New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-02
JUSTICE DISTURBED.

Tie course of justice, like that of true
love, seems destined to never run smooth
for any length of time in New Orleans
Every now and then something is certain
to occur to mar the even tenor OF Its way
Justice is defined to be the virtue which
consists in giving every one his due. 1t is
supposed to be above prejudice or evil pas
sion; and as human nature and human
laws are of necessity imperfect, it is often
superior to mere legal things. 1t should be
the fountainhead of all that is equitable
and just-and is, when blockheads or pert
heads are not the legal things to obstruct
justice.
An individual, styled Pete Munday-not
unknown to the police-has succeeded IN
creating quite sensation, not only IN our
halls of Justice, but among that portion OF
our people who enjoy lively scenes in court.
He was designed to be the chief actor in the
performance, but circumstances have con-
spired to lug in other characters of far
more Importance. Pete was suspected by
the cruel police of being something more
than vagrant, but as they were not pre-
pared at the time to take him on any other
charge, they arrested and took him before
the chief dispenser of justice i'll the Second
Justice Court-Judge Evans-where Pete,
after being duly examined on the charge
of vagrancy, was sentenced TO the Parish
Prison Pete did not like his situation and
sought an interview with His Honor Judge
Cooley, of the Sixth District Court;
through the aid of the writ of habeas cor
pus-the great writ of personal liberty
Pete's body was formally transferred from
bis prison cell to the august presence OF the
Judge of the Sixth District Court within
the solemn precincts of the law. Pete felt
that he was safe here, and listened to the
judges tart remarks about the metropoi-
tans, justices # the peace, recorders, etc,
charged with the enforcement of the law,
with a great deal of satisfaction.
He evidently felt that when Judge Cooley
set him at liberty he was free TO CO. But
Pete was sadly mistaken. The judges
remarks had only inspired the metropoli
tans with renewed determination not to
have Pete cheated out of justice. They
rearrested him almost within sight of the
linx-eyed judge, carried him back to prison,
had him indicted by the Grand Jury on a
charge OF robbery, and are in a fair way of
sending him for a term of years to the peni-
Tertiary. And while the police were doing
this for Pete, the irate Justice of the
Second Justice Court was actually cOncoct-
ing measures for the arrest of the Judge
of the Sixth District Court, and did actually
succeed in having him arrested and
brought before the Second Justice Court on
a charge of contempt of court. Judge Ev-
ans had heard of Judge Cooley's remarks,
made on the bench of his own court, in re-
gard to the commitment of Pete, and de-
termined to have the judge brought before
the Second Justice for judgment. The idea
was new and no doubt satisfactory one
to Judge Evans. He felt that his court
had been treated in a cOntemptuOus manner
by Judge OF another court, and he proposed
to punish Judge Cooley for contempt of
court Judge Cooley was disposed to view
the proceeding as a good joke, and actually
succeeded in talking Judge Evans into his
way of thinking. But as soon as the Judge
of the Sixth District had shaken the dust
of the Second Justice Court from his boots
he was seen to make rapid strides toward
jackson square. and it was shrewdly sus-
pected by those who knew him best that he
meant to ''go for Evans" in the most APP
proved style of the law. They were not
mistaken. Judge Evans was warmly pressed
to put in an appearance before Judge Cooler
on last Friday, aud 1.-The best house of the
season. was ready early in the day to witness
the third act of this comedy of the courts,
entitled Justice Disturbed" But Justice
Evans failed to come to time, and the large
crowd of anxious spectators that had gath
cred there to enjoy the sport had to retire,
bitterly disappointed. Judge Cooley, as if
not to be thwarted by the dodging game,
ordered the Sheriff to send out "a sufficient
number of deputies to secure the arrest of
him he was pleased to term d" the fugitive
justice"
Justice Evans has since arranged with
Judge Cooley to have the next act in this
comedy take place next Monday, when an
other crowded house may be expected to
witness the fun.