Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-12-25
For the Democrat.
THE OLD COURT WEEK.

recollection of my childhood were those
relating to the courts. Court week was
then an occasion Of great interest. When
a small boy used to steal slyly up mo
the corner Of the gallery after the Court
was assembled and look down with awe
upon the Judges and the Bar, but keep
ing my eye often on the Sheriff whose
sternness was Of itself suggestive Of the
executioner. William c., generally called
Clark Whitney, held that office. He al
ways carried a sword by his side, as he
led the procession of Judges and lawyers
from Major Habbard's, where they were
quarted. the roll of a snare drum being
the signal for marching to the court house,
there then being no bell on the Hill.
On reaching the court house the Deputy
Sheriffs were drawn up in two files OPP
posi,e each other between which the pro-
cession passed, the Judges ard lawyers
then always carrying their green bags,
and the Deputies closing ranks in the
rear with tip-staffs at "cary arms
Col. Simeon Cummings was ciier, and
opened the Court with great dignity, af-
ter "silence" in peremptory tone was
enjoined by the Sheriff, The Law Court
then consisted of Prentiss Mellen, Chief
Justice; William p. Preble and Nathan
Weston, Associates. Erastus Foote of
Wiscasset was Attorney General, who
impressed everybody as being very
handsome man. Rufus X. Goodenow
was Clerk. and an amiable one in all re-
spects Besides the lawyers of Oxford
County, there were present Simeon Green
leaf, Reporter; SAM Fessenden, Stephen
Longfellow and Nicholas Emery from
Portland. who were almost invariably
employed as senior counsel and on whom
the local lawyers then generally relied to
do most Of the talking. The judges
were very dignifed in their mien and
manners, and always, with their ruffied
shirts, used to look as If they had just
come out of handbook. The resident
lawyers were Peter c. Virgin Of Rum
ford, Richard Frye of Bethel, Mr.. Far
well and Levi Stowell from Dixfeld,
Ruel Washburn Of Livermore, King
Porter Of Turner another handsome
mani, Samuel +. Brown of Blckfeld,
Stephen Emery and, later, Joseph g..
Cole of Paris, Levi Whitman of Norway,
Jairus S. Keith of Oxford, Charles Whit
man of Waterford, Judah Dana, John ).
Barows and Stephen Chase Of Fryeburg,
John Jameson from Cornish, Charles
Washburn of Harrison, and y. S. Little
field also attended the Paris Courts. OF
these Mr.. Littefield was the last surviv-
or, who besides his other qualities was
peer of any of the gentlemen in the mat
ter of % good looks" The jurymen were
also fine body of men, both in appear
ance and intelligence. Indeed, the writer
has often heard the remark that Oxford
excelled in her juries. Of the champion
ship at the Bar my recollection is too in
distinct to remember much. General
Fessenden always impressed the nearer
with the conviction that in his own mind
at least he always had truth aud justice
on his side. Mr.. Greenleaf was graceful
and dignifed in manner and confined his
arguments to law and facts, never resort
ing to ad captandum remarks to please
or win. Nicholas Emery was at times
eloquent but variable and somewhat un.
certain. Mr.. Longfellow's characterist-
les are remembered less distinctly. It
seemed then as often since that the resi-.
dent members of the Bar made great
mistake in not managing their own
causes. They were abundantly able, 1t
would have been quite as well for their
clients, and the principal fees would have
gone into their own pockets. But it
was hard to break down old custom,
though lattery nothing of it remains.
At the adjournment Of the morning ses-
sion i, was then the custom to have
different kind of match than such as
came off in the court room, namely,
wrestling matches on the common which
always attracted crowd. That, too,
was the time when the apple boys made
most Of their profits in selling high top
sweetin's," "gentians' and other STAN
dards of that time. Among those who
laid the foundation of their future success
in that day of small things was Harvey
D. Parker of the Parker House, Boston,
who once sold apples from the Biscoe
farm, where he lived two years. The
bulk of the cases tried came from Frye
burg and vicinity, where litigation, church
and neighborhood quarrels used to rage
with great intensity.
Ezekiel Whitman, afterward Chief
J,s,;oa than p,es;dad at the Court of