aloud, with a
gu.to; and were not this so, Vanmeter was
too much of recluse, without any Of the
milk of human kindness, and it afforded a
peculiar pleasure to devil him.
! Britton Ward gave his note, one day sf-
| ter date, to Alanson Morehouse, adminlstra-
tor de bonis non of the estate OF Andrew
| Latting, deceased. for two hundred and IT,
ty dollars. for valuable consideration -
Before the ink was fairly dry, VanmeIre
had it in his hands, to collect as an attorney.
! True 10 his precedents, the sheriff, in less
| than a week, was commanded to summons
| Brit Ward to appear before the next term
of the Circuit Court to answer. After SER
vice, the said Brit was in a most doleful
condition, as he went "Dobbng around" )" TO
see what could be Sot on foot in time for
that execution Uitich ,cere a-cOming. lie,
after long time, saw Hedge Tliplit and
stating his case, asked Hedge ''if there were
any cOnsolatory law kSering that case -
"Oh, ycs," SAID Hedge; "what will you
/ give me TO get you out OF /. 7" swell, sir,
/ Mr.. Trpht, anything, anything you'll say
that's III reason; just say what 1t Is to be,
and I'm the man to pay IT,
swell, sir, it is an easy case, and if you
will promise to let me stop with you free of
charge, take good care of my horse, and al
ways have something TO warm u man IN
winter, and cool him in summer, l'll clear
you of all right, claim, or demand againss
YOU for. or on account of the aforesaid
note
"Now, Mr.. Triplet, jist do it, and you can
board at my house the balance Of time; you
and all your consarns: and fll obligate my
self TO have Il little of the crltter, the last
| day in the morning. With knowing
! wink, he turned oil, perfectly satisfied OF
! TripItts inv inciblity, and Of his consequent
/ safety. Sufficient TO the day is the evll, and
/ was us good guide for Triplit's ph'los-
ophv, rs a lover Of case would search
for. SO no one was troubled about it any
more for the time.
Circuit Court came on; grand jury en-
panneled, sworn and charged; State docket
! disposed of. His honor, James Russell, on
taxing up the civil docket, called out,
"Alumsnn Morchouse, administrator de bOnis
! NON Of the estate of Andrew Latting, de-
ceased. rs. Britton Ward-Debt-Na Nanmetre
iur plaintiff, Triplit for defendant" Van
metre addressed the court, saying he sup.
posed no real defence would be made, rs
the action was upon note OF hand; the de-
| fendant was not an infant, nor hadn't been
( IN law these many days; tGe note was no,
! bv the statute of limitations, consideration
was expressed upon the face of the instru.
ment; 1t was not on account of usurius
or gaming transaction; in word there was
no fraud about it, and no good reason why
! the note should not have been long since
paid. And If your honor please, ask a
| Judgment.
Mr.. Triplit thought, if his honor pleased,
the gentleman was somewhat too fast: if he
would get himself slow enough for an Ar
! kansaw dirt-road, and take look at the
papers in the case. he would find the "gen-
eral issue" filed to his declaration. As to
! the gcntleman's ability to see what defence
could be made. he, Mr.. r., had nothing to
| do. but supposed he would recollect it as
vividly as other defenees hitherto made, Of
which the gentlemen but now enumerated
so gIihly, but until hammered into him, was
| perfectly ignorant. "lf your honor please,
/ | ask a jury Mr.. Vanmeter thought it a
! useless waste of time. 'sNever mind. Mr..
| Vaumeter. know, or think know. how to
manage my cases, and when desire your
advice. will call on YOU for it. Yes, sir,
as piteously As did the exhausted Roman
youth when struggling against the angry
Tiher, upon his more stalwart companion.
| SO {stretchins out both hands towards bis
! adversary. with one foot in advance Of the
other) never mind. never mind. Mr.. Vapme-
! ter; if your honor please, ask n jury
While the sheriff was summouing the jury.
! Mr.. Vanmeter was carefully examining the
thN
and seeing no fault. would have felt easy
were 1t not for that noachdldace Of Trip
! let's, having seen it before, and felt its ef-
feets; the same principle that makes burnt
child dread the are. cause him to look Wild
The Jury were soon selected from among
the hv-ssanders. sworn and seated on a horse
trough. turned bottom upwards bv the sher.
itf. Just under the shade Of large tree. in
horse lct, which WAS considered the place
to .'come into court" Mt the GUNNER term.
..Pus your case to the jury. Mr.. vanms-
,er"-which was done rs follows. to-wis:
"Gentlemsn Of the jury--This is an ae-
ton Of debt brought upon this instrument.
which will read to you-'one day after
date, promise to pay Alanson Morshouse,
administrator de boats non of the estate Of
| Andrew Las,iug, two hundred and Fifty dol
lars, for value received-signed'--and TO
which the general issue was pleaded. am
sorry the Defendants counsel has forced you
here on that hard trough: thereby eonsu.
ming the time Of the Court and our time.
when We are so anxious TO see our families
And gentlemen, having perfect confidence
IN your intelligence and honesty, will leave
'hS case with yea and this honorable Court,
unless may desire to say word after the
| gentleman concludes"
MI 1. arose, and with cool. studied
dignity. carefully and SLOWLY examined the
writ, front asd back. The decIa,ion un-
dsr~ens similar examination. and, with
an easy mesement. pitched them over to the
the coart, jury. spectators, and last though
/ no, least, Nanme,er. very much in,eres,e.
! for the DEVELOPMENT. From the cut Of hi.
eve, something Was ''rcsten in Denmark,
but what. and uhe-ss "ticn,lenen of III.