Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-25
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MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY IS.
The Late Judge Guison.

Tho Late Judge Guison.
The late Judge Guigop, of the Hastings
Court of Richmond, was born in that city iu
1881, His father was French dancing mas
ter. At ono time he was page 10 the United
States Senate. TO great extent tho Judge was
the architect Of his own fortune. Hc never hat
the advantage of real collegiate training. fl'
went upon the bench 10 May, 1870. The Rich
mond Dispatch says -
With the people generally Judge Guigon was
popular. In court he laid down bis rules and
required that they should be observed. lie
permitted no familiarities there. 1t mattered
not whether it was lawyer, juror, witness, or
spectator who disobeycd he was promptly re-
buked, aud if the enormity of the offence Justl'
fed it, was punished by inc.
But this stern and rcsoluto Judge vas, when
among his friends, one Of tho most socable and
agreeable of men. lie was an entertaining con-
vcrsationalist. lie delighted in field sports.
and was thoroughly familiar with the habits,
| business, pleasures, and wants OF the people 10
whose midst he dwelt. and with whom he had
a life long identity. Richmond he loved dear
! Iy, and in many of the reforms he instituted he
| had to contend with prejudice and with decld.
ed disapproval from some. But he was abso-
lutely independent Of such Influence. lie was
selfreliant and determined. Believing himself
| right, it did not treublo him to know what 9th
crs thought. His moral courage was superb.
There was no hesitation 10 him about taking
| action because it ght not meet with the fav-
or Of others. His decision Of character made
him great fa7orito. There is no claim that
| be never made mistakes. Probably ne mad,
| plenty, but his course was guided by discretion,
desire to do the right, and to execute the laws;
and moro no man could 90.
In the very beginning of his judicial career he
was called upon to decide the Jefferson Ward
ballot.box smashing case, as it was popularity
called. Iu the face Of q strong and loudly'ex-
pressed public opinion he decided against his
own party and ordered new election. There
was much murmuring of discomfort for awhile,
but tho gentlemen most Immediately affected
saw that be was doing what he thought right.
They honored him Tor it and goried IN bis
spunk, and all of them were afterwards, as be-
fore, counted as among his best friends.
By requiring promptness in all who attended
his court, by refusing to listen to trivial excuses
of witnesses and jurors, by declining to continue
causes from one term to another except ior
most weighy reasons he did an almost lncrcd
iblc amount of business. Last year was not al
shows that the number OF criminal cases tired
and disposed Of was 5l1.
For mapv wears to come members OF the
Richmond bar will delight to tell anecdotes OF
Judge Guigon illustrating his hrmncss and
| outspoken disposition.
uo never attempted to conceal his thoughts
+ Flo hadn't that sort of policy Oocc when
| Jury brought in verdict which he regarded as
| absurd be said to the Sergeant, "Dlscbargc
| that Jury, and never summon them here again.
But, on the other hand, 20 judge delighted
10 or appreciated moro attentive, Intelligent,
and thoughtful jurors. and he was ever dispos
ed to be kindly regardful Of their comfort
professional jurors" be did not like. Gener-
ally those who occupied the box there were
among tho best of our citizens.
The Judge put the curb upon some of our
mettcsome lawyers by Goiug them for unbe-
coming language. A pert witness, who told
smutty joke to illustrate what no considered
tho drunken condition Of man, had 40 attcn.
tive listener in the Judge, who, upon the wit.
ness conclusion, quietly remarked: MIR. Clerk,
enter fine against tho witness TOR $50. 1t
was done, and the fine had to be paid.
But of recent years the bar and the people
had learned tho Judges rules, and they cheer
fully obeyed them. There was no friction in
the court, and everything worked pleasantly
except fur the offenders. 10 them Judge
Guigon was ever terror. Lewis Lindsay cx.
pressed the current idea when, wrought to fury
by people who interrupted him IN speech, he
yelled out, ''Et you don stop I'll haul you be-
fore Judge Guigon, and may the lord have
mercy upon you.
Some time after the civil rights bill passed,
| number of colorcd men Of this city, thinking,
perhaps, that that was the favorable opporiu
nity to force Judge Guigon to put them on
/ lures, asked that least colorcd men should be
empaneIled to try colored offenders.
The Judge replied that ii rc put negroes 90
| iurics because they were negroes that he would
| be making discrimination on account OF race
| and color, and would be violating tho fifteenth
amendment, which he had pledged himself to
! support.
There is an impression among people who
never saw Judge Guigon that nc was great,
| fercc looking fellow. The contrary was the
case. He was not more than five feet seven
inches high, and had very straight and SOL
dicrly but slight figure. Probably he did not
| weigh more than l30 pounds. He was rather
| old fashioned in his dress, and stuck with his
usual determination to the standing collar and
| biz black neck 'kcrchief Of by.gonc times.
| OoIy two or three days ago, standing ID the
Dispatch couating rooms and talking to one OF
our staff, he laughingly remarked, Il believe l
was bora to be bangcd-this necktle knot IL
constantly slipping around to the back OF my
neck"
The Judge rarely permitted himself to get
excited Ills voice was seldom raised above an
ordinary conversational tone. Hc was fond o.
walking, and everywhere 10 this city vas We'll
known
The State says among those mentioned as
the Judge successor are Judge f. Z. Minor,
Messrs. 9. V. Meredith, James Plea5ants'
James NJ. Davis, Ohio u. kcau, Kobert otllGs'
IA, NJ, Kelley, James N Dunlop, Samuel b.
Witt. George d. Wise. James Neeson, James
Ii. Doocy and James NJ. Matthews.