The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-07-11
COURT AT THE ROCK HOUSE.

| Last week Judge IluHindH EeIu
three days session of Court at th'
Rock House, a summer resort abou
ten miles out from Logan, and gave
final hearing to the celebrated, 81
called Culver VIII Case" Th,
case is demand for settlement of al
executor. Briefly this:
DR.. Culver died about forty year
age, making will which stands un
disturbed. /. A. Culver was made
executor. Some eight or ten year,
ago, decendent of one of the chill
dren demanded settlement:
The case cane before Probate
Judge Acker who submitted find
ing. An appeal was taken, Col.
Rempel going on the $4,000 bond.
Judge Huffman, by consent, referred
the case to Attorney Jewet of Athens
who rendered finding of about So,
600 against the executor. Exceptions
were taken and the case referred to
Attorney Furgesoh Of New Lexing-
ton who decided that the estate was
settled and the executor had fulfilled
the trust. Judge Huffmsn confirm
ed this dicision. The case was ap-
pealed to the circuit court and here
reversed, coming back for a new trial
and was submitted for final decision
to Judge Huffman.
The hearing of this final trial was
held last week at the Rock House.
There is something so out of the
ordinary in holding Court in the
woods out ten miles in the country,
that it invites passing newspaper
notice-A Court trial unpent in a
room with all the modern oontriv-
ances for convenience, out in the
open with limitless ceiling of sky
and houndless contiguity of shade,
with hum of bees and song of birds
in soothing orchestra instead of the
irritating slam Of door, clomp of feet
and the usual rattle te bang of Court
House and surroundings. 1t was a
display of both the primitive and the
cultured. 1t was typical of pioneer
emblematic of the highest
civilized attainment. A brilliant
court ofjustice holding session in the
bug infested woods. The Tuilleries
transplanted to Vendee, the Parlia-
ment of England in Sherwood Forest.
1t was cruelty romantic; elegant, cul-
tured gentlemen in kind of picnic
dealing in cold facts and
digging up dead bones becoming
more for the gnomes in death dance
IN the gloomy caves of the hills.
From this long distance, in our
1ingy sanctum, we see the Judge
olling in cushioned Rocker as lux
lrious as the divan of an oriental
sultan, fighting flies and scratching
;nat bites with the like instructive
Samian motions of the ragged, bare /
ooted boy, sitting on an old log,gap- |
ng at the odd sight before him.
The lawyers in spotless diclSeys, glarc-
ng diamonds, and French broad cloth
Prince Alberts, sweeping the spider
over the law book with a
monkey motion of one hand while the
'ther jesticulated with the grace of
)emosthenes eonversihg with the
,illows of the ocean or Daniel Web
ter apostrophizing the flag still full
Ugh advanced. The creak of the
Judges chair was to the listening
lenizens of the trees, the echo of a
mapping twig under the panthers
rouch or the stealthy step of tie
avage creeping on his prey.
The noise Of the argument might
ave the old familiar tone of a war
7hoop or hello at log rolling.
'he difference to the sentinel hills
nd listening trees in the Court per-
Ormance from anything ofhuman
since the advent of the
rst man, red or white, was only in
he clothes the performers wore and
he figures they danced in the cotillion
hat brought them together on the
.reen.
But why not have court occasion
lily, out in the open. The woods, it
J happily said, are Gods first temples.
he hill tops are Benches of Divine
rection. Out on the hills, under the
rees, have been proclaimed the laws
Or all men and for all ages. Mt.
inai and Mt Olivit, colossal coad-
ltors, stand forever and forever, the
'ench from which The Law has proc
amation.
In every age, in every country,
ne best and wisest determination for
be betterment of mankind have had
irth and declaration out in the open.
Our public meetings that move men
, great endeavcr are beld in groves.
)ur speeches that resound down the
ges were spoken out of doors. Pla-
} taught as he walked in his grove
nd his philosophy is to-day as fresh
5 the trees each recurring spring.