Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-01
EJ0HN I. JONES.
HE VISITS VIRGINIA AFTER AN AZ
SsNCE OF NEARLY go YEARS
Forty-Tvo DAYS TO go, and Tbirty-six
Hours to Re;urD-Incidente oil MS
Career In Arkansas
Correspondence Of The Disps,chJ

career are very interesting. lie IS now on
O visit TO Virginia to zee his only daughter.
Mrs. Major Jacob w. Morton. Of Keys
vile, Charlotte county, and was here LOT
q few days recreation. -, ,
He left Essex county. Va, in 1884 ana
rode horseback TO Arkansas, carrying with
him about fifty negroes aud teams TO set
tie plantation on Red river, which he
had previously purchased. 1t required
then over six-week's daily travel TO COM
plete the trip. Now he returns IN thirty
SIX hours and enjoyed good nights resi-
while travelling. But still be recalls tne
incidents of his journey and the pleasures
and healthfulness of campinG-out over a
half-century ago In his youth as most
delightful.
Having been educated at the University
of Virginia, upon his arrival in the theh
territory Of Arkansas. he commenced the
practice OF law.
A CIRCUIT JUDGE.
In 1912. after Arkansas had been admit
ted State. he was elected circult-Judge
for the Eastern District. and held the posi-
! ton until 1851. Now comes his trials IN
! tho then frontier life. HE first court In
/ Green county was170 miles from his home.
| This distance he had TO travel on horse
I back lie started alone TO cross swampS |
| and through forests IN the face OF snow
| storm In days ride he saw man
| ch0ppnC wood near the roadside whom
| be recognized as Attorney jackson VINO |
precticed In his court. The lawyer voluu-
| teered 20 accompany the Judge to Green
! courthouse, as he knew the way. when
! he told the Judge he could never find, and |
said there would probably be no other |
| lawyers at the courthouse. and he mlghtget |
| q case. To this proposition the Judge salq |
| he readily assented, as he thought II would |
| be embarrassing to hold court IN a new
! country without lawye r at the bar. They |
/ nv he a
trip. arrived at the place designated as the |
county-seat of Green.
KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
The Judge called on the clerk OF the |
| court who coOlly informed him that he had |
! heard nothing about Circuit court lie |
asked him If his member OF the Legislature,
Mr.. HardwIck. had not informed HIM
about the term Of the court. The clerk |
! replied that he had not seen HarGwlck |
! for some time, but did not suppose he |
! knew anything about it," He then asked |
| where was the sheriff of the county. The |
| clerk replied, " he has been down at Uncle |
Peters 'stillerY drunk for two weeks.
The Judge says he then hunted up |
two men whom be ordered to
bring tho sheriff. drunk or sober.
| This was done and the Sheriff reported for |
! duty. The Judge asked him If he had q |
! venire ready. He responded that he /
| never heard Of one before. But the So |
| bered sheriff was soon made TO understand !
| that the courts orders were imperative, |
| and bv the next day had n jury. Now |
came the astounding fact that there was |
no courthouse building. and the ride OF |
! 10 miles through the winters blasts had |
wearied the Court and the prospects for |
the expected rest had vanished.
THE FIRST COURT.
| There was dense body of woods near |
| by. and the Judge said he ordered blg log |
FIRE to be made, n bench for himself log |
seats for jurors ald attorneys. and there |
| be held the first court in Green county. |
| During the proceedings q backwoOdsman |
| interrupted the court aud became dsor- |
derby. lie directed the sheriff to take |
the man to jail, but the officer told |
HIM there was no jail. WELL" said |
the Judge tie him to q BIG tree"
! which the sheriff promptly did. and then |
| the court business smoothly proceeded. !
Several lawyers from distance pre- |
scented themselves after court opened, and |
Jackson missed his expected case. He !
saws they were able lawyers. and some Of |
them afterwards held high positions. both |
| State and national. There were Ashley. |
afterwards chairman OF the Judiciary |
| Committee in one of the houses OF Con- |
gress: Cummings, Sewer. and Albert |
| Pike, of national regulations.
| During this term of the court man pre- |
| scented himself as security tor another on !
a recognlzance, and when asked tho !
| amount of his property said in "a triumph I
! ant voice. the best hunting pony and /
| pack Of bear dogs in Arkansas and /
seemed to be greatly Illuminated when the !
court did not value his possessions so high |.
ana declined to take him as security.
JUDGE AND JURY.
The next court was in Monroe county. |
| There was no court-bullding, and large
room IN private house was used Judge
and Jury all slept IN the same room
where tho court was held. The lawyers
| always carried their Overcoats and blank |
cts and slept in the corn-crb. The courts
| lasted several days, but tacre were few
| chancery cases. In the criminal trials
there were original and able lawyers. 4
doctor, who had to travel on his horse
forty miles to visit man, sued in this
| court TOR his bill Several lawyers were
employed and the speeches extended into
the night. The jury after midnight noti-
fed the lawyers that they had heard
| enough and they must take their blankets
| and retire TO the crib. as they aud the
Judge intended TO remain by the FIRE.
The Judge said ne GOT IN his bed In the
corner of the same room, and the jury,
after passing few Jokes. decided TO re-
turn q verdict ALLOWING the doctor for
medical services whatever the man was
| able to pay" These, ne SAID, were priml-
tive days for his State yet there prevailed
law and order. and justice was recognized
among the people
ELECTED UNITED STATES SENATOR.
Judge Jones was elected to the United
States Senate with Judge Garland. after
| wards encouragement under Cleveland.
Thev were not admitted, as the State had
| not been reconstructed. In their places
were seated Dorsey and Clayton, two no.
| torIous carpet baggerS Two counties
| were named tor Dorsey and Clayton by the
carpet-bag and scalawag Legislature. but
as soon as the true people OF Arkansas got
| possession of the State government the
names of both counties were changed. so
that the map OF Arkansas would not per-
petuate the memory OF such men.
The Judge was Wing of the Henry
| CLAW school and says. IN his tour-score
years in his judicial and political life there
are many pleasant "reminiscences. and
among them some or the ludlcrous lie
saw Davy Crockett once at the house of
his father-in-law. Davy was great to-
bacco chewer, and while IN the parlor
masticating the weed. servant brought
a clean, bright spittoou aud placed II near
him, when Crockett threw the quid from
his month and told the boy If he did not
take that thing away he would spit
init"
THE GREAT FIDDLER.
| Judge Jones also knew wei DanQy
Faulkner, the great fiddler and composer
of the "Arkansaw Traveller" Sandy he
saws was an exceedingly entertaining and
pleasant man. but his soclability and gen.
crosby brought him to poverty.
The salary OF the Judge while on the cir
cult was $4,000 per year. and half OF his
time occupied. Our Virginia circuit judges
do not now receive a. much pay as an
Arkansas Judge did half century ago.
Although the country was wild and sparse
ly settled. Judge Jones says he seldom
carried pistol even in his saddle bags.
| Whenever he visited the house of a settler
he was kindly and freely entertained. for
Judge in those days was big man and pre-
sumed to know everything.
HIGHLY PROSPEROUS.
Judge Jones says his state is now In
highly prosperous condition, his old circuit
now has three judges. and Is trsversed by
various railroads towns and cities have
been built, immense cotton and grain
fields greet the eyes of travellers and devel-
opment and progress are proclaimed on
every side.
But the Judge in his old age still loves