The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-03-02
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
III. II. ROBINSON.
GOV. wood, Judge Wiley, and the
Landlords Silver Spoons.
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.


in public life:
In the days of which we speak the West |
ern Reserve seemed to- have q monopoly of
the Supreme Judges, most Of them coming
from that region, while to Southern and
Central Ohio was given the United States
Senators and Governors.
In those days when the Judge, accom-
panied by the lawyers, travcrscd on horse
back the different counties of the circuit to
attend court. the latter to catch up n stray
retaining fee, it often became necessary to
drive dull care away by narrating anec-
dOtes. and in that way il was that the late
Abraham Lincoln learned those that he
retailcd second hand to his worshippcrs Mt
Washington. BY constant repetition these
anecdotes became stale, and We're replaced
by practical jokes. And in no part of the
State was this species of fun carried to
greater extent than on the judicial circuit
which made up the counties of the Western
! Reserve. Once fairly started. the appar-
emily sobcr-sided Yankees threw off their
( Puritanism. and then the fun grew fast and
furions. Neither bar or court were spared,
and if these practical jokes could be col
lectcd, and with them the bar anecdotes of
that age when Judge Wood first donned
the judicial erminc rs President Judge,
they would form n collection superior to
those of any Jest book in existence. The
Judge himself was great lover of these
jokes. and in after life, when Governor of
the State. he would recount them by the
hour, for his mind was well stored with
them.
One of these, which he scarce ever told,
but when pressed would acknowledge to be
true, Is given rs sample of the rough
Jokes of these limbs of the law. Judge
Wood had played of some joke on the late
John w. Wiley, of Cleveland, a lawyer Of
much cminencc, and justly regarded as one
Of the ablcst men in the State, but whose
career Of usefulness was closed by an early
death. To rppay Judge Wood with inter
est. he but hidcd his time. As member of
the State Senate. Mr.. Wiley was en- route
10 Columbus and Judge Wood accompanied
him. both on horseback A new tavern
had becn oncnnd on the road. at which
neither had before stopped. and both were
unacouainted with the landlord. This was
tho Mace Judgr WilIev-for he afterwards
became "A yud9e-chosc for the scene Of his
opcration. They alighted for dinner, and
while in the house Wiley scarce spoke 10
Wood. After the meal had concluded and
Wiley steppcd into the bar-room to pay
his bill, he inquired of the landlord il he
knew the tall man that rode up TO the house
with him. OF course the landlord did not.
Then Mr.. WILEY confdentially informed
him that the fellow had Joined him short
distance back-that he did not like either
t his looks or his conversation, and he had
{ suspicions that he was either a horse thief
! or counterfciter of which the country
WAS then flll. and he advised the landlord
TO keen watch on him lest he stole some
; thinr. Passinginto the dining room, where
judge Wood had left his overcoat, rolled
nm. for the day had become warm, he I'M
e rolled H. and placing the silver spoons, with
which the table was decorated. in one OF
the pockets, he carefully rolled It up again
while the landlord was asking questions OF
C Wood for the purpose of satisfying his GU
= riosity as to whether he was thief or
Il conntcrfeiter. The horses being brought u
# the door. the travellers started. Mr.. Wiley
+ kent looking back, and before the twain
n had rome mile. he saw the landoad ap
y nroaclIing on horse riding fnrionsly
Riding M to Judge Wood, Judge Wiley
,Ss began to brag on the speed Of his horse
n and, rs there was level piece OF grount
C before them, he bantered Judge WOOD lo
81 n race. AS the Judge knew ms own hors'
3. to be fast he consented, ana drlVing hl
d spurs into the sides OF the animal OH II,
II started. Wiley following close hehlhd
A. The landlord, VINO was wen ihouhtcd
n seeing as he Thought, thc thiet escaping
~ lashed his horse u noble animal, 10 lui
~ speed and soon overlook whey, VINO pnr
posely Jagged behind. AS he rode up, MI
Wiley, with an air OF great concern, aske'
what was the cause of such rapid rldihe
TX The landlord Informed HIM OF the loss O
his spoons and expressed the decided opin
ns ion that the man ahead had stolen them
nj MIR. Wiley gave additional evidence =
@ corroborate the beliei when he lntorne
H. the landlord that before they lett lil
tavern, he saw something IN the man
~ oyercOat pocket that looked like silVe
spoons, and that soon after the man ahea