Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-02-18
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT.
FEBRUARY TERM, 1896.
COURT OFFICERS.

4 w. s7>se. SS~sStNs S0Ssh's
| FEBRUARY TERN, 1896.
COURT OFFICERS.
Euoch Foster, Justice Presiding
Chss. =. Whitman, Clerk
Fred A. Porter, Sheriff
III. T.. Hammond, Crier
T.. +. Smith, County Attorney
Minta s. Powers, Stenographer
w. A. Barrows, Messenger
ii. c. Davis, Librarian
Oxford County's new court house be
gan 10 ill with court attendants ant
spectators some time before the hour sc
for the opening of the February tern
last Tuesday. From the villages o
South Paris and Norway the people
flocked In, not only To see the new build
ings, but many of them to witness To-
the first time the ceremonies attending
the opening Of term of Supreme Judi
cial Court.
The lawyers met, shook hands, chat
ted, and made the air blue with cigsl
smoke) in the library, and gradual,
drifted In and filled the space In th,
court room inside the rail, while the rest
Of the floor and the gallery were filling
with jurymen aud spectators, till the
room was filled to its full seating capac-
ity.
Judge Foster was expected TO arrive
from Bethel on the train due at l0:l3
but just before that train was due, word
came that an accident TO that train had
made wreck near Gilead, and that 10
consequence the train could not be ex-
pected for an hour or two at least. So
the opening was deferred until after
noon, and the people went home.
OPENING CEREMONIES.
At the coming In OF court Tuesday
afternoon, Judge Foster announced that
he thought proper, in view Of the open
Ing of the new court house, to devote an
hour 10 informal short speeches by the
attorneys. He said IL was the first time
he had seen the new buildings, not hay
ing been here since the laying Of the
corner stone. He was very much pleas
ed with the appearance OF what he now
saw aud thought the court house second
10 none in the state in point OF architect
ural beauty, convenience, light and
general utility. He referred touchingly
10 the associations and memories con-
nected with the old court house on the
HUI and offered his congratulations upon
the appearance of the new.
Judge George A. Wilson OF South
Paris spoke of the difference that he had
noticed upon the countenances OF differ
ent people Is they wendell their way 10
the court house, owing, he presumed, TO
the different reasons which called them
there; some coming eagerly TO be enter
tsined, others coming regretfullv who
had been summoned. Judge Wilson
thought the new buildings excellent: an
ornament 10 the village and the county
and credit 10 those who had their ereI-
ton in charge. IL should be matter of
congratulation among the members OF
the Oxford Bar that they are provided
with such accommodations, and whatever
the feelings of the past, he hoped that all
were now united aud pleased that We
can assemble In an edifice so well fitted
and convenient.
Hon, George II. Bisbee of Rumford
Falls said: We have had legal giants AT
the Oxford Bar in times past, and have
noticed that many OF them have been To-
Gated In Bethel. He thought IL little
unfair that while we were sitting here
for several hours awaiting the arrival OF
the court, His Honor should be up Ia
Bethel liking up speeches TO come down
here and spring upon an innocent and
audience. IL looked some
like Bethel trick. Mr.. B!sbee said he
was proud OF the appearance OF the new
buildings. Oxford County, says
MIR. Bisbee, IL progressive county and
"a progressive county IL Was due To US
that we should have court house that
was modern aud up with the times in
which we live aud that We should have
il where IL would be convenient Of ac-
cess. Mr.. Bisbee alluded feelingly 10
the memories Of the past which the por-
traits upon the walls OF the law library
brought 10 his mind, and to the fact that
those portraits seemed 10 connect the
old home with the new and give TO the
latter familiarity which was pleasant.
Hon. Addison r. Herrick of Bethel
thought IL about time that some repre-
sentative from that town disclsim any
trick being fastened upon Bethel and
said that they were not responsible for
delays and accidents upon the Grand
Trunk Railway. Mr.. Herrick said he
was proud OF what the county had done
in the mstter OF new buildings. He be-
lieved the feeling thst existed against
the movement had largely disappeared,
and that feeling of pride had taken It's
place with most of the people OF the
county, that they now have buildings
suitable aud convenient for the trans
action of the county business.
Judge Herrick {. Davis Of the Norway
Court said he had been think
ing that IL might be very pleasant for
those who favored removal 10 come here
and congratulate each other. While
opposed the removal, | accepted the
verdict cheerfully, but like the Southern
Confederacy, still think was right
Judge Davis said he was glad when he
got rid OF one Of those legal giants up In
Bethel, aud he thought that We had
few Others at the Oxford Bar that he
would be glad To get rid of IN the same
way, for they ought 10 have been upon
the bench long ago.
Hon. James 5. Wright Of South Paris
said that while there were very many
people in the county who were satisfied
with the old accommodations, he
thought there were very few who would
not be pleased with the new when they
had inspected them. He thought IL due
10 the people of the county that they
should have buildings that were safer
and more convenient. He quoted Senat-
or Frye as saying in substance that
there was nothing TOO great for the peo-
pie of Oxford County to undertake /;
that they would govern the state or
even the United States, and the senator
believed they would do il successfully
aud well, too. Mr.. Wright congratulated
those in charge Of the erection OF the
buildings and said they should be proud
of the results of their labors.
Hon. John Z. Swasey of Canton said
Ia substance: presumed that l might
be called upon because the subject OF the
removal of the county buildings is not
new subject to me, and | supposed that
YOU might want to know how l feel
upon the subject. opposed the remov.
al Of the county buildings, not because
felt that we did not need better buildings
and safer vaults for the records, but,
with all due Difference TO the people OF
South Paris and Norway, l was In hopes