Wilmington journal., 1874-04-24
Judge 3Ia2bee,s Spree.

A correspondent of the New York
Sun, writing from Tampa, Florida,
thus describes one of the legal lumina-
ries of that State:
Judge Magbee is robust and vigo-
rous specimen of that particular class
of Southern politicians to which the
Sun has devoted particular attention.
He is prominent member of any par
ty that wins, be it Republican or Dem
ocratic. and the party that wins with
out Magbee's knowledge. has got to
get up early in the morning
During the war lie was one of the
most violent and dangerous secession
lists that ever superintended salt works.
He was perfect man-eater, as it We're,
and it is supposed that but for his
pressing duties elsewhere, he would
have killed and skinned more Fed
erals than any ten regiments in the
rebel army.
When the war closed, Magbee chang
ed his tactics. He saw how thing
were drifting, and he promptly ranged
himself under the flag of the Union.-
He was, all at once, and without any
previous notification, truly loyal-and
peculiarly so. Perhaps it was the il
fuence of the climate, but Magbee's S
loyalty was of that rank and sudden
growth peculiar to the tropics. He
wanted to fight for the Union when
there was no fighting to be done, and
he was so serious about it that every
body said it was pity he couldn't be
accommodated. Finally, by some
means, fair or foul, Magbee managed
to get il to the State Senate, whether
as Republican or Democrat, it is
impossible for me to say; though, as
for that matter, his politics are too
nimble to be followed.
The basis of Magbee's fame as q
Senator rests, I believe, on the fact
that..he figured as respondent to GER
tain articles of impeachment found
against him by his fellow statesmen in
that august body. wherein he stood
charged with petty peculations and
gross usurpations.
MAGBEE AS CIRCUIT JUDGE.
Notwithstanding these things he was
subsequently appointed Circuit Judge
by Governor Hart. / shall not at
tempt to criticise his caIeer as the ex-
FOUNDER of law and justice. The at
tempt would be useless and the result
uninteresting. Let the bare fact that
Magbee is Judge stand for itself, and
let him enjoy in peace those distin-
guished honols that should follow and
wait on those who wear the ermine
1t is my purpose simply to relate a
most remarkable occurrence in con-
nection with Masbee's judicial expe-
rience. On the 31st day of last De-
cember the Judge developed trait OF
character not altogether peculiar.
| Whether it was owing to the subtle in
| ffuences Of the festive season, or to an
| inherent friendship for John Barley
corn, or some other cause, it is certain
that Judge Magbee appeared in the
streets uproariously drunk. His hilar-
ity was unseemly and unbounded, and
properly came under the head of dis
orderly conduct. Whereupon the
worthy Judge was seized by the min,
ions of the city government and un.
tremendously hurried off TO the Gala
boOse, where he spent the night.
| While in confinement, Magbee en-
| deavored to issue a writ of habeas cor
| pus requiring the Sheriff of Manatee
county to seize the body of James L.
Magbee. and bring it before Judge J.
L. Magbee, in order that he might in
quire into the legality of said confine-
ment. It was brilliant idea, but it
wouldn't work. The common place
people down here could not be made
to understand the beauty and fitness
of allowing q disorderly Judge to have
himself brought before himself in or
der that he might decide in favor OF
himself. The scheme was not of suf1i-
cient opaqueness to deceive, and SO
the Judge served ont his time in the
! oalahO0ca