The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-04
A BAD TYPE OF AJUDGE.
From the New York World

A BAD TYPE OF JUDGE.
From the New York World.l
Last week Judge James h. Knight, of
st. Louis, committed suicide. He seems
to have been good enough sort of
gentleman as times go; but many things
are told OF him which are startling when
We consider them as the characteristics OF
a Judge. He was found lying in his bed
with bullet-hole in his body, the bail
having just gone through him and
stopped at the sheet. He died in couple
Of hours, exclaiming from time to time,
80, cant something be done for me?'
The tact thas he killed himself
Is in itself proof that he was
unfit to be minister of justice,
since it shows that he had no respect tor
Divine law or sense ot the individuals
responsibility to society. He always
carried fire arms on his person, and slept
with a pistol under his pillow or on q
chair beside him. Such = habit Is I'M
worthy of judicial officer. lie who
administers the law should have faith liz
the protection of the law, and every
psaceably disposed citizen should avoid
the temptation to violence. A Judge with
"a concealed weapon about him processes
his contempt for the authority OF society
and his confidence IN his own pro-
wess. lie virtually puts himself on
level, so tar as his prime pie OF &C
tion is concerned, with the class OF men
on whom he sits in judgement. 1t was
found that Judge Knights affairs were
sadly embarrassed. that his debts amount
ed TO $4,000 which his assets would
hardly cover In this respect, too, ne
was seriously to blame The salary of Il
Judge ought To BE- abundant for his naia-
tcnance In attluence and dignity, but he
should never Oyerstep the limits OF his
income. In accepting his position he
should sacrifice all thoughts OF money
getting by means of speculation, and turn
his back on lavish expenditures. The
man who is not secure and independent
IN his financial affairs can hardly be III
flexible upon the bench. Moreover, when
Judge Knight lay dead 10 his house
there was certain mysterious young
woman, dressed in black, who came IN
and WA. received but coidly by the ser
wants. She WAS found sitting on the
stairway leading up TO the unfortunate
man. room, crying; when she had tried
to get in the door had been shut on her
fingers. When she was finally admitted
she knelt beside the coffin, embraced the
CORPSE, touched the pale cheeks, pus 4el
hack the hair from the forehead and
went like cEi.d. The Judge was uu-
married, and the inference from TINS
s,or, Is that his lite had little
of that purity and sobTicty
which we imagine should characterize
the men presiding in our courts; Tor JUS
,ice can hardly be clear II Its source be
fouI He lacked even that regard Tor
sppearances which is often IN everyday
hfe a psssable substitute tor virtue. de
had been candidate for reelection, ana
had been defeated, which fact proved
realty on his mind. But even in his
methOds of seeking office he showed that
he was unworthy OF ii. A portion ut
least OF his trouble 10 regard to money
WAS due TO his expenditures during the
canvass. He laid his defeat not to
the disapproval of his iellow-cltl-
IONS mt to his own failure TO
work for votes in certain quarters as
hard rs he ought. He said the night
hetore his death: at WAS my own fault
though, 1 quite believe, for IT l had
worked . little harder in the country |
should have pulled through And show
his lack of appreciation for the dignity
of his position this choice remark TO Con
Naouire of whisky ring fame may be
ouoJed. al am heartily sorry mat you
Ala not get out of Jail little earlier, for
! am sure that you would have worked
for me; would you nOt?' Could any
thrnr be more expressive than thls
topchinr confidence of the Judge
in the support OF the CRIMINAL
Finally the unhappy man, on the even
ing in question, dropped INTO saloon
after clssing his court. In TINS way ne
sIso showed his reckiessneSs ot appear
snces or his want of a due sense OF what
brIoncs to the dignity OF the bench. We
have not enumerated ihese points III
which Judge knight failed TO comply
With the duties of true judge out OF
unLirdness to his memory, but SIMPLY 10
! ;IInstr.te in the career of II single indi-
yidual many evil characteristics, some oil
which might perhaps be found on the
bench without going TO st. Louis to LOOK
/ for them. In choosing Judge the qua
,fcs.ions which he had not should be re-
ouired. and the habits which ne h"u
| should be avoided.