Oroville daily Butte record., 1857-08-25
Judge Lewis Practices Law.

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clai ermlne of California, the constitution
and laws do not prohibit County Judges
from practising Mt the bar Of other courts.
Notwithstanding this omission of the law,
an honest, upright and consc entous Judge
would hardly consent to practice law in the
District Court of the county over which he
Is the presiding Judge II Jos. +. n Lewis,
the present Judge Of this county ever felt
any conscientious scruples about this sort of
| work. fee has always been sufficient to 81
lenee them and secure his invaluable SER
vices IN the District Court for Butte county
Norris this all Judge Lewis has not only
become the attorney for suits in the District
Court of this county, carrying them up to
the supreme Court, but has exhibited some
| sharp practice that should blast with eternal
infamy the name Of any honorable lawyer, to
say nothing Of the fact that he was the Judge
of the county at the tine We alude TO his
| course as counsel for the defendants in an
action Of ejectment brought against bust
ness firm OF Oroville. by Earris & Burt, for
the parties claiming the land upon which
the town is located The defendants had
purchased n lot, and proceeded to erect a
Soda Factory, when an action of ejec,ment
was instituted against them. Being new
comers and comparative strangers in the
county, they made inquiry of friend for
the best lawyer in the County, who men
TONED Judge Lewis as having the reputation
of being amongst that class One of the
firm snddlcd horse and started for Bidwell
Arriving at Bidwell he called upon the very
when Lewis informed him that it was his
custom to demand his fee in advance, fifty
dollars. This was paid to him. when the
client was coolIy advised to settle it without
proceeding to law The client returned to
Oroviile, minus his fifty dollars, and pur-
chased his lot Of Messrs Harris & Burt for
n consideration of some three .or four hun
dred dollars. Now the facts are simply
these IF Lewis was not mt that time the
associate counsel Of Harris s Burt in these
land suits, he became SO very soon thereaf-
ter. and before the last payment was made
on the lot. Is not such sharp practice suffi
cent TO damn any lawyer in the estimation
of honorable men, and is it not still more
contemplate in one who was occupying the
position of County judge
And yet his lying tools and confederates
in his plunGerng schemes, and the venal
press in his employ, which has sprang into
existence since the refusal Of our convention
to endorse his many niqutous plans of
public lltnder, pronounce him the "noblest
work Of God an honest man. Moral tur- |
rituJe and sacriegiOus impiety cannot 90
beyond the assertion of Lewis honesty |
Lock at the records Of the Legislature and |
see when and where he has invoked Legisla-
tive aid to plumber the tax paying public
with special acts for his benefit Look at
the records If the Board of Supervisors, and
see where he has plundered the county of
Office rent as Judge while occupying the
Court House Mt Bidwel. Go to the Clerks |
Office and see the $4,000 claim against the
comfy for the public square, presented af
te, the buildings were erected. by advice of
Mr.. Lewis. Do the citizens of the county |
desire an economical administration of af- |
fnirs, or will they endorse these dishonest !
and INSCRIPTIONS assaults upon the public |
revenue' You who are summoned hther to |
discharge public duty, do you desire the |
small amount Of scrip to which your services
are entitled TO pay your expenses, or are
willing that the corrupt and scheming crew
headed by Judge Lewis, should plunge the |
county further in debt, appropriate the
fluids in the treasury, and compel you to
dispose of your warrant for fifty cents on
the dollar. or leave it to decay undrawn a.
in times gone by "lIonest?' Prohibited |
hy law from speeulatins in county scrip af- |
ter he had taken his seat MS Judge, he was
actively engaged in buying il up as thirty |
or foIty CENTS on the dollar, after tie cleo |
tion aud prevoas to taking bis seat His
uen were all over the county engaged in
these purchases foY him Whether he has |
engaged in such operations since he has &C.
cupied the b nch, is only known to himself |
and those in his employ.