River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-01-19
JUDICIAL PREDICAMENTS
Some Queer Experiences of Noted
English Judges.
A Barber Who Got Iven with the Mag
istrate who Sent Him 90 Prison
sharks Getting into Unsafe
Company.

4
| On one occasion Justice Mahisty was
on circuit at Exeter for the assizes. saws
| the London Tid-Bits. One morning he
left his lodgings early for a stroll and
finding that he had plenty of time on
| his lands before Tie court assembled he
turned into hair-dresser's shg, 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 alaerity 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 ne suddenly paused.
with one hand on the judges nose and
the other waving the razor pain
fully near Sir Henry's throat. Blessed
if / don't think" said the barber,
that you're the old cove what gave
me five years at Winchester" The
judges feelings may be better imag-
ined than described, but he merely re-
piled, with what GOODNESS he could sum-
mon to his aid: Il 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 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 a
perfect shower on the floor. Hold on,
man, hold on!p exclaimed the Judge; 81
only want trim up, tell you; don't
cut it so short" ''Cut it short be
bowed" replied the barber, slicing
away triumphantly; 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
gun, so you'd best take it kindly"
A Judge was journeying up to the
north of England in fast train, which,
after leaving London, did not stop till
it came to Rugby The only other oc-
cupant of the carriage was we'll
dressed and apparently gentlemanly
man, who took no notice of the judge till
the train had left the terminus. Then
the man came over and seating him
self opposite the judge poured out
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? All, you
don't think sol Very well, then, let us
relate some OF our mutual experiences.
have no doubt that shall find yours
good deal ymore entertaining than you
win minen The fellow was so non
plussed by the judges fearless good
humor that he quoted down and actu-
ally did expaGiate On some OF the incl
dents in his career. Probably he never
saw the nice point of satire in judge
appealing TO convict he had sentenced
on a question of dad 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 a meeting on the classic heath,
and had entered a railway carriage at
the station for the purpose of returning
to town. Three MISUNDERSTANDING
fellow-passengers followed him in, and
Sir Henry was thinking of changing
his carriage, when 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, Bll?" asked one of tn. 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?n Sir Henry in the meanwhile,
laughing in his sleeve, had recognized
the man who had moved the others off
as a 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
fiat" on whom to practice. The judges
reputation probably saved him from
annoyan ce.