Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-04

one in this settlement, and I guess
everybody's glad to be rid of him. But
courts can't work for nothin', prisoner,
so I'll fine you ten dollars and COSTS /
1.-THE fine was paid, and while this
of the case excited some
comment nothing was ever done about
it, the people of the neighborhood
seeming to agree with Judge benson
that it was good way to get rid of the
negro.
''The judge had more respect for the
Bible than he had for the law, and
when negroes appeared as witnesses in
his court he made them kiss the
almanac. 4 don't allow no reflections
cast on the Bible III this court he ex-
planned one day when a lawyer OBJ
jected to having colored witnesses
sworn on the almanac.
Judge Denson's form of GA tn and
his form Of the marriage ceremony
were brief and not exactly according
to the code, but both were effective.
When he administered the oath to
witness he said: You swear here, in
the presence of God A'mity and this
court to tell the truth, SO help you
Jesus AmenP
'tHis marriage ceremony was some
thing like this: John, you love this
woman? Mary, you love this man?
Then you are man an wife, and the
cost is two dollars 49,
Ibis first divorce case came up after
he had been in Office eight years, and
the principals happened to be a couple
he had united in marriage some five
years before. The husband was the
plaintiff and the wife had engaged
II {ho %o1l
his wife had pulled his hair, boxed his
with another man Judge benson
promptly declared them put asunder
according to the law and the Gospel
"'But, your honor, you have no juris-
diction in this case suggested the de-
PENDANTS attorney.
"'No what?' asked the judge, stern
ly-no man had ever before dared ques-
ton one of his decisions.
"'You have no authority in this
case. The law does not give a justice
of the peace power to grant divorce
"'Didn't marry this coupler
"'Yes, but
"sThen I'l unmarry 'em, an you are
| fined ten dollars for bein' in contemp
of this court. I'd like to see the law
that gives me the power to splice peo-
pie an then says can't uncouple 'em
when they've got Scriptural proof
'sThe decision stood and no appeal
| was ever taken.
In the trial of suit for damages
| where the plaintiff claimed to have
been swindled in a horse swap the de-
PENDANT demanded a jury to try the
case and Judge benson had jury
summoned 1t was summer and court
was held in the shade of big oak tree
that day because the judges Office was
| too small to hold all the spectators.
When the evidence was all taken the
jury retired to thick clump of bushes
some distance away to make up their
verdict. At the end of an hour they
returned and reported that they could
| not agree.
"'But you must agree said the
judge, and he sent them back to the Sc
clusion of the bushes Again they re-
turned without verdict and reported
that eight were for the plaintiff and
four for the defendant.
''sWell, that's verdict. "A majority
always rules in this country and the
Judge entered verdict for the plaintiff
on his docket.
"Once a negro was on trial before
Judge benson for carrying concealed
weapons. He had lawyer who wanted
to prove that the prisoners life had
been threatened, and under such cir
cumstances the law allowed him to
carry weapons. The evidence all in,
the lawyer arose with a book in his
hand and said: May it please your
honor, have here a recent decision of
the supreme court in a case similar In
every way to this one, and the court
ordered the acquittal of the defendant
"'Then I'll overrule the supreme
court an fine the defendant fifty dollars
end COSTS
'sOnce civil case was tried by Dem
son, in which two lawyers were en-
ployed. When the evidence was all in,
the attorneys held brief consultation
to decide upon the order In which they
should speak. AS the first one rose to
address the court, benson cut him short
, by saying: Now you fellows just wait
till decide this case an then you can
spout law all day if you want to-
Migrants of all degrees, and every
klan charged with a criminal offense
who was not able to pay fine, benson
would sentence to terms of hard labor
: >n his farm.
when asked once for an explanation
of such unwarranted proceedings, his
> reply was that the law allowed him
costs in every case he tried, and, If a
man had no money, how was the court
to get the cost if he didn't work it out3
To this logical opinion there was no
reply, and no one ever interfered with
! the Judge afterward.
1.-THE redeeming features of Judgs
Denson's remarkable administration Of
justice was that he usually managed to
get at the truth of case, and never
allowed any legal technicalities to in
fucnce his decisions. If a man was
guilty he was punished in some way,
and if innocent he was discharged.
True, the judge decided a great many
cases over which the laws of the state
gave him no jurisdiction, and in many
ways he violated the letter of the stat
utes, but as his decisions were usually
just from moral standpoint, they were
allowed to stand.
Several times dissatisfied parties to