New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17
SIR HENRY HAWKINS AND HIS DOG
SPORTY ENGLISH JUDGE AND A FOX
TERRIER on THE BENCH TOGETHER

A SPORTY" ENGLISH JUDGE AND FOX
TERRIER on THE BENCH TOGETHER.
Although Sir Henry Hawkins has received the
nickname Of Hanging Hawkins" owing to the
severity Of the sentences which he is accus-
toned to impose upon desperadocs and brutal
DULLES. yet there is no Justice on the English
bench OF whom the criminal classes IRE so fond
as Emery 'Awkns." This seems almost in
credible. but IL is an absolute fact. and one
well known to the police. This affection on the
part 81 "B Sykes" FOR Sir Henry may he at
tributed to the devotion OF the old gentleman
10 dumb animals and likewise to the fact that
he is a sportsman to the very core and the only
member OF the Bench OF the High Court who
belongs to the Jockey Club. II am fond OF
every kind OF beast except a hypocrite." lie Is
wont to remark. and nothing is more charac-
tcristic Of the man than the affection which ex-
sisted between himself and his favorlte fox ter
rer Jack
Jack is probably the only dog In existence
that has ever occupied a seat on the bench
Sir Henry used Invariably TO have his little
dog with him when he presided at any trial
criminal or civil. Jack being usually attached
10 his wrist by long blue ribbon Many Il
Junior counsel has begued the tedium OF a
by watching the ribbon gradually unroll
Jack pursued his Investigations while Sir
Henry now and again hauled In the slack Only
on one occasion did Jack SO far forget himself
"a TO bark Sir Henry had made judicial
joke atrociously bad that Jack raised his
voice in protest. not 80 much by way OF censure
Of his masters wit "a with the object Of re-
proving the sycophancy OF the Junior bar. which
had laughed uproarlously. Sir Henry however,
rose to the occasion. and. with the greatest
m nj ted ehara of ho
20 remove that dog from the gallery" The
ushers OF course. did not find any dog in the
gallery. and nobody vcntured 10 look under the
bench. while Str Henry commented In Indignant
tones upon the impudence OF people who
brought dogs to court"
Sir Henry wears his hair very short and IL
ccan-sbaven. on one occasion after witnessing
the Derby. which he makes n point OF attend
ing every year. adJournIng his court for the
purpose. he was waiting to take his ticket at
the EPSON Railway station. at which there
were number OF roughs returning from the
races. one OF them was rude to the Judge. who
demonstrated with him. whereupon the man In
vited him TO go outside and have what for" Sir
Henry then took off his hat. thinking that as
the men were probably OF the criminal classes.
they would recognize him. and quietly re-
marked:
Perhaps you do not know who am"
"S'elp me. Bob his assalant said. edging
off. "a bloomin' prIze-hghter Not me-" and the
Judge was not further molestcd.
His clOscness OF crop another occasion
led TO curious incident In a skittle alley In a
South Country village. Sir Henry. who was
out on "A ramble between Assizes with a COM
panion OF like tastes. stopped at a waysde inn
and they were soon hard at skittles with two
rustcs. Things went on pleasantly until. in an
unguardcd moment the Judge removed his MOLE
skin cap. Thereupon one OF the rustics. eying
him suspicously. said. Il don't mind being
neighborly. but I'm darned II I'm goin' to play
skittes with ticket-of-leave man.
Nothing Is more amusing than the manner In
which Sir Henry finds means of adjCurning his
court over Derby Day. 20 az TO enable him to
get 10 the races Usually he invokes privately
the services OF one CT the leading counsel en-
gagged In cases before him to humby and seri-
ousy petition His Lordship for an adjournment
on the ground OF pressing business and the i'm
possibility OF producing some necessary piece OF
evidence. Sir Henry. a rule, will make IA
great fuss about granting the adjournment. re-
quire the most solemn assurances from the
counsel that the case cannot possibly go on
without the adjournment. and VIII finally wind
up by gravely shaking his finger Mt the counsel,
with the remark you naughty man. fear It Is
the race you are going to-
There are few judges on the English bench
to whom more witty saying are attributed than
Sir Henry. On one occasion before his eleva-
ton to the bench he was engaged in trying a
marine collision case In the Admiralty Court
before Justice Channel. The latter wac "A
clever judge. but a sad cockney dropping his
aspirates at every opportunity. In this In
stance the ship which had been run down of
Dover vas called the IIannah. The Judge per-
sisted In calling II the Amman. Finally John
Huddeston. who was the counsel for the de-
fence. and an intimate friend and fellow wit
OF Hawkins. arose and asked whether his
learned brother" would be good enough to In
form him what the real name of the sunken
vessel was since part OF the time II was being
called the Hannah and the remainder OF the
time the 'Annah.
Gladly" replied Hawkins The real name
OF the vessel whose owners | represent Is
the Hannah. but the II has been lost I'm the
chops OF the Channel"