The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-05-23

and his form of the marriage c-re-
mony were brief and not exactly
according to the code, but both
were effective. When he admins
tered the oath to a witness he said !:
You swear here, in the presence of
God A'mity and this court, to tell
the truth, so help you Jesus. Amen 7
His marriage ceremony was
something like this: John, you
love this woman? Mary, you love
this man? Then you are man an
wife, and the cost is 81
His 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 mar
riage some five years before. The
husband was the plaintiff and the
wife had engaged lawyer. When
the husband told how his wife had
pulled his hair, boxed his ears and
then went to candy pulling with
another man Judge benson prompt
ly declared them put asunder ac-
cording to the law and the Gospel.
"But, your honor, you have no
jurisdiction in this case,' suggested
the defendants attorney.
emo what?' asked the Judge,
sternly-no man had ever before
dared question one of his decisions
"'You have no authority in this
case. The law does not give JUS.
tice of the Peace power to grant q
divorce
s"Didn't l marry this coupler
".Yes, but
WThen I'll unmarry 'em, an you
are fined $40 for bein' in contempt
of this court. I'd like to see the Law
that gives me the power to splice
people an then says l can't un
couple 'em when they've got script
ural proof.
The decision stood and no appea
was ever taken.
"In the trial of suit for DANA
ges where the plaintiff claimed t.
have been swindled in horse SWAY
the defendant demanded a jury t.
try the case, and Judge benson hat
Jury summoned. 1t was summer
and court was held in the shade 0
big oak tree that day, because tn
Judges Office was too small to holt
all the spectators. When the evi
dence was all taken the jury retired
| to thick clump of bushes som
distance away to make up their yer
dict. At the end Of an hour the.
returned and reported they coul'
not agree.
"But you must agree" said tn
Judge, and he sent them back t
the seclusion Of the bushes. Agail
they returned without verdict, an
reported that eight were for tn
plaintiff and four for the defendant
"'Well, that's verdict. A ma
iority always rules in this country
and the Judge entered a verdict TO
the plaintiff on his docket.
"Once negro was on trial befor
Judge benson for carrying cor
cealed weapons. He had lawye
who wanted to prove that the pris
oner's life had been threatened, an
under such circumstances the la'
allowed him to carry weapons. Th
evidence all in, the lawyer aros
with book in his hand and said
May it please your Honor, | hav
here a recent decision of the ST
preme Court in a case similar !
every way to this one, and tn
court ordered the acquittal of tn
defendant
Then I'll overrule the decisio
of the Supreme Court an fine tn
/ defendant $50 and costs.
"In Judge Denson's court Sara
Ann Jones sued John Anderson fe
| 500 damages for breach of promis
to marry. When the case was calle
for trial, the Judged asked: Sara
Ann, have you got any proof
offer that John promised to MARI
YOU an never done it2'
"For answer Sarah Ann held u
a two-months' old babe.
".Mark it Exhibit A. said th
Judge. Then, turning to Anderson
he said John, you ought never I
plant corn before you build you
fence. You must marry Sarah AN
right here or pay $lOO.'
sJohn thought it would be cheap'
to marry and the Judge tied It
+ knot. The baby had not been name
. and, thinking she must do just 6
the Judge told her, the mother Gale
it Exhibit A, and that was the on
name it ever received.
"Once q civil case was tried t
, benson, in which two lawyers we
T, employed. When the evidence "!
, all in, the attorneys held q brl
5 consultation to decide upon II
order in which they should spea
) AS the first one rose to address y
! Court, benson cut him short
) saving: Now you fellows just Wa
ltill I decide this case an then -
II ,,1,, svant fn