The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-01
Last Term ola Judge Whom Wichita and
Her Citizens Grieye to Lose.

Tomorrow Judge Christopher Reed
begins his last term of court as judge
of this judicial district. His last term
of court which Will be ae busy one,
closes a career in this city, which while
being brilliant in Jurisprudence, has
been also warm to the people, rigorous
ly just when occasion dema nded. and
sympathetic and lenient when human
| ity, in the maelStrom of legal tangle and
delay, put up a hand for help.
For there is no member of the bar in
this city; no man who has watched the
proceedings in Judge Reeds court who
does not know that the prevailing beau
ty of the mans character is his great
heart that responds electrically to na-
ture and her children'S joys and woes.
No poor woman has ever gone into
Judge Reeds court and been bullied
by lawyers in MISUNDERSTANDING. No
child's interests have been brought be-
fore him, that the helpleSsneSs of child
hood has not had its weight against
all the abstruse wisdom stored away
in NIL the legal tones ever written.
No man with little home and wife
and baby has ever appeared before
him for justice, that Judge Reed has
not barred rapacity and greed and
stood with flaming sword defiant in the
interest of the poor man and his home
and his wife and babies.
1nltIltCl is a Training. poiAllcdl III
plOmacy an education; power an ac-
quirement. but heart that responds
with the sacred thrill of sympathy is
gift heaven-born and God-given.
Whatever Judge Reeds future. which
must be outside of Wichita, will be.
whether the Fates Will lead him high or
carry him down, ii can not be denied
that his record in Wichita has been one
that will live, enshrined in the hearts
OF his fellow men.
Eight years as a faithful public SER
want made him the unanimous choice
of the Republican party for four years
longer which. if his private interests
did not prompt him to decline. would
have been confined by large majority
of his constituents.
The traits Of character of a Judge are
public property and Judge Reeds re-
tirement affords opportunity 20 refer
in a general way to his judicial career.
His intellectually would command re-
spect on all occasions. The diSbarment
case of Prosecuting At torney Boone.
which was tried about a year ago, was
notable one; the prosecutor was ar
raigned on the charge of accepting
brides from men who were accused Of
violating the prohibitory law-that pan
dora box of evils - men OF high and low
degree; the punishment for the offense
was diSbarment or suspension from
practice of the law. Judge Reeds an
alySis of the statute relating to the
offense convinced him that the punish
ment was in direct conflict with the
best principles of humanity and that
either the lawmakers did not cOmpre-
bend their own legislation or they
were possessed Of q spirit Of inhuman-
ity seldom equalled. The most aban-
doned criminal after serving his term
In the penitentiary could return to his
former trade and pursue the natural
law given 10 him by God and nature
and earn living for himself and fam
lily; but not so with the attorney who
had been guilty OF moral turpitude; he
was TO be outlawed in every state n
the country during the remainder OF his
life. Judge Reeds mind revolted at
such cruelty and he demonstrated by
powerful reasoning that the law was
really worse than the offense. His de-
cision as published is a masterpiece Of
legal learning and philanthropy and
we'll illustrates his eminent Talents and
real character. II viii stand as a true
reflection % the heart and intellect Of
the man. The sentence Of the court
was that Boone be suspended as a
practicing lawyer Of the Sedgwick
county for the period of one year. The
opinions Of the retiring Judge during
his laborous service in the district
court are part Of the American law
and will be regarded as q bright page
in judicial history.