New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-10
VAGARTES or UESTERN JUSTICE.
RoUGH-AND-READY METHODS GIVING WAY tt

HoOuhAND-READY METHODS GIVING WAY TO
EASTERN FORMALITY.
Several lawyers were chatting over good bottle
Oh WINE In an uptown restaurant the other night and
as one Of them from Montana and another OF
Them had spent some years of his younger days In
Nevada tho conversation naturally dr.fted into a
reminiscent channel. Il suppose your judges out
West are different class of from what they
used to be years ago, whom the country was more
uncivilized.T said Il remember once we hal
great difficulty in securing jury In a newly laid
out town in Nevada. Nobody seemed willing 10
serve that counsel side other had NOT
serious objections to. Finally a desirable looking
stranger was called
"Your honor, said he, Il am not qualified to serve.
am not a freehOldcr'
"'Where do you lvep said the Judge.
ain my tent out on Washington Boulevard was
the reply.
"'MarrIedp
"'No'
"'Iiving all aoHeP
"'Yes'
"'For how longP
ask weeks.
"'Youn do said tho Judge decisively, Il never
knew tcrdcrfoot yet to keep bachelors hall In a
tent for six weeks but he had accumulated enough
dirt TO be frceholdcr' SO the served"
"Thats pretty fair sample said the wcsterner
Of the rough and ready style Of the old time justice
and It has not all died ont yet by any means Not
long ago a miner, who had experienced all kinds of
fortune, from the hardest up struck It very rich IN
his old age, married young wife and started on a
prolonged spree which ended In his DEATH Will
executed few hours before he died left all his
property 10 his wife. His relatives In the East began
suit on the ground that the testator out of his
mind when he made tho Will. Tho came up
before a Judge who known good liver and n
gallant man. Certainly some rcmarksbc freaks
were proved have been performed by the old miner
in the last few weeks Of his life and the widow was
put the stand
a.what were your husbands last words said her
counsel.
"Id rather not toll,' said she, blushing prettily
and hestatng
".Why notl said her counsel You must tell
The Judge will think you are AFRAID II VIII damage
your CASE
"still blushing the pretty widow declined to tell.
Finally the Judge himself argued with her and told
her that IL shc persisted In refusing would go far
toward confirming his suspicious mat tho man was
@sWeu, said the widow reluctantly, he said
" Kiss me, Puss, and open another bottle OF cham
Sensible to the very last blurted out the Judge
And so he decided and would hear no more evidence
.rbe most severe rebuke ever got from the bench"
said the first speaker was from one Of those typical
estern Judges who had determined that II was time
Introduce little more hsd 81 orm s rGS Insisted one o
,rss INV first case In court anyway. l had gone our
there about as green as they make thein ana had
purchased a half interest In the practice OF sharp
who Immediately retired from practice In that
town and made me present OF the remainder OF MS
in,sness when he felt my money safe in his pocket
So / was thrown my own resources ana was soon
oundering so deep In legal quagmies that the Judge
felt called on 10 intcpose. few months before ne
would probably have poured out some CHOICE aDu1e 0
MY head and Vonld have Offered 10 hght me II da
not like II But now he standing on f0rmality
GYolng man. he said impresslvely, the best thine
YOU can do for yourself and for your client Woud 10
10 hire lawyer l did So .,,,,,,o
"That reminds me- said the 0ther, " OF . reDuhr
administered by one OF old justices to fly young
LAWYER who came out there from the East Win
TO show everybody Just how LIngss
should be done. He was we'll connected ana We" ,
but soon got into DEBT, ana was an III
yeterafo borrower nom his friends and even IRON
chance acqualnt ances One day three Justices Wer9
sitting ON the bench together, and had also 9n,teu
In s,tfng an o,r Young friend who forthwith tried TO
GET off the old gag about contempt Of court .+ -
"1T wish yonr honors 10 fine me 80 FOR contempt VI
@Why so, MIR Smith y said one OF the JUSTICES, W nn
lid not at once tumble 10 the point you nave nO'
displayed any contempt .,r, Tor .hs court
"'But | cherish decided contempt iuI tf, vt,b
and am willing to pay for H. Said ''i'" WIN
"Yor contempt for this court not b. Dc menuo ION,
In the same breath with the courts coh'enP' ioi ''
said tho second Justice. A. ,,,b said the third
and we won't tine you. Mr.. smith, san sIo LII
u-itb trumnb In bs eve because we can tcIi Nho!l
nne of ms you would borrow the money irom W pay
Il with ia, 90 r.s,ore ouiet I'm
the court ont ~ The tinnt OF laughter mat 1olowea
this neat and cutting reply, MT 4"i'" s'' "' "
ad cnrIa