Amador weekly ledger., 1858-07-17
THE cULPRIT JUDGE.
A rALE oF THE pENcH ANp BAR.

In one OF the Western States was once
prosecuting attorney The settlers axe was
then familiar music, and the praries away
from the woodland had not yet heard the
scream Of the steam-whistle. All branches
Of society, Of trade and business were in a
transition state OF course the judges were
not men of vast learning or OF rare character;
and lest appear vain, may now add, that
the lawyers were by no means Chief Justice
Taneys
The Judge who travelled circuit 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, knowledge
Of men and human nature, and Of social mo-
tives that were Of much use to him in his le-
gal walk At the west he had been men,
Der of the first Constitutional Convention of
our State, and being good talker, and OF
a quick natural intellect, had shone in the de-
bates. OF course it was natural that, as he
made the law, he should claim to be able to
expouud It, And at the first election after
the State was admitted, he was chosen Judge
/ never liked him. With all his affability
and apparent Difference Of manner, there was
in his composition an under stratum OF cum
ming that l suspected and became wary Of.
When | was chosen peoples solicitor he
sought my confidence, but l repeled it, and,
except in court, we were lttls together.
Many times on the civil side he had given a
favorable charge on facts, or acquiesced in
many laws when i felt that / was wrong.
Nor could fathom why he thus sought to
get the winning side of me.
suspected him Of knavery. When pris-
oners were convicted, aud he had the discre-
ton of punishment, bis sentences were oddly
inconsistent. He fined when he should have
imprisoned, and confined when a nominal pup-
ishment would have answered the justice OF
the case. But | could never get any clue,
an6 with the populace he. was regarded as
man Of rare integrity and firmness of mind.
One night at the inn in the little village of
Washington, where a weeks court was to be
held. | went TO my boarded Off bed room
for an afternoon nap, aud was fast asleep. l
was awakened by confused murmurings, that
after was thoroughly aroused. | perceived
TO come from the adjoining room one ap.
propriated to Judge C.
HE is committing bis Grand Jury charge,
said | to myself, when l heard a strange
voice say, The Doodle is most used up ol
the old stripe"
Now Doodle" is flash term used by
counterfeiters, and it instantly attracted my
" prosecuting attentions As | sat upon
the bed side ray Of light came through 9
chink of the boarded partition. As man
honor would have forbidden "peep;" as al
officer of the law prudence commanded it
So drawing noiselessly to the wall, or th'
boarded separation, | looked through th'
crack and saw Judge --- seated at a table
with sinister looking man who wore pai
Of remarkable black whiskers and the two
were counting quite pile of new bills.
listened but not another word was spoke fe
some time. ] saw the money divided int
three piIes. and the Judge placed one in hi
nocket. the whskered man took the other
and then drawing OF his boots. divided th
third nile between each boot in the inside o
Il and then again he placed them on his feet
/ NEXT the Judge said " lie careful and sem
it to the proper place" His sinister CON
nanion gave meaning smile they shool
hands; the stranger left the room cautiously
and the Judge then sat down to some papers
/ continued to look for several minutes, bu
he appeared absorbed in his duties, when jus
as / was about quitting my point (ilterali'