The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-22
A DAY IN rwo COURTS,
Inc United States District Court and Its Pro-
cedure.


in a court. even when the case is crimi-
nal one and presents many tragic features
and startling situations Each witness re-
Iates his view of the affair, and majority |
of these statements are monotonousiy
similar. while that testimony which diff |
fers is so dissipated in dramatic strength by |
a long string of pertinent and dull lnterro-
cations. People who hunt out a court
room to have their eyes bulge out with
establishment or quicken the pace OF their
blood into boil or tlngie with emotion, |
are pretty sure to be disappointed. LII
there is any faculty OF extracting pleasure
from chaffering attorneys and technical
ouibblings. there is a seventh heaven Tor
it in a. court room. Irritibility in judge
is always TO be condoned with.
The court now in session in Wichita,
aside from the customary features OF ali
tribunals of justice just mentioned, has It's
attractive and noteworthy side. In the
first place, the judges presiding are new TO
the people and to this court and its follow
ing. Another is that it has been dealing
and is still, with cases arising IN the new
territory to the south, Oklahoma, coun-
try that the people are particularly inter
ested in. and the criminal record Of which
is in many instances of historical value
and also furnishes the material by which
2 bevy of new legal talent is endeavoring
to push to the top. This court will prooa-
bly be the last district court here, at Wlch-
tia IN deal with the criminal cases occur
ring in the territories, as they now have
courts of their own. For many years
this has been the point where crimes nave
been passed upon, thai nave afterwards
become famous. Books have been written
on some, and on others the only ieeai
hangings in the state OF Kansas III laue
years have been attendant.
District court here has always been
marked by the multitutinous presence OF
the noble redmen, his scant raiment, the
scent of killikinic permeatlng the atmos-
phere enveloping him, and the general
sIouchiness and uncivilized neglige OF his
whole appearance, and by the long haired,
| buckskinned, high-heeled, cowboy and
tanned and pistoled army scout OF the
| territory. Hitherto these have infected
| the town. loafed on the sunny sides or the
streets; pushed their noses against the
plate-glass show windows; and srnelt out
the Joints with an accuracy that was as
unfailing as culpable. The session OF the
United States ditrict court here has always
been week Of attractions to the tender
footed eesterner who had never beheld the
| American Indian in all his pristine
| ignorance. soualor and cussedness. Almost
all those who were in attendance this
term have rturned home and after this
will be accountable for their devlltry ano
vicious company and evil environments
to a court, other than the one mere aO
Wichita.
AS is well known, the court here asked
for assistance that it might clear up the
docket by going through with the cases
This request was complied with and al
extra nudge sent on. There are now two
courts sitting, the work in each being car
ried on independent of the other. The mrs.
court is presided over by Judge Dundy, OF
Council Bluffs, Ia, the other by Judg
Rvner, of Cheyenne, Wye. One is an cid
erlv man, the other a young one. The,
are both pushing the business throug
their respective courts, and inside OF
connie of weeks will have disposed OF tn
cases on the docket.
Yesterday in Judge Duudy's court, th
Adams Couch case. one OF widespread
potoriety in the west. and ofespecial Inter
est to Oklahoma, came up. There wa
some difficulty in impaneling jury, as
majority of the people had taken som
notice of the case and were acquainte
with its details. Finally, however,
iurv was fourmed 1t consists of A. !
Calvert, J. H. Sewell, W. NJ. Congdon
1 Peter Durland, T. r. Moody, RooeI
Mooney, George Phillips, John Menden
!, hall, p. l.. Session. George Steenroe
Charles Duncan and J. p. Boyd.
Judge Dundy's court is on the thir
. floor of the federal building. There IS III
, tie conventionality about it, the only tin(
! ture of medieval solemnity and pomposlt
l noticeable being the Hear ye" OF tt
marshal or the echoing summons of som
/ witness along the corridors. The Judge
L seated before small desk on rostrun
) to his left the jury in two rows of SIX; d
L ractIv in his front table where the men
hers of the bar sit. There is no squal
witness box. The witness sits in cha
4 facing the jury and in proximity to II
r attorneys. This is the paraphernalla OF II
S court.
= Judge Dundy, who temporarily preside
in Judge Fosters place, is an elderly ma
who has held down the wool-sack IL
thirtv-three years He is bald has era
heard. a rather full face with prominer
- nose. and is inclined to be heavy-se
His mind is very clear on legal points, OF
> of his strong characteristics being his co
= else. determined and emphatic decision
L which sometimes paralyze the lawyer
10 fault momemtarily, and amuse the AUDIT
T. rum. All unnecessary wrangllng
9 nipped. resolutely and unflaggingiy,
u him. There is a great deal exemplary
Al Judge Dundy's expedition OF lustiC
& There il no superfuous testimony, or re
etition. that escapes his sharp eye, al
d when he decides point, the offender
II desire to dodge. He is little nervous
y times and TOYS with his pocket-knffe a
lead pencils continually during the ties
&c mony, putting on his eyeglasses and "a
III ing them off again repeatedly. Outside
IN the court room Judge DundY is said TO
* the iolliest judicial in the land. Eve
AZ summer he takes trip TO the mountain
Sc where he hunts the fleet deer and {
fierce grizzly, and has an interesting $40
70 tell of his adventures.
Yesterday the Adams case was beft
If the court District Attorney Ady
n assisted in the prosecution
t. Col. johnson. OF Oklahoma City. ]
~ defense comprises Judge Green, Jud
Shield and Lewis and McMeechem. I
4 case went along apace and viii go TO
Is Jury probably by Tuesday night. I
1d story OF the affair, succinctly IS Il
No There is a beautiful claim near OklahoI
ID CITY. At the opening OF the terrific
III four or FIVE men settled On 1t. ali
"a ternined TO contest. This gave rise