The Irish standard., 1892-07-09
JUDICIAL PREDICAMENTS
Some Queer Experiences OF Noted
English Judges

Come Queer Experiences OF Noted
English Judges
4 Barber Who Got Even with the Mag
istrate Who Sent Him to Prison
Sharks Getting Into Unsafe
Company.
On one occasion Justice Manisty was
on circuit at Exeter for the assizes, says
the London Tid- Bits. One morning he
left his lodgings early for stroll and
finding that he had plenty OF time on
his hands before the court assent bled he
turned into a hair-dresser's shop for the
purpose of getting shaved and generally
trimmed up. Customers being scarce
at that early hour there was only one
assistant present in the place. When
the Judge entered the man jumped up
with alacrity and bowed him into the
operating chair with all BARRIERS suave
politeness. Having lathered his dis
tinguished customers face and stropped
his razor with more than ordinary
vigor, he commenced to attack the judi
cial stubble. But he hadn't got far in
his work before he suddenly paused,
with one hand on the judges nose and
the other waving the razor pain
fully near Sir Henry's throat. blessed
If I don't Think said the barber,
.sthat you're the old cove what gave
me five years at Winchester" The
Judges feelings may be better imag-
So <1oo h,,f ha In
piled, with what GOODNESS he could sum-
mon to his aid: II don't know, my
good fellow; l have bad memory for
faces, However, the man went on
shaving, and Justice Manisty congrat-
ulated himself that theex-convict didn't
bear malice. This easiness of mind
came q little too soon. After the shave
the judge, with characteristic determin-
alton, decided to carry out his original
programme and have his hair cut as
well. To his horror the barber had no
sooner exchanged the razor for his scis-
sors than his locks began to fall in
perfect shower on the floor. ''Hold on,
man, hold on!'' exclaimed the judge; Il
only want q trim up, tell you; don't
cut it so short" ''Cut it short be
bowed" replied the barber, slicing
away triu1nphantly; you didn't cut it
short when you give me five years in
the stone jug. This is the prison crop
you've got to have, old man, as sure as
a gun, so you'd best take it kindly"
A judge was journeying up to the
north of England in a fast train, which,
after leaving London, did not stop till
it came to Rugby. The only other oc-
cupant of the carriage was q we'll
dressed and apparently gentlemanly
the train had left the terminus. Then
the man came over and seating him
self opposite the Judge poured out a
torrent of foul-mouthed abuse and
threats against the latter for having
sent him to penal servitude for coming
some years before. The judge waited
till the man paused for breath and
then said very quietly: my dear sir,
don't you think it's rather bad form
to talk shop in private life? Ah, you
don't think so! Very well, then, let us
relate some Of our mutual experiences.
I have no doubt that l shall find yours
good deal more entertaining than you
will NINE The fellow was SO non
plussed by the Judges fearless good
humor that he quieted down and act,.-
ally did expatiate on some of the inci~
dents in his career. Probably he never
saw the nice point of satire in q judge
to a convict he had sentenced
on a question of ''bad form"
The following is told of Sir Henry
Hawkins, who, rightly or wrongly, has
the reputation of being severe judge,
and is consequently more dreaded than
beloved by the criminal classes. Sir
Henry, as is well known, is in private
life an ardent follower of the turf, and
when more serious business permits
seldom fails to attend the Newmarket
races. On one occasion he was return
ing from meeting on the classic heath,
and had entered a railway carriage at
the station for the purpose Of returning
to town. Three undesirable-looking
fellow-passenger followed him in, and
Sir Henry was thinking of changing
his carriage, when a fourth man, who
was also on the point Of entering, stared
hard at the judge, got back on to the
platform, and, addressing his compan-
ions, said: Come, get out of that,
boys--.a nice warm shop that is you've
got into. Do.you know who that mug
is you were going to take on?" ''Who
is it, Bi1l?" asked one of the men, as
they cleared out of the compartment.
"Why, 'Orkins, to be sure-a proper
sort of mug that to try our game on,
eh?" Sir Henry in the meanwhile,
laughing in his sleeve, had recognized
the man who had moved the Others OFT
as man he had sentenced at the Old
Bailey for card-sharping in railway
trains. The others, not knowing him,
had marked him down as mug" or
''dat" on whom to practice. The judges
reputation probably saved him from
ce.
Big Diamond, Whale and Rope.
The largest cut diamond in the world,
that named the Imperial" by the prince
Of Wales was discovered in the south
African mines in 1885. In itsppresent
Ehane it, weighs 1875 caratS and is valued