The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-05-31
FAIR PLAY FOR McROBERTS.

|
Nessrs EdtorS--The FREE TRADER OF
May cath is before me In an editorial you
ask for fair play, gentlemen in favor OF
Judge Leland, but forgot to extend the same
to Judge McRoberts The statement that 'the
highest average of Judge McRoberts for dis
patch resulted in siX,sevcnths Of his cases be
ING reversed" must have been caused by slip
of the pen or 4 hluddcr Of the cumro>tor I
cannot tor It uuMcu, believe that you designed
, 10 lhus uuiu,lly Cr.tici>r Judge MCltoberts.
Even the figures given by Won do not warrant
it. At the term referred TO- 2S2 cases were dis
posed OF, of which II were taken to the Appel
late Court ana = affirmed and II reversed
Thus true statement would be: out of esq
cases disposed of by Judge McRoberts, IL were
reversed TO illustrate let us take So H. in
which we find that the Supreme Court reversed
=. and affirmed OF Judge McRobcrts's cases,
and reversed and affirmed none of Judge lie.
lands. According to your rule, one-half OF
McRoberts's were affirmed and all of Leland's
reversed. That wouu Uc very unjust to lie
land
The simple truth is, that after cases are dis
posed Of sharp lawyers look them over and
appeal only those in which they believe mis-
takes have been made. The fact that the law
yers happened to guess right in the four cases
taken by them to the Supreme Court during
that year does not tell against Judge Leland.
1t is only four cases reversed out of large
number disposed of.
In addition TO the IA cases above referred to
your paper shows that of Mclloberts's cases
appealed from other counties 10 were affirmed
and II reversed, making Il total of 90 of his
cases reversed by the Appellate Court How
many were disposed Of during tins time? In
viii county, since the establishment Of the
Appellate Court in 1877, Judge McROberts has
held court $50 days and has disposed of 4G5
peoples, 1878 law and 1914 chanccry cases; Il
total of $40, an average of ~ per day. You
state that he disposed of 2S2 cases in one term
| in La Sale county and 70 cases in one term
in Grundy county, giving us Il total of 1901.
OF that number only 20 were reversed Is 26
IsX-sevenths of of 1901 in the :" fair play, gen
tlemcn," part of the FREE TRADER? But
this is not all. During this time Judge Nc
Roberts has held other terms of court not in
cluded in the above. VIII you be good enough
to add the rest of the cases disposed of by him
to the 2,301 we now have, and let us know
Just how many the lawyers had to select from
to find the 2G which have been temporarily re
versed by the Appellate Court, The truth is
that Judge MclRoberts has, since he has been
upon the bench, by his prompt disposal OF
business saved thousands of dollars each ycaI
to the taxpayers, and SO long as only 26 cases
out of 5000 or more are reversed they will vote
to retain him.
| would not detract word from what yoC
say of Judge Leland | hold HIM in the high
est esteem. In fact his reputation for accuracy
is 50 wide and so well established that great
~ wonder that you should enter upon an ar
gument to prove it,
Again my dear FREE TRADER, inasmuch
as Judge Leland Is himself Il member OF the
Appellate Court, am surprised that your
sense of propriety did not suggest that it would
be better to refer to the supreme Court decis-
ions BY hasty glance through the SO 81;
50, 50, 81 IS ana and So Ills. Reports hn0
Judge McRoberts with Is cases affirmed and
reversed This is record both can be proud
! of.
| Believing that you JON with me in a high
regard for all of the candidates now before the
people of this circuit and that the apparent at
tack upon Judge McROberts was not intended
take the liberty to send you this open letter
and without consulting him nor any OF The
other candidates. Yours respectfully,
~ .. MARSHALL.