, 1870-05-02
PIONEER Law IN MICHIGAN.
From the Detroit HOst.

lHE Late IulCS uOH1IC43 N44OQo SA41 0~ ANA1A
storytelling is well known to many lawyers in !
the State, left in manuscript, at his death. q |
large collection OF Stories of the EARLY Bar |
Of Michigan" The editor of the Lansing Re-
publican las been permitted to SEQ these man
uscripts, and from them selected the following |
stories:
HEAsoS ENOUGH FOB s1IESCE.
"Don't leave tho courtroom, witness" said |
A-shiawassee lawyer dn1inss; the trial o. caso-
al may want to question you farther"
"Fathers desd, !" replied the witness, "and
can't be questioned" |
onxAmEsTED oRousDs. :.
Parks, good-natu1ed 1nembcI ct tho OAK
land bar, and not 1ackiDg in ability, entered
the profession 1nte in life, snd at first was not
very successful One Saturday, at the close
unsuccessful, he had taken up his file OF pa
pefs, and in pct had written On the back:
I" All gono to h-1!" !. j
Judge Wlipples attention was called thereto |
by Hnnscom, who pleasantly remarked: :.
'"1t il always handsome sight to SOC Perks
toeu laid out"
A very pretty Oakland girl. not over IS years
Of age, brought suit for breach Of promise
against young merchant, Eaa % hsd changed
Ila trial came on; and the glf1a /
mother, fat, rcd-faced old dame, waspreseht
in fle bar, to givc moral effect to tho recital
Of her daughters wrongs.
The counsel Tor the pldl0ttu, IN SUMMING UP
descanted at length, and with moving pathos
upon 1.-THE enor1nity Of the defendants guilt
in creeping into the bosom Of this family"
(here the old 1hdy pinned her shawl closerl.
= and deceiying and Disappointing this fair
grill"
Here the venerable mother could contain
herself no longer, but with gushing tears cz-
sHe deceived us all, gentlemen! Me
and all tho rest,-me md all the rest!"
The effect VAS magical, but not Just what the
old lady expected. --.'.
4 mild and lenient man was old Judge -.
one Of the earliest magistrates OF Oakland
| under the first County Judge system enacted
| BY the Governor and Jndges.j He had some
| Irregularities which might remind ono Of Dcky
iiEe1, the famous Recorder Of New York, save
| that Dicky grew more and more severe and
the Oakland Judge more and more forglvng,
| AZ aCe came upon them. Yet hnd they points
| Of analogy, in that each used certain rig-
marole az /: sort OF peroSaton preceding the
sentence passed upon culptlt. But mark inc
| difference: .. -.
Dlcky used to say, when the prisoner was
! before him for Eentence,-no natter what the
crime, even if it was eating bus gzestgrand-
| fathers head off,
"Prisoner, stand up. Ths crime Of which
prevalent in this community, and must be put
Not go the sword-and-scsle bearer Of Oak
land. Ills for1nnla OF conscience and duty wsa
diHercut. though not less uniform, Thus;
Prisoner, hold up your hand. You have
tey, trespass, as the case might be, but the
Court takes into consideration that this is a
new country. Society is unsettled, nor are the
laws understood We must expect such things
in settling new county So, give you "
dnya-r
On one occasion . man was as1aigned fol
wilful perjury. He had property and stancdng,
[ hut the case was go clear that the jury pro:
nonnced him ''gu1ty" without leaving the1i
eeats. ....-.,..-...
The Prosecuting Attorney was in ccsta tacies
over what all c1iminaL lawyers consider nc
small e1ploit-the recovery Of verdict Of
guilty on an indictment for perjury.
The prisoner being brought up Tor sentence,
the Judge commenced: :.
aYcu have been convicted OF parjury, pIis-
oner. This is great offence, but consider
that this is . new country. and We must nave
some pa5ury among the difficulties o. setting g
new conntIy: So ~ ! shan oh'' e''o YOU %
VII The pTosecutiug Attorney, to wind up CASE
ot false swearing, went outside the court house
md gave vent to large volume Of the gennln
article. ii
/ Old Sic Doty, Of Hillsda1e countJ-tha
upopt notorious evl-doeE, thief, receiver Q
stolen goods, burglar, and everything else ba,
't-was arTIgned before Judge Pratt Outer
wnrds Of Hono1ulu). for hotse-stealinG. A
!. | usual, Z clear caee was proved against him, An
= he was brought up for sentence.
Pratt was abrupt in manner, rough IN tont
2 and rerere in expression. These traits We1
rather enhanced than modified upon this occ.
zion. He roke ont with
.:Stand up, prisoner at the bar. Prlsone,
- how old arc you? ?"
"Fifty-thfee years, five months, and twent
= days," was tho reply
q Hprisoner. sentence you to hard labor
. the State Prison for sixteon yearB, SIX month,
u and ten days. This hrinss you to 70 ye2r'
= beyond which my Jurisdiction don't extern
: :, Sheriff. remove the ptisoner!"
-TThe veteran hobit,ie OF our State Penitez
u tisrv, Sile Doty, referred to in this inciden
:. served our The term to which he WIS sssigne
. in the sentence of Judge Pratt, minus sho
deduction allowed him under the statute II
- good conduct. BE enjoyed, or perhaps 81 el
. dured, lis liberty for the space Of ELI month
= or the1eabouts when he was convicted I
- stealing . harness, and returned to Jackso
. nealn. On making his appearance at the Prl
q on ho assured the agent, Mr. Bingham, that
9 would not have come back again, had he a
expected to meet him there. We saw linn Il
- week ut work making ehoea for the conf1ct
= The sent he occupied WIS raised some d1stan
Z L from the floor, in order to obtain better llg
=. from tie high window, and when one Of t!
10 P1ison Inspectors then present noticed Il
le fact, Eile replied that "he liked to be mp
ss tie world" Judge Pratt told the truth VIII
p he raid that the sentence which he bestow'
upon Doty would carry tho old man beyondE
y Jurisdiction. But Doty is yet within the rea
y q of leEal authority, while Pratt is dead
. Posi-.