Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-28
SIR HENRY AND HIS DOG.
A "sporty" English Judge and Fox
Terrier on the Bench Together.


Although Sir Henry Hawkins has re-
ceivcd the nickname of Hanging Haw-
kins," owing to the severity OF the sem
fences which he is accustomed to i'm
pose upon desperadoes and brutal DULLES,
yet there Is no Justice on the English
Bench of whom the criminal classes are
so fond as "'Ennery 'Awkns." This
seems almost Incredible; but II is an abb
solute fact. and one well known 10 the
police. This affection on the part OF
"Bnl Sykes" for Sir Henry may be at
tributed TO the devotion OF the old gem
tleman 10 dumb animals, and likewise
10 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. 81 am fond Of every
kind Of beast. except hypocrite," he
is wont to remark. and nothing Is more
characteristic of the man than the at
lection which existed between himself
and his fayorite fox-terrier. Jack.
Jack Is probably the only dog in oX-
istence that has ever occupied a seat on
the bench. Sir Henry used invariably
to have his little dog with I'm when
he presided at any trial. criminal or
civil. Jack being usually attached 20 his
wrist by a long blue ribbon. Many a
junior counsel has beguiled the te1ium
OF case by watching the ribbon gradu-
ally unroll as Jack pursued his investiga-
tons, while Sir Henry now and again
hauled in the slack. only on one occa-
sion did Jack SO far forget himself as to
bark. Sir Henry had made judicial joke
50 atrociously bad that Jack raised his
voice in protest, not 50 much by way
Of censure Of his mastery wit as with the
hon Of
junior bar which had laughed uproari-
ously. Sir Henry. however rose to the
occasion, and, with the greatest prompti-
tude, directed the ushers Of the court
10 remove that dog from the gallery"
The ushers, Of course did not find any
dog in the gallery, and nobody ventured
to look under the bench, while SIR Henry
commented in indignant tones upon the
impudence OF people who brought dogs
to court"
Sir Henry wears his hair very short,
and Is clean-shaven. on one occasion,
after witnessing the Derby, which he
makes a point Of attending every year.
adjourning his court for the purpose, he
was waiting 10 take his ticket at the
EPSON railway station, at which there
were a number of roughs returning from
the races. One of them was rude TO the
Judge, who demonstrated with him,
whereupon the man invited him 10 go
outside and have what for" Sir Henry
then took of his hat, thinking that. as
the men were probably of the criminal
classes. they would recognize him, and
quietly remarked:
perhaps you do not know who I am"
"S'elp me. Bob his assailant said,
edging of, "a bloomin' prize-hghter. Not
me" and the Judge was not further mo-
Tested.
His closeness of crop on another occasion
led to a curious incident in q skittle alley
in South Country village. Sir Henry.
who was out on ramble between ass yes
with companion Of like tastes, stopped
at a wayside inn and they were soon
hard at skittles with two rustics. Things
went on pleasantly until, in an un-
guarded moment, the Judge removed his
mOleskin cap. ThereupOn one OF the rus
tics. cycling him suspiciously. said: Il
don't mind being neighborly. but Tn
darned II I'm goin' 10 play skittles with
a ticket-of-leave man"
Nothing Is more amusing than the man
ner in which Sir Henry finds means OF
adjourning his court over Derby-Day, so
as TO enable him 10 get 10 the races.
Usually he invokes privately the services
of one of the leading counsel engaged in
cases before him 10 humbly and seriously
petition his Lordship for an adjournment
on the ground OF pressing business and
the impossibility of producing some neces-
sary piece OF evidence. Sir Henry, as a
rule. will make a great fuss about grant
ing the adjournment require the most
solemn assurances from the counsel that
the case cannot possibly go on without
the adjournment. and will finally wind up
by grayely shaking his finger at the
counsel with the remark, you naughty
man, / fear 1t is the race you are going
to-"
There are few judges on the English
bench TO whom more witty sayings are
attributed than Sir Henry. On one occa-
sion, before his elevation TO the bench
he was engaged in trying a marine col
lison case in the Admiralty Court before
Justice Channel. The latter was a clever
Judge, but a sad cockney. dropping his
aspirates at every opportunity. In this
instance the ship which had been run
down OF Dover was called the Hannah.
The Judge persisted in calling IL the
'Annah. Finally, John Huddleston, who
was the counsel for the defence. and an
intimate friend and fellow wit of Haw-
kins. arose and asked whether his learn
ed brother would be good enough to
inform him what the real name OF the
sunken vessel was. since part of the time
IL was being called the Hannah and the
! remainder of the time the 'Annah
Gladly" replied Hawkins THE real
name OF the vessel. whose owners / rep
resent, is the Hannah. but the H has
been lost in the chops OF the Channel"