Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-12-05

and get your crltter fed. Wen try
the case at o'clock, you can leave at
half past 1, and get home in time to
do your chores before night"
When the day of trial came the
Squire (his name was Wilson, would
hear plaintiffs testimony, and, address
ing the defendant, would say: MAY
be you have some kind of a lie to tell
about this, but / know you owe the
man, just as he says, and shall give
judgement agin you, no matter what
you say He always did give Judge
ment in just TIE manner indicated. II
the defendant suggested his desire to
appeal the court always remarked that
it would be more pleasant to go into
the back yard and settle the matter,
and if the offer vas accepted the de-
fendent's motion for an appeal was
generally overruled in two rounds and
one knock-down. N. w HALEY, who
now holds position under the door
keeper in the house of representatives
at Washington. yet bears his raven
locks unstreaked by gray. and he re-
membered the only case in which he
failed 20 override a motion Of this kind.
A long-haired and still longer-arm-
ed Tennessecan had come into "the
settlement (neighborhoods did not
appear until after the wary, and suit
was brought against him to recover
SI.25 for work and labor done at his
special instance and request" The
squire gavejudgement for the amount;
the Tennesseean asked for new trial.
"Come out in the back yard and get it
right now" said the squire. The court
and defendants, accompanied by the
plaintiff, the constable, the defendants
son, and a crowd of spectators, ad.
journed to the yard. In the first round,
says Mr.. Haley, the gentleman from
east Tennessee simply stood stock.stiil
and let the squire hammer at him. A
stock-dolager on the right ear. that
sounded like a blow of hammer on a
sh ingle nail, aroused hisattention, and
giving his hat in charge of his son, he
struck the squire left handed blow
that covered his face with a richer rec
.. than the rays of the setting sun or the
. stains of pokeberry juice could impart
The Squire had commenced to dig q
well in his backyard. The Tennes
. seean picked him off the ground
!. and dropped him into the hole, and
: turning to his son, said: "Jake, TAXI
, !, the shovel and cover him up" Holt
!, on mister" said the squire, ''that al
' judgement is reversed" From tina
! day the Squire was a crushed man
! He resigned his office, and shortl,
afterward went to Kansas. Rude a
, |. his decisions were, they were general,
\ correct. He was good judge of hu
= man nature, and, if untitled for qulddi
. ties of, law, possessed a clear percep
ZION of equity.
II 1t was arude era that endured unit
d he end of the COS in central Indiana
but it was an honest one. If farme
{ had locked his doors he would b.
II laughed at, the 1dea:of s.burglary hat
, not entered the rustic mind, clothe
. were left hanging out at nights, grail
y was piled in doorless cribs, each ma
;, knew his neighbor and trusted. w
are wonderfully improved since then
L Old Jack Mechanism sat as Squire i
. fourteen of the most litigious years c
,, ;. Indiana, and boosted, with truth, tha
: no decision given by him was ever re
- versed by superior court. On tw
y occasions the old common pleas coul
overruled his decisions, but, appes
u being taken higher, tie supreme coul
y in turn reversed the judgement of til
e common pleas.
i One of his last judicial acts was t
, discharge prisoner arrested under til
~ Baxter bill. Gentlemen" said JAG
4, to the attorneys who prepared 10 argu
&c the case before him, 'you might tai
dill luC dllCluOOu anu uO uO SOOu' III
:, mind is made up. have read the Law
Id and 1t isn't worth shucks; the captlo
d don't hold on to the text. Prisone
q go in peace and sin no more; you al
y as free as the wind" The matter droE
= ped there, so far as lack was concerr
10 ed, but circuit judge in another cour
. ty having convicted a prisoner, tn
- u, case went up to the supreme court, an
u the law was held worthless on the exat
% grounds that Jack had laid down. H
=, died rejoicing that he "was the fir
~ judge" who had declared the bill III
e constitutional. We laugh at the III
&c couth speech of these early squire
d but many of them were men of kee
:, :, insight and OF intuItive clearuess {
~ perception.
Thu nrsnin nf Eaade