Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-07-09
MIS- CELLAN N Y.
THE CULPRIT DGE.
A Tale Of the Bench and Bnr.


away from the woodland had not yc, heard
the scream of the steam whistle. All bran
ches Of society, of trade, and business. were
in transition state OF course the judges
were not men OF vas, learning or Of rare
character aud les, | appear vain, | may
now add, that the lawyers were By no means
Chief Justice Tancys'
The Judge who travelled circuit with us
in the counties round about the city Of -
had b,cn ia carly life a horsc,jockcy. and
had picked upa large amount of tact knowl.
edge of men. and human nature, and Of
social motives that wa. Of much uso 10 him
ia HI. legal walk. Atihc wc., he had been
a member Of tie first Constitutional Com
ycn,ion Of our State, and, being a good tai
kcr and q quick natural intellect, hal .honc
In the debates. OF course 1t wa, natural
that as he made the law. be should bo able
70 czpound 1t. And at tho frst election
alter the state was admitted, ho was chosen
judge.
never liked him. With all hi. nar,bil-
i,y and apparent Difference Of manner, there
was in his composition an under stratum Of
cunning ,ha, suspected and became wary
Of. when ! was chosen peoples solicitor
he sought my confidence. but rcpcllrd 1t
and, except in court, vc were little toge,h-
er Many times on tho civil 'dc no had
given favorable charge on facts, or ac.
quicsccl iu many laws when iclt that |
was wrong Ncr could | Mthcn why be
thus sought to sc, the winning eide Of me.
suspected him Of knavery. when pri,-
oncrs we're convicted, aud ho had tie dis.
crc,ion of punishment, his sentences were
oddly inconsistent. lIo fined when be
should have imprisoned, and confined when
q nominal punishment would have answer.
ell the justice Of the ease. But could nev.
er got any clue, aud with the p'Palaco ho
was regarded a' man Of rare integrity aud
Grmne.. of mind
one night at ,hc inn in the little village Of
Washington, whcr, weeks court was to
be held, | wen, to my "boar,lcl ofr" bed
room for an afternoon nap, anil was soon
Ia, asleep. was awakened by confused
murmurins', that after ! was thoroughly
aroused, perceived to come from the al.
j,inius room one appropriated to Judge
G..
IIo is committing his Grand Jury
charge, said TO myself, when | heard
. strange voice say, Z" Tho DOODLE !, mos,
used up Of the old stripe"
Now a" Doodle " is 4 lish term used by
countcrfcitcr., and 4, instantly attracted my
,' prosecuting" attention. AsI at upon
the side Of the bed a ray Of light came
through chink or the boarded partition.
As mau of honor would have forbidden a
q" rc,p," u, an oliser Of tie law prudence
commanded it. - drawing noisclc,sly to
tho wall, Or the boarded separation, look
cd through a crack and .aw Judge -
seated at the table with sinister looking
man who wore a pair Of remarkable black
whiskcr. and the two were counting quito
a pile II new bills. I listened, bu. not AN.
other word was spoken for some time. |
saw the money divided into three piles, and
tbc Jud:, placed ono in hi, pocket, the
whiskrr,l man took the other, and then
drawing "a his boot. divided the third pile
between each boot in tho inside Of II, and
then again hc placed them on hi, feet.
Next the judge -aii ' u" careful and send
it to the proper place" Iii. sinister COM
panion gave a meaning smile they shook
hand. the stranger lcft the room cautious
ly; and the judge then at down to his pa
per-. continued TO look for several min
gtes, bu, he appeared to be absorbed in his
duties, when just As was quitting my point
OF observation. he arose, and taking out his
roll of bills placed them up the chimney
and then continued his reading.
must say my blood ran cold, for grave
suspicion had often crossed my mind that he
was rascal; hut never suspected him OF
being concerned with the droyers, trarpers
and traders, who occasionally made bad
money thcir commodity. Nor, as sat col.
lecting my thoughts could conceive 1t pos
sihlc. when remembered how severe he
had always been upon the passers Of coun-
terfeit money and how earnestly and solemn.
ly 10 always in his charges in such cases
declaimel against the enormity Of offenders
who substituted spurious currency for n
good. | therefore concluded the word
:. DOODLE " and the suspicious " boot stuff
Gng." must relate TO some other kind OF
offence, connected with which now felt
assured he must be.
Steal,hily going out, carefully descend
el the stairs and entered the bar.room.
Tho heavy whiskercd man was seated at a
table reading a Cineinnatti paper as calm
as II il were the Methodist minister Of the
riding. | sat down and pulled out law
paper pretended to read, bu, | was glaneing
over the top at the stranger. His eye did
not wander from particular point OF the
paper nor did the sheet alter several min'
utes turn, therefore concluded that ho
was not reading but rejecting. l endeaV-
Ored to catch his eye. but could not.
next though, Of trying the demcanor oi the
Judge 50 making in my mind some excuse
relating to my Official duties, l again went
up stairs and knocked at his door Ills
pleasant voice in an unembarras.ed tone,
cried. Walk in" and | entered. After