The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-02-23
HISTORICAL.
More Early Records of la Sale
County.
Doings of the Early Courts,


1881, about forty-scycn years ago-ncarIy haII "
century. Til, was then known rs the 9th JudI-
cia circuit. The presiding judge was Richard
VI. Young, Icnhlrt o. Shradcr wa, clerk, APP
pointed lay the Court, and the sheriff was "corge
Z. Walker. The clerks bond was fixed al S?,odo'
The present clerk gives $1,000 very unfair pro-
portion in comparison with the business oil the
Office then and now, the entire iirat term con-
sisted of osc doy's work. The first Grand Jdry
consisted of Daniel Kellogg, Martin Reynolds,
Wm Leahy, David Let's, John Brown, lIoratio
4 Spraguc, Simon Crosiar, Charles Brown, James
GALLOWAY, John McKcrnan, Encas Pembroke,
VIM. Richie, David Shaver, Matthias Trumbo,
David Grove Edmund Weed, John Doughcrty,
Benjamin Harris, Richard IIogaboom, ST., l.. 5.
Robbins, Alexander Owen and Vital Ncrmct.
Robbins was foreman, and lIogaboom, for good
cause, was excused. The grand jury, after being
out, on 10" under a tree, returned the same day
and reported that there was no business before
them and they were discharged. And the record
states that There being no business before the
Court, it adlourncdm Sheriff Walker and Moses
Booth, a constable, were certified to the county
commissioners as having scrycd-thcir county
one day each.
At the September term, 1881, there was a better
showing of business. james NJ. Strobe was APP
pointed statcs attorney pro tcm., in the absence
Of the proper attorney, Thomas Ford, afterwards
governor, who failed to attend. At the first term
Of the Court, all the grand and petit jurors had
come promptly, but the novelty having worn
away, or the Indian excitement, or prairie fires,
or some other cause now kept many Of them
away, but afterwards, rs they slowly turned up
they were interviewed by the Court and general
y excused. The dclinqucnts numbered eight
grand jurors and twelve petit jurors,
II is a little remarkable that the first ease ever
iockcted in this Court, and the majority Of all
the criminal suits recorded or tried there ever
since, belong to one common class and CAUSE
7ohtSiy' The first case on record was an indict-
mcnt against Charles Jack for selling liquor with,
ont a license. But he was not alone, us George
NcFaddcn, Geo. T.. Walker, W. +. Walker and
Jas h. Campbell, the last three tOgchcr-Si-
mon Crosiar and Daniel Kellogg were indicted
for 4 similar nfraction of the law in relation to
The sale Of Liquid lightning" Frederick IT,
COuntryman was hauled up before the legal
threshing machine charged with the violation Of
% certain commandment which Bccchcr calls
"ncst-hiding"
The liquor law nfracturists were held some in
bail Of SlO0-and some in SO
The case Of Charles Jack wa, tried in April
S}2 but the Jury were perhaps in the same boat
With the jury in the hog case, where the evidence
var clear against the culprlt but who assured his
lawyer that it was all right. "Why," said he
suppose them arc witncsscs-all the whole ten
u thcm-saw rlc steal the pig all HI can't beat
me, t"' every on" q then, juo,s huI same Of incl
oort!' SO witithis jury their verdict wa, 'rlot
Charles Jack wa, mi gV'yof selling whisky with
ont license"
N the Countryman case, the commandment
disrcgardcr was not tried, and the prosecuting
attorney having left it TO his successor, and he to
MS and 50 on down to attorney Mayo, perhaps
he VIII arise and explain how il was that-wcIl-l
perhaps the pork story won't fit here
The remainder Of the whisky men got out on
iechnicaIity-that is, the regularly appointed
and qualified states attorney being absent, and
IS thcy wcr' ready for trial. The cases were dis
missed
The only remaining ease was one for SANDER,
brought by Peter Lompcrt against Mr.. Bclrosc.
The grand juy-April, lSi3-indictcd Samuel
Japsey for trcspass on school lands and also, il
seems, had found the old ail--a predecessor of
ne present hole in the ground probably the pic.
nccr prison OF the county" In Il bad condition
I'D unit for humpn beings to inhabiC'-a yer.
Diet equally applicable to our modern cyc.sorc of
The name Of county Jail. The first grand jury in |
isJl had reported much to the same effect ON
some tcmpory pen then in vogue
Mr. Simphins's bond rs county commandments
o.! record thi, month; amount $1,000; while
Sheriff Walkers bond was $4,000. The April
term lasted two days. At the September term.
iSo2 Jane, Il. Campbell, clerk Of the court, fail
-ns 10 appear l.. ). Robbins was appointed clerk
pro tim.
Laps!ey, having plead guilty of cutting and ear.
f5hg OF timber from school lands, was fined fifty |
dollars aud costs
The grand jury, finding no bushes, to attend
10, so reported and were discharged
april, 1888, Joseph Cloud appeared Us clerk, |
which office he fcd very crcditably for ten or
more years lie wrote very neat, plain hand |
and seems to have been Il careful and competent
Jiicer At this term the Court entered an order
tating that "Thc county commissioners hay.
NJ failed 10 provide a house in which to hold a
Court be- held at the house Of George +. Walker.
IN TIC suIth bank Of the Illinois river, in Ottawa,
until different place be provided by the county
commissioners Vt thi, term Walker X Co
Who had not been able 10 claim the benefit of th,
3echnicaity by which the other indicted liouor
e.Aers had escapcd,-scryicc not having at that
me been had upon James b. Campbcll,-sub.
niuc1 their case to a disintcrcstcd jury, who
lolnd them Eof gritty. At this term an effort wa,
mad" 20 bring the Indians who were supposed 10
rave murdered white settlers under the jurisdic
bon Of the law. Accordingly, on motion Of state,
attorney Ford, II was ordered that the ease of
The People ". Shah-a.nce, Shim-c-non, Snach.
WINE Slaa.iec, Mail.ncccc, Shash and Shan
80; sii-acadmcT and chief. Of the Pottawattamie ,
nation, be entcrcdup the docket and that their
-ecogn!lancc be- taken" l.