The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-01-29
AN ECCENTRIC JUDGE.
Anecdotes of n Western Judge Of o Con>
seientiOus Turn of Mind.

scientiOus Turn OF Mtn0.
The following stories are related Of =
Judge of one of the Circuits in Western
Michigan. The Judge was of q con-
seientious turn Of mind. honest and up
right, lawyer of ability, but some
what given to cccentricities:
A man of questionable reputation
was on trial once before him OH GRIM
inal charge. The attorney for the de-
fendaat was gentleman of reputation.
subsequently chosen Acknowledgement
of the State. Every effort that he
made in the way of objections, and
they We're frequent. was ruled against
hy the court, all of which caused feeling.
Finally the Judge became impatient
on bring reminded that the defendant
was entitled to fair standing in court,
and said to the counsel Tor the defense:
- he Two of You put together have
no standing in this court: you ain { no
better than he *. and he ought 10 be
sent up for lie.
On another occasion an important
law question WAS being argued, several
attorneys beinL engaged on each side.
One OF thin was n,akipg his argument.
He ha,l reai !u ;e 4 nhmber of an hor-
tiles in supp"f, OF his position sni was
insisting that the proposition he con-
tended for vas the IVY. The Judge
told him in the midst OF his argument
he was wrong.
But that Is simply your Honor
opinion" said the attorney.
The reply was: ''ies. sir. it is only
my opinion, tbs true. don't care tor
the opinions OF the Supreme Court OF
Vermont or Pennsylvania, or any other
court; my opinion controls this court,
and governs your case. and l predict
you re goin' to get beat SO bad you
won't know where you are
And the Judge was right about it, as
the sequel proved.
Another time the court was sitting in
| chaneery for the trial of q divorce case
The proofs had all been taken and s.
solicitor for the compl inant had been
hours. The Judge was becoming un-
easv. All at once he broke out ia this
way: Nov, Clarke. look here; you've
been talking for four or five hours and
not said q thing about the case. | don t
TO slush II you don't change your
:
that's all there's about it.
The attorney for the defense-''I am
conducting my side OF this case. and
propose to present it in manner that
suits me. and you have got to sit here
and listen to it.
Judge-"No. sir, there is no law
compelling man to sit still and be
bored TO death; you must stick to the
case or / won't stay here, Proceed,
! sir, with your speech %
AS the argument proceeded. the
Judge kept getting more impatient aud
! at last turned to the clerk and shouted
MIR. Clerk, enter up in the journal
of this court that A. b. is fool, and
adjourn court until tomorrow morning
| at 8 O'clock"
The clerk made the entry. and an in
spection of the journal will show it
there to-day.
A case was being tried be ore the
Judge without jury, with an able
| lawyer On either side. The plaintiff
was Morft, and the defendant a we'll
to-do colored man. The suit was for
| breach of contract and there seemed
to be much difficulty in ascertaining
what the contract was. While Morfit
was upon the stand, the defendants at
torney objected to nearly every ques-
ton. The Judge overru!ed each OBJ
lection with the remark. that as there
was no Jury, the reception of the testi-
mony could do no harm. The obiec-
tions continued, and finally the Judge
turned 10 the attorney and said:
See here, Henry, | am going 10 over
rule all your objections rs fast as you
make 'enl. ] am going to hear the
whole of this cases. There's no jury
here so no iiarm can be dom, and old
Mortit's got toswear a good deal strong
er'n he has yet Or he'll get busted all
to pie es."
The trial proceeded, and when the
defendant took the stand, the same
course of objections continuing. the
Judge informed counsel Ire would put
the questions himself.
Judgc-''Now. my good man. just
toll me about your trouble with Morfit.
Dcfcndant-:'Yas. sab; YOU see,
Judge. one nj hit las May, MIR. Morlit
an l was down by de con dar and
Morfit says to memo | says to Mr..
Moriit; no-lemme see-''
Judge-s'Come, come. get 10 the
point and tell ME what he said
The defendant proceeded again az
before, but each time stopped and seem
ingly cou1d get no farther. After sew
eral frnitless trials by the court and at
torneys the Judge said 10 him:
We'll. | think You had better go and
sit down where you won't be in the
way. You don't know half as much
about the case as old Morfit does. and
he doesn't know enough to win it.
1t is needless to add that judgment
was for defendant, and for costs.