Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-24
For the Voter.

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Judge Williams. i bs
Extract rom Chapter 10 of Mr.. Dom
T notwithstanding /" Early History of
Marion County" eaal4
isswAstie Jadee ewasaso,newhat notetl
character, more particularly for ec-
centricty than legal attainment
thoughwe believe he had the repu-
tation of being a good Judge-we
deem II proper to close this chapter
with brief sketch of him. With
regard to his previous history we
know but little, either previous to
the time of which we are writing, or
since. At that time he was about 80
years of age, and had worn the er-
mine many years. In a Territorial
Act fixing the terms of the District
Courts, approved in January, 1889,
we find his name as appointee over
what was then called the Second Dis
trict, composed OF the counties Of
Louisa, Mu.catine, Cedar. Johnson
ana craugnter. lie was a person OF
remarkablygood conversational pow
ers, and delighted in telling anec-
dotes, His musical talent was much
above the average, both for vocal and
instrumental.
Judge Williams lectured OH Tenn
perance at Oskaloosa during the first
session of Court there, and, was the
first person that organized Temper
ance Society in the frontier counties.
Often, after delivering a Temperance
lecture full of elOquence and inter
spersed with humorous passages, he
would sing a favorite song called
Little Billy Neal' with an effect
seldom surpassed, calling up an APP
plause Of such hearty, boisterous de-
actSl. IL SIssSsf y Z most n'ii. 4.
steal Instruments, but for drawing
tunes out Of that sweetest-toned Of
all, the fiddle and the bow" he was
particularly distinguished.
In addition to his talent as a sing
er, he possessed that wierd, mysteri-
Gus power of using his voice as ven
triloquist, and could initiate the cries
of various kinds of animals so cor
rectly that the uninitiated could not
fail to be deceived. lie would some
times initiate the squalling Of bellig-
erent cats, to the great alarm and
mystification of the ladies, who could
neither discover the brawlers nor
learn from whence the noise came.
At this point we beg leave to in
trOduce couple of anecdotes, bearing
upon his noteriety as n musician:
Many years ago, on the occasion OF
a Convention ut Iowa City in the in.
terest Of a proposed railroad from
Muscatine to that place, Judge Will.
liams and LeGrand Byington were
in violent opposition to each other,
upon some points of which we are not
informed, nor do they matter SO fal
as the interest OF this sketch is con.
cerned. After the Convention, a
young amateur In the art of Drawing
produced caricature representing
Joe Williams seated astride an enor.
nous bull, playing clarionet. The
bull was on the railroad, with head
down and tail erect, paving up tho
dirt, md preparing to combat the
further progress Of locomotive
which was close upon him, upon
which was LeGrapd Byington as en-
gineer, and from the whistle of which
ascended the words "Musjc hath
charms, but cannot sQothe a locomo.
tive"
I On another occasion, being that ol
1 the ELECTION Of Supreme Judge and
j u. S. Senator by the State Senate
Judge Williams was beforethe Dem
ocratic caucus for the former, and
Geo. w. Jones sometimes called Nan
cy Jones, and known as a dancing
niaster) for the latter place. Their
competitors Of the same party were
8. G. Hastings, formerly President o.
the TERRITORIAL Council, forthe Judge.
ship, and Judge johnson, Of Lee Co.,
1 for the Senate. These last named
gentlemen were at Iowa City just
previous 70 the time Of electlon, Ia
boring earnestly with the members
of the 6tpste 10 secure their choice
But ut the caucus, which came OF
during the night preccdipg the day
OF election, II swaso deeided 10 selec1
4 Williams and Jones. When this de
:ision hsvatpc Known, tc' the dispp