Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-12-13
Court Proceedings,


with full bench, and the President
Judge SO full of business that the
lawyers that desired to have cases
continued had their causes so marked,
and the Commonwealth case No. 6,
September term, vs. James Williams
.-Indictment-Assault with intent
to rape. Indecent assault and as
sault and battery-Prosecutor John
Carbis. True bill, was taken up, and
a jury was called, and sworn and the
whole case disposed of before the
hour of noon came.
The prosecutor in the case, John
Carbis. did not appear, and the jury
acquitted Williams the defendant,
and ordered the county to pay costs.
The next case called, was also q
Commonwealth case, No. 13, that
came up from the September term.
1t was a prosecution against Jesse
Deering, by +. B. Guss, for larceny,
and receiving stolen goods, such as
wheat, cloverseed and rye. The jury
found Deerins guilty on last count
namely-receiving stolen goods.
Sentence held over till the 10Th inst.
The end OF the case was reached
about 8 o'clock on Monday evening.
At this luncture in the proceedings
the gas gave out, and if 1t had not
been for the light of lamp or two
of eoal oil light, the room would
have been in total darkness. Mr.
Conn the Prothonotary hurried out
of the room and down stairs to help
Diehl the jsnitor to put the gass ma
chine N order. The dimly lighted
room did not in the least disturb the
business purpose Of Judge Barnett,
indeed it seemed to inspire him with
the purpose to systamatize matters
about the Court house, and he CIDER
ed the Prothonitory and the lawyers
IN the next case to proceed to put
the case before the Court. 1t was
| Common Pleas case that OF Jer-
ONE Ehernzeiler VS.. Jacob Shrelfler
for damage, for turning the water OF
pond on land OF plaintiff. But to
the surprise OF the Judge the lawyers
on one side of the case were not
present, and the Prothonotary was
not in mis- place to call jury. The
latter officer was ont fixing the light.
Two of the lawyers, Lyon and
Atkinson were present, the other two
lawyers in the case, Doty Sr., and
Doty Jr.. were not In Court. The
Judge did just what any other Judge
would have done that had an appre-
citation of the dignity Of his court, and
the fitness OF things. He ordered a
constable to bring in the absent
Prothonotory, and constable to
bring IL the absent lawyers. The
constable that Was to capture Conn,
made a bee line for the nome of tie
clerk, supposing that he had retired
for the night, but not SO, he was
down in the vault winding up the
gas machine, but far down as that Is
from the hsunts of men, he got wind
OF the state OF affairs up STAIRS. and
hurried himself into his place IN the
presence of the Court IN manner
that was graceful and bland. 1t WAS
a Wild goose chase Tor the constable
for when he came back, Conn Hns
calling u jury. 4 second constable
WAS sent to look up the absent law
ysrs The officer armed with q oe-
cree of the court hurried down t.
Doty's Office. The elder Doty had
gone to bed; the younger Doty was
comfortably seated before warm
stove toastIng his feet, and reaaIng
4 fayorIte author. The minlon oI
the iaw made known his mission.
The younger lawyer accompanied
him TO the Court House, and protest.
ed against proceeding with tue case
as ms colleague was not present, be-
lieying That no proceedings would be
commenced before morning. He
stated the lenlency, anu courtesy that
had been extended 10 older lawyers
under similar circumstances. The
judge was ine1orabie. The habits
of disregard must DO broken up.
The delays that ale costing the peo-
pie many dollars every hour, must
cease 10 be, and night now is the
time let the discipline fall where 1t
may.
The discipline that the Judge en-
forced, ana the disposition that he
manifested ior work was yariously
commented OF by the pubic, and
some ole started counter move
ment by declaring that 1t was asking
too much Of the jurors to bring them
to court and then compel them to
work or sit at night. Almost every
body, however, WIS with the judge,
and instinctlyeiy grasped the IDEA, OF
fact that the pubic Is not made TO
serve lawyers, courts and iuries, but
that counts and Juries, ale created to
serve the pubic, i'll cases where the
public Is wTOnsed, and IN cases OF
private grievance or dispute III which
the parties cannot settle among them
SeiyeS.
The Court held the session till the
jury was called an1 then adjourned
tlll Tuesday morning. The case
that came up that morning was that
OF Ehernzelier VI. Shretfier. and it
was on hand til on Wednesday even
ing. when the jury .'went out The
amount that Eheinzeller claimed was
S75 damage. Ihejury retnined with
verdict for plaintiff for $50 dam
age.
The next jury business was begun
on Wednesday evening in the Com
monwealth cases. Numbers l., 10
and 16. Septembsr term, against
Jesse Deering, on Charges OF having
stolen wheat and rye, with, Samuel
and Lyman Aughey and Eph. B.
Guss, as prosecutors Verdict not