Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1888-02-01

N"eo os "est Ioiut, iuiy awoho vi eho
lowness OF his estate and brought up
only with tho hope of working up
ward. Since the removal Of Judge
Conger in 1888 we have had practical.
ly elk changes in our Judiciary; Wade
held the spring term OF 1888, followed
by Coburn who lasted till the fall OF
1885, when he was succeeded by Pol.
lard who failed Of con firmation in the
spring Of 1886. and there being no new
appointment Wade again held 9 term,
followed by Bach, who has held three
terms, and Ia now succeeded by De-
Wolf. As Custer was the parent
county Of both Dawson and Yellow
stone. IL naturally follows that the
mass Of tangled and court-worn legis.
lation is TO be found on our docket,
ana Il certainly has:not helped mat
tsrs much to have our judges ysnked
out OF office or transferred to other dis
tricts just as they were beginning to
acquire a knowledge of their duties
here. Possinly II is these things that
have made an assignment to the cas-.
tern district and especially to Custer
county, a thing 10 be avoided. and
there may have been other conditions
that made duty here a thankless task,
but we believe that the constant
change that we have been subjected
to in the matter Of judges has more to
do with the unsatisfactory condition
ofour courts than any other thing.
While the duty ofa judge is only TO
expound the law and determine
cases by the law, we believe that he
can do 40 more intelligently when
he understands the temper and peculi.
arities Of his constituency than q per.
feet stranger. Judge Bach was arriv-
irg at this knowledge and the crimi-
nal classes were getting to understand
and know something about him and q
condition Of affairs was about TO be
reached that would have proven salts
factory to bench, jury and citizens,
when another change comes and the
lesson 10 to be learned anew. We be.
lieve that Judge Bach Was not averse
to the change, and in fact at one time
expressed himself as very desirous of
effecting It, but later in reviewing his
work and what he was sensitive
enough to call his pleasures, he recall
ed his desire for change and expressed
q wish to fight the battle out here
feeling confident that he could throt
tie the abuses that he felt existed.
This would have been the most salts.
factory course for him and for all, for
a. he became better acquainted with
our bar. our juries and our people he
might have seen much to commend
that he had before condemned and in
a closer and more intimate intercourse
grown in the esteem Of the people.
But this was not to be and he IL gone,
we can truthfully say. speaking apart
from any technical knowledge Of the
law, that Custer county never had q
better Judge. more jealous to punish
crime or more careful to keep aloof any
suspicion that the bandage had slip
ped from the eyes Of justice. He has
many friends here who will always h,
glad to hear Of his well.doing.
As is usual, our new judge comes Il
US unwilllngly, the unwillingnesi
perhaps not 80 much chargeable q
himself as to bis townspeople at Butte
who contributed to his appointment
in the hope that he would be assigned
to the Butte district and now fnt
themselves so pigued as to openly ex
press O remonstrance against the rs
signment Of Judge McLcary. w
have no such feelings In regard b
Judge DeWolf and will welcome hin
as cordially and heartily as II he cam
10 us OF his expressed choice. A
Miles City Is the official head OF tb
district 1t is tobe presumed that Judg
DeWolf will make bis home with VI
We hope 50, aud trust that II he doe
| he will ere long cease to look upon n
slgnment to the third district as ofiicI
al Punishment.
A pleasant feature and one nc
affected by the removal Of Judge Bao
-as nearly as we can at present asce
, tain-ls the retention Of Mr.. Jas. M
I Farlane "a clerk Of the district. M
McFalane has filled the office to tt
, satisfaction OF all who have had ofiic
al dealings with him aud his pleasar
face and courteous manner can no mol
! be dispensed with by the people this
can his knowledge OF the business
the court and Its ancient files an
records be ignored by the comm
, Judge. With Judge DeWolf on u
! bench and "Macn at the clerks des
} the spring term OF 1888 will open wit
; every promise Of more satisfactory r.
: lations all around