The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-18
BEAUFORT BOODLERS
CONTINUED FROM SECOND PAGE.

happened later would not necessarily be
interesting here, but on the next day a
magistrate of Eaton, famous hostler in
these parts who has for years run the
"Sea Breeze" house, and hearty old
soul with body of two hundred and
fifty ponds, heavy whiskers, abundant
health, humor and common sense, and
withal an experience that covers over
sixty years of life. Justice Eaton is one
of the new magistrates that came in I'M
der the recent Populist legislature. His
term did not begin until the first of Au-
gust, and this was the 30th of July.
The old gentleman took his place between
the two other justices, had little to say
for the two days except in the way of
advisement, stating that he would not
be OF age until August list; but at the
end of the two days the Sea Breeze be-
gan to take a firmer hold on
his whiskers, and he gradually
began to swell to the full pro
portion of what a magistrate should
be. The other two magistrates, who had
come in under the Democratic regime,
and who were men Of experience as jus
tees became, some how or other very
much impressed with the judicial fitness
of Justice Eaton, who henceforth quite
overwhelmed them, together with law
yers and spectators by his amazing liber-
atty, tempered with the common sense
that could not be resisted even by those
who did not agree with him. From this
moment it must be known by the whole
world that Justice Eaton was in charge
of the case. He had never sat in case
before, but that did not mater for he
said, Gentlemen, when the lawyers
would be disputing with one another as
to the admissibility of evidence) we hope
you will find some way of coming to an
agreement among yourselves without
forcing the court to decide the question
You will understand that the court wants
to be perfectly fair, and at the
same time the court does not know
as much about these matters
as you do, but the court believes that all
the evidence should come and if the court
should find out when all this thing is
done with, that such and such evidence
should not have been introduced, than
the court will not be Obliged to attach
any weight to such evidence"
After this deliverance Justice Eaton
relieved himself of his court, took fresh
chew of tobacco and leaned back against
the railing in his sugpenders, meanwhile
giving full warning to the sheriff who
stood by him that there should be no
splitting on the floor by the spectators,
but as to pulling off coats, he never did
see no common sense in making people
keep on their coats hot days like this,
Then, too, the big hearted old justice
would fill up the lulls now and then with
personal "reminiscences of himself in
which his war record cut some fig
ure. 81 took al the chances, !"
said he, "What chances?" / asked.
"Well, if l couldn't keep from
fioing into the ranks one way, I'd just
try another change always had two
or three Of them ahead and in that way
/ kept myself from being shot at until
the whole thing was over" He seemed
very much amused at his ingenuity in
having kept out of the war by one means
or another, and, in fact, had no secrets
to conceal seemingly about anything that
had ever happened to him.
When a piece of evidence under Col.
Hinsdale's questioning, favorable to Mr..
Clark, defendants counsel would come
out, he would say "tnere now, Mr.. Clark
is a piece of evidence for you. The court
does not rule it out, but will give it just
the weight it is entitled to after the
whole thing is in. The junior counsel
who sat near Justice Eaton has probably
never yet risen in his eyes to the dignity
of an attorney, being referred TO as
"Clerk Of the court" during the
whole proceeding and receiving his com
mands from the justice accordingly. Mr..
several times, but al his objections went
down under the weight of Squire" Eat
on's good humor, who insisted that it
was better TO hear all there was about
the case, promising that the chaff should
finally be winnowed from the wheat.
Mr.. Clark insisted that there was not
rule of evidence in al the law books that
had not been violated sometime during
the trial, which the Squire did not deny
nor remedy. His rulings were all given
in the name of the court, but there was
never any conference between himself
and his chief and the other associate,
but this was acquiesced in by them
without murmur. The Squire
continued to grow every moment in the
confidence of ALL He said, when the
case was about concluded late at night,
that the court was disposed to be &C
commodating to everybody there and
would stay there all night if necessary,
or would adjourn for half an hour until
they could all decide the case, or an hour,
if that would be more accommodating
to the counsel, but that he reckoned a
half hour would do.
Thus, after having Garrowly escaped
having case thrown cat of court, the
prosecution had come to a conclusion
with not word of testimony offered by
the defence, the justices finally deciding
unanimously in favor of the State.
The trial was held in what was called
Teachers Assembly Hail." a delightful
and spacious room where the educators
of the State meet once year and where
faces of college presidents looked down
from the walls upon what was largely
the rubbish of two little sea towns gath
cred together in this extraordinary trial.
The great Atlantic Hotel had been de
serted except by those directly or indi-
rectiy at work upon the case. The sum
mer visitors had nearly all deserted the
towns of Morehead and Beaufort and
this little group of people were here at
work upon matter which seemed not to
disturb in the least the defendants, who