The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-12-25
THE SIXTH ;; JUDZCL1L DIS
TRICT. -,
1T MUST BE DITIDED OR AN ADDI-
IIONAL JUDGE MUST BE HAD.
The. st. Cloud Times recently said:

TIONAL JUDGE MUST BE HAD.
The. st. Cloud Times recently said:
A meeting Of the lawyers of the Sew
entl' judicial district has been called.
to assemble in this city on the 10Th
inst, to consider the necessity for an
additional judge, The district is very
large, and its legal business has ill.,
creased so rapidly that the necessity
for another judicial officer appears to
be imperative. 1t appears to us that
the demand is we'll founded, and we
trust that our legislative members will
aid in the accomplishment of this re-
suit.
A meeting Of thes lawyers of the
Sixth District should also be held, and
che subject of relief for Judge Sever
ance, for the attorneys, for litigants,
prisoners, and all who are interested in
judicial matters, should he urged upon
the Legislature in such decided way
as to secure relief. There are some cb-
jections to division of the District
and we suppose the lawyers could not
Oe united upon that, but they can
probably all be united on the demand
for an additional judge.
The ADVANCE had much to say up
on this subject two years ago before
and during the session of the I.egisla.
ture. The time has again arrived to
put in plea for relief. The evils then
enumerated as growing out of too large
u district with onl: onejudge. have not
diminished but have largely increased
during the past two years.
The editor Of the Martin County SEN
tinel recently began an agitation in fla
vor of two terms in that county. Such
counties as Blue Earth, Freeborn and
Faribault, we understand, have two
terms, and j" not feel the laws delay
and the great injustice done to litigants
anil prisoners, us much us the newer
counties in the Western part of the
district where only one term can he
had.
The attention Of Judge Severance
having been called to an article in the
Se.'timel, lie responded with tie follow.
ing letter:
MANKATO, Dec. 6, 1854.
FRANK \. DAY-Dear Sir:-Your
letter enclosing article in your paper
came to hand. SAW the article in
your paper before received your letter.
Something will be done this winter
in the Legislature about this District.
but what cann,t yet say. About two
terms Of court in your county: TO keep
II prisoner in your Jail awaiting indict-
Inent and trial is Il hardship to the
prisoner. lie is presumed to be innO-
cent; if lie is it is rather tough to he
obliged to wait in Jail year to have
it found out.
Tie constitution guarantees an ac-
cused person u speedy and impartial
trial. To be compelled to wait y year,
rs may be the Case, to find out whether
one is to he tried or not. is not humane
to say tho least, even if it is not direct
" opposed TO the spirit of our institu-
tions. With two terms in q county no
unnecessary expense should he made.
II at any time there are no matters for
the grand jury none Should be sum-
mOned, and the judge may so order in
advance; and so of the trial jury, and
If no term is needed the judge may ad
jOurn it without going near it, when
informed that it is not necessary.
Several new terms could be created
in the district this winter by the Legis-
lature. Rock, Pipestone and Mobiles
will probably demand it. think your
county may save expense and better
subserye the interests of the public by
having two terms Of court in a year.
Yours very truly,
NJ. j. SEVERANCE.
Two terms are now needed in nearly
every county in the district, but they
cannot be had with one judge, who
finds it impossible to give even one
term to each county and complete the
the term. Thus there are eleven coun-
ties in the district and fourteen terms
ayear. In such counties as Mobiles,
Jackson, Rock and Pipestone, adjourn
ments are necessary and frequent.
Within the last year, we learn, the
Rock county term has been adjourned
three times and we are informed that
there is business enough accumulated
in Rock to require a term of a month
and half next spring. To complete
the business at the Mobiles county term
would require month.
The older counties are we'll taken
care of and do not feel the pressure of
accumulated business and the attend
ant evils which harass the larger dis
tricts and newer counties.
Thus Ramsey and Hennepin counties
each have three judges. Washington,
Chisago and Dakota counties form a
district and have two judges. On the
other hand, the Duluth district reaches
clear across the State, and two judges
have resigned rather than serve in a
district where it is impossible tor one
judge to get through with the business.
Coming back to our own district a
few facts will suffice to show the ur-
gent need of relief. either by divis-
ion Of the district or the appointment
Of An additional Judge: L.
A number Of important cases in No.
bles, Jackson and Pipestone, which
were tried in 1881, are still undecided.
The case of Donnel!y vs.. the Gov. Mil
Ter estate is one. The case of Plumer
vs. Sanborn & Stone is another. This