Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-02-04
STORIES OF JUDGES.
from the wit and Wisdom of the Rench
and Bar.

aud Bar.
Occasionally judges find themselves
IN conflict with members or the pub
&c who are under no professional
privilege or restraint Some main
tain their dignity by finding and
committing for contempt of court.
This course may in some cases be
necessary, but a delicate ridicule is
generally much more effective A
troublesome attorney. who was plead
ing his owns Cause aud raising unten-
able points before Lord Ellenbor-
-ough, became exasperated because he
was invariably overruied. and ex-
claimed, "My Lord my Lord. al
though your Lordship is so great a
man now, / remember the time
when l could have got your opinion
? Tor 8 shhlings" Such impertinence
would, with many judges, have led to
the commlttal of the offender; but
Lord Peterborough merely observed.
with an amused smile, 'sSir, I dare
say 1T was not worth the money ;"
The same judge was on one occasion
sitting at the Guildhall, when Henry
Hunt, the -mous demagogue, ap-
peared upon the floor of the Court.
Mr.. Justice Talfourd describes the
scene which followed in these terms:
81 am here, my Lord, on the part
of the boy Dogood, proceeded the
'undaunteu Quixote, His LordShip
cast moments glance on the printed
soi
see no name of any boy Dogood in the
paper of causes and turned toward
the door of his room. MY Lord, vo-
'clferated the orator. am | to have no
redress for an unfortunate youth? |
thought your Lordship was sitting
Tor the redress of injuries in a court
of Justice. OH no. Mr.. Hunt. still
calmly responded the judge; 4 am
sitting at Nisi Prius; and | have no
right to redress any injuries except
those which may be brought before
the jury and me in the causes APP
pointed for trial MY Lord, then
SAID Mr.. Hunt, somewhat subdued
by the unexpected amenIty of the
Judge, 4 only desire to protest oh!
is that ALP said Lord Peterborough;
by all means protest, and go about
your business. So Mr.. Hunt pro-
tested, End went about his business;
and NV Lord went unrutfied to his
dinner, and both parties were CON
tent"
Great Judges have always been the
objects Of intense respect and venera-
ton to the English people, and few
ordinary persons would venture to dis
pute without ditfidence the law which
they lay down. There is, perhaps,
no more amusing or tlagrant abuse of
this confidence III judicial acquire
ments than the proceedings of Sir
Edward Coke when he went in search
of his daughter He had lived for
years on very bad terms with his
wife, who, when he proposed to marry
their only daughter to Sir John Viii
Tiers, carried her off and concealed
her az house at Oat!ands belonging
to the Earl OF Argyll. Coke, receiv-
ing information Of this, collected a
body of armed men and put himself
at their head. Encased in a breast
plate, with sword at his side, and
pistols at his saddlebow, he arrived
with his followers at the outer gate
of the house, where he repeatedly
demanded his daughter in the Kings
name, laingy it down for law that if
death should ensue it would be iusti-
fable homicide in him, but murder
in those who opposed him. Such an
opinion, coming FROM so inspired a
source, was enough to cause the most
resOute garrison to tremble. and the
result was that Coke recovered his
daughter without much difficulty.
Some Judges cannot cooperate with
juries. Mr.. Baron Anderson was ex-
ceedingly impatient with a stupid
jury, and often made his thoughts
plainly known to them. A jury in
a criminal case having returned
verdict which displeased him, he
turned to the Sheriff, saving, GOOD
heavens, sir, can't [ have another
Jury, and let these twelve persons go
INTO the other court, where they
can't do so much mischief" To the
disobedient jury he said, Gentle
men, you will find in the other court,
perhaps, in the course OF the 1ay,
something which you can try" Then
in an absent, muSing manner he
SollloQuiZed, ''No doubt there are
some men who never can comprehend
what evidence is; but that twelve such
men should come together to-day and
let that man off, Prisoner" to the
HAPPY man who had been acquitted
1.-THE Jury haveac quilted you. Heaven
knows why No one else IN court
could have the slightest doubt OF
your guilt, which is of the groSsest
kind but your are acquitted, and |
can't help It,"