Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-05-27
JUSTICE CAUGHT MAPPING.
How Justice irving Was Induced to Sign
His own Death Warrant.

How Justice irving YEAS Ahduced to Sign
His Own Death Warrant.
A prominent lawyer of New Jersey,
who has an office on lower Broadway,
tells a story about New York city Judges
of 40 years ago that always fetches a
smile. Judge John L. Irving, the up
right and conscientious brother of Wash
ington Irving, is the hero Of the alleged
incident. Tt occurred in the DAYS when
Judges received fee Of 81 for every pa
per they signed. One day two promi-
nent New York lawyers, so the story
runs, were in Judge Irving court when
he was busily engaged in signing papers.
There was a long line of lawyers fling
slowly i'll front of his desk, and as each
passed up his papers he at the same
time laid down a corresponding number
Of dollars. E1e judge you'd glance at
the papers, make a scraWl on each and
take up the next package, the pile of
greenbacks growing steadily as the line
of LAWYERS thinned out. One of the two
lawyers looking on said to his compan-
ion:
st have the highest respect for the
doesn' t know half the time what he is
signing. Why, watch him. It is impos-
sible for him to get half of an idea of
what is on the paper. If he examined
each one closely, he'd never get done,
but he should be more careful neverthe-
less. /" The other lawyer declared the
Judge caught at glance the important
sentence or phrase of each.
'Well, I don t believe st,'' exclaimed
the other. 81 feel sure, in spite of bet
ter intentions, that that 81 fee acts as
an incentive and causes his honor to
slight his work, and I'm s7salg to prove
what [ say. With that he strobe out of
the room and presently returned with
legal form signed by the sheriff, and
which set forth that on such and such
day and at certain hour and in GER
tain place Judge Irving was to be
hanged by the neck until he should be
dead. The lawyer then took his place in
the line filing before the judges desk.
When it came his turn, he held up the
paper, folded between his fingers in a
nonchalant manner, and laid down his
81 with the other hand.
His honor unfOlded the paper and hur-
riedly plunged his pen in the ink. There
was a splutter and scrawl and Judge
Irving had signed his own death war
rant. That night the lawyer went to a
social gathering, which Judge Irving
was to attend, with the death warrant
in his pocket. When he found himself in
a corner with the judge, he said: Judge,
l was watching you signing papers to-
day, and I couldn't for the life of me
understand how you can read them all
Do you really read them?"
"Why, certainly. It's a matter OF
habit, you know. I have acquired it by
years of practice. [ can at a glance de-
tect the really important sentence or
word. -
"Well," said the lawyer, producing
the death warrant and folding it in such
a manner that the name of Judge Irving
only was visible, els that your sigma
ture?''
The judge put on his glasses, stared at
the paper an instant, and then declared
it was his signature. The lawyer then
the paper and handed it to the
judge The latter read it and turned
crimson.
After that the signing of papers in
Judge Irving's court was as long and
tedious a process as it had been rapid and
careless before. New York Press.