The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-03-13

tIAC w CGt1 4lON UCtuE
published in American Homes, gives
3 the following characteristic sketch OF
western life years ago, and which
might even apply to some justices
= whose "cO0rts" are not in the country
Riding the circuit" in early times
In the South and West, was a favorite
method of practicing law, with those
whose services were in demand az
counsel: Generally half a dozen OF
more OF the prominent lawyers residing
In circuit would accompany the judge
from county to county, trying the cases
that had been brought and prepared by
the local attorneys. These trips were
generally made in company, upon
horseback, and frequently gave rise to
many pleasant and varied experiences.
Ihe practice was often enlivened by
incidents that bordered upon the
ludlerous, although it not unfrequently
happened that they afforded neither
amusement nor profit for the counsel
or client. To relate some of the per
sonal experiences that occurred during
the practice of the law upon the Wes-
tern frontier from 1860 to 1867 is the
object of the following sketches.
1he incidents narrated in tile follow
ing pages occurred twenty years ago,
more or less, when the now well-knOWn
| VA SOUACA DIuuS WHS WlnDer
quarters" for the little band of Mormon
emigrants, who had selected the Great
Gulch" for their encampment because
1t afforded them q partial protection
from the rude blasts of winter that had
oVertaken them ON their journey to the
City OF Saints" In the spring some
OF the band concluded to remain there.
thus, forming little settlement that
should serve as q kind of halfway
house, to their brethren and sisters in
the faith, where they might tarry in
Glelf long ana tedious journeying across
First among the number who deter
mined to remain behind was one James
Sloan, or, as he was familiarly called,
Jimmy Sloan" Now Jimmy was not
only an Irishman and a firm believer in
the BOOK OF Mormon, but he possessed
mucn or the native shrewdness and
cunning OF his race, as we'll as a great
deal or Obstlnacy, an unlimited quantity
OF brass, and an inordinate amount Of
self-esteem, combined with little
learning. Jimmy's peculiarities soon
won for him considerable prominence
| IN the new settlement, and no one was
much surprised when upon the organi-
cation OF POttawattamie county he was
found to have been duly elected to the
office OF County Judge. Being firmly
impressed with his own importance, he
OF course greatly magpifed the powers
Conferred upon him by his office, nor
did he ever lose an opportunity to- i'm
press upon others the fact that, in his
own opinion, at least, he was of vital
Importance to the future welfare of the
great State oV toWee," and woe to the
man who should presume to dare to
differ with him On the subject, for jim
my would then and there pronounce
him guilty of cOntimpt,n and inflict on
hlm a hne which in no case was he ever
known to abate.
Myself young man, whom love of
adventure, perhaps as much as ANYTHING
else, had induced to "Go West" the
winter of 185-found me in company
with few choice spirits, domfciled in a
log cabin known as "No. g." upon the
site OF what is now the beautiful city of
Omaha, in Nebraska.
1t was during this winter that 7 one
day received most urgent request to
go over to Council Bluffs and defend
poor fellow who had been arrested and
was TO be tried for the crime of larceny
before Jimmy Sloan. Nothwithstand=
Ing my experience at the bar had been
somewhat limited, and the prospect for
heavy fee" was at the best extreme
ly doubtful, the morning of the day of
trial found me mounted on q pair of
snow shoes and houndering over the
deep qrltFs Qn my way to the little log
cabin where justice was supposed to be
enshrined in the person of Judge
Sloan.
Upon entering the room in which the
court was held, found it to be quite
impossible for me to distinguish one
object from another, so great was the
contrast between the dingy little inside
and the beautiful white of the snow
covered ground upon the outside, which
was rendered painful by dazzling by the |
bright light OF December sun that |
was shining in all it's glory. Pausing
by the side of the huge box-stove over
which had almost fallen headlong
upon entering the room, I was vainly |
endeavorlng to distinguish some of my |
surroundings, when | was startled by |
hearing fhe deep, senulchral tones of o
mans Foice, issuing from the lmpene- |
traoIe haze which surrounded me, say
ing. - rs'sS = |
/" = Prls'ner, are yer riddy for tFlrial Z"
!, Never supposing for a single instant |
taag the question concerned me in the |
angntest manner, continued warming |
myselL py the stove, vaguely speculat- |
ing IN the meantime as to what I should |
flnd ln tne room after recovering the /
use qE my eyes, without paying the |
slightest attention to the question, |
which was Immediately repeated, if |
pQsslote With greater JUNCTION than be-
fore. sft = -
" Just at this moment A. G. Ford, ESQ.
q prominent mem Der of the bar at that I
time, and one OF the most genial of I
1Owa's many genial practitioners, /
touched me upon the shoulder, at the /
same time informing me that it was my
client whom he was addressing. Act
ing upon the impulse of the moment. I
and still utterly unable to distinguish
either court or client, said turning In
the direction in which I supposed the
court TO be sitting:
7 In q few moments, your Honor"
The only answer vouehsafed to this
remark was the question, again repeated
in an angry manner:
Pris'ner, are yez riddy for thrial ~
then briefly informed the court that
I had but just arrived, was chilled
through with the cold, was quite snow-
blind, and had no opportunity to con-
verse with my client as to his defense,
but would try and be ready to proceed
with the case in very few moments.
Myeyes having by this time become
accustomed to the room, I discovered
the court sitting behind an old -faRhi0ped
f0ur-legged lamp-stand upon a little
platform ait the farther end of the
rOom--a httl0 Wizened old man, be-
tween % and 60 years or age, with an