The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-06-03
The Culprit Judge.
A TALE OF THE BENCH AND BAR.

> prosecuting attorney. The settlers axe
was The familiar music, and the prairies
away from the woodland had not then heard
the scream whistle. ...
The Judge who travelled circuits with us
in the counties round about the city Of,
had been in early life horse jockey, and
had picked up large amount of tact, know
ledge of men, Ohd of human nature, and oil
social motives, that was of much use to him
in his legal position. At the West, he had
been a member of the first Constitutional
Convention in our State, and, being good
talker, and of quick natural intellect, had
shone in the debates. ....... ... ..
never liked him. With all his affability
and apparent Difference of manner, there
was in his composition and under strata ol
cunning that suspected and became wary
lof. When was chosen the peoples solici.
tor he sought my confidence, but repeled
it, and, except in our court, we were little
together: -a: Il.
! suspected hil., Of knavery. When pris.
oners were convicted, and he had the discre-
ton of punishment, his sente aces were sadly
inconsistent. He fined when he should have
imprisoned, and confined when a nominal
punishment would have answered the justice
of the case. But never could get any olew'
and with the populace he was regarded as
man of rare integrity and 6rmness of mind.
One night, at the inn, in the little village
Of Washington, where weeks court was
to be held, went to my "boarded off, bed
room for an afternoon nap, and was soon
fast asleep. was awaked by a confused
murmuring, that, after l was thoroughly
aroused, perceived to come from an adjoin'
ing room--one appropriated to Judge c.
"He is committing his Grand Jury
charge" said | to myself when heard a
strange voice suy-"The Doodle was most
used up of the old stripe"
Now, "boodle" is flash term used by
counterfeiters, and It instantly attracted my
, prosecuting" attention. AS sat on the
r beds side ray of light came through the
, boarded partition. AS man. honor would
! have forbidden "pecp;" as an officer of the
} law, prudence commanded it. So drawing
] myself noibelessly to the walt, or rat her, the
: boarded separation, | looked through the
! crack and saw Judge c. seated at table
+; with sinister looking man, who wore
Y pair ofremurkably black whiskers; and the
! two were counting quite pile of new bank
u bills. / listened, but not another word was
q spoken fer some time. saw the money di'
! yided into three piles, and the Judge placed
I. one in his pocket, the @hiskered man took
t the other, and then drawing off his boots di
h vded the third pile between each boot, il
v the inside of them, and then again placet
them on his feet. The Judge said: "Be care
ful and send it to the proper place." Hi
sinister companion gave meaning smile
they shook hands; the stranger left the room
cautiously; and the Judge then eat down to
-, some papers. continued 10 look for some
= minutes, but he appeared absorbed in hi
:, duties, when, just as was about quitting
my point Qiterally poinD of observation
D.. he prose, and taking out his roll of bills
y pIaced them up the chimney; and then con
\ tinued his reading.
:, must say my blood ran cold. for grave
d suspicion had crossed my mind that he wa
:, rascal; but never suspected him OF BEN
IS connected with the drovers, trappers an
Il traders who occasionally made bad none
|, their commodity. / therefore concluded
r. that the word "boode" and the suspicion
d shoot stuffing," must relate to some othe
kind of offence, connected with which nov
e felt assured he must be. .....
g. Stealthily going out, care fully descend
1t ed the stairs and entered the bar.room. LII
y heavily whiskered man was seated at tn
10 table reading the last Cincinnati paper,
calm and palcid as if he were the Methods
% minister ofthe circuit. sat down, and pul
I'd ing out a law paper, pretended to read it, bl
&c I was glaicins over its top as the strange
U" Ills eye ulu not WauueL hV" P"'"""
point Of the paper, nor DID the sheet aft'
it several minutes turn; I therefore conclude
is he was not reading, but rejecting: l Ell
ldeavored to catch his eye, bit could not
next thought Of trying the deamsdnof
the Judge; so making in my mind some e:
to cuss relating to my official dutiesi aga
vu went up stairs and knocked OF his door.'
to His pleasant voice, in an unernbarrass
70 tone, cried, "Walk in" and I entered
70. After getting through my excuse business
", said, in a careless tone, "What have y
fe ibeen doing all the afternoon, Judge!"
Of answered just as cerelessly, "Going throu
on my charge and decision or two have
mo make 70. morrow. As yeti have not Sc
iii. any one since arrived" f-lae
be The last lie was an unnecessary one, a
md knew its. falsity, for he needed not to ha
ent asserted the faCt--an immaterial one.
,ia. This, therefore, the more confirmed my 81
rse picions; because found those immater
assertions 10 be always. made. BY witness
when committing perjury, just as cowa
my whistle to keep up their courage. .
10 We continued chatting until the bell rt
~, for tea, but not tone nor act betrayed t
,wn the Judge was troubled or uneasy.
the went down stairs together and began
FNn =