Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-06-22
LAWYERS ENGAGED IN UNRAv- BILLING A KN0TTY LEGAL
 POINT.
A Special Judge Elected in the Alb sence of the Attorneys of the Bar Raises "Rucas. ''-. Finally Settled by the
 Election of a Special
 Judge.

The attorneys of the Pine Bluff bar had a very interesting and ex- citing session this morning, and for a while had knotty problem to solve which severely strained their legal abilities. It came about in this way: Last Saturday Judge John M. Elliott, prior to his departs. E iDdre for Colorado, caused special
 judge to be eselected to serve dugin& &
 his absence. At the time the 4lefzs'
 tion was mad there were less thne
 half a dozen lawyers present aIq
 the proceeding was genera s&ar s ksTlceWo to inc members Of ..
 This morning when t si5ecape time for the court to convene i{lH the transaction of business and the Circuit Clerk read the record, tR6re. was mighty protest. z
 The record was follows:
 5. M. TAYLOR. ESQ
 Special Judge.
 On this day on account of the ab sence of the Hon. John M. Elliott, the Judge of this court, caused by the illness of his wife, the practicing attorneys of the court proceeded to hold an election for Q special judge to fill the vacancy caused by the ab senee of said regular judge, where upon s. M. Taylor, Esq, regular attorney of this bar, was duly selected, sworn and qualified as said special judge to preside during the absence of the said Judge John M Elliott.
 The attorneys at once raised s'rueas. They claimed that the pro- ceeding was irregular and illegal. The law provides the manner of selecting special judges, and the attorneys, large number being present, claimed that the law had not been complied with. The deputy Circuit Clerk detailed the manner of the election. Mr. s. M. Taylor, who had been selected as special judge and sworn in, said he knew nothing about it further than that he had been notified Saturday of his election and had been sworn in. The attorneys explained that they had no objection to MT. Taylor as special judge, but they did object to the manner of his election. Mr. Taylor said he would resign if he knew to whom to tender his resig- milton. The lawyers claimed that he had never been legally elected and that all proceedings under him would therefore be null and void, but in this they were confronted by the record. The record, they stated, did not comport with the facts, because the members of the bar had not been notified and no formal ballot was taken. But what was to be done and how to get around the record was the question? Hon. s. M. Taylor was called 10 the chair and upon motion of Mai. N. T. White the clerk was authorized to write "error" across the record and to expunge the same. Then an elec- tion for a special judge was held which resulted in the selection of Hon. s. M Taylor. He walked up to the clerks desk and was duly sworn in. Hardly had he taken the judges chair when Gen. H. King White arouse and called ap the case of the State against Frank Stanley, charged with arson, and asked that a day be set for trial. MT. Taylor is one of the attorneys for the State in this case and is therefore dis qualified to set in judgment in this trial. Therefore it became necessary to elect another special judge to deal with this case, whereupon Mr. A. B. Grace was elected to try this cause.
 After this proceeding the meeting of the bar and court adjourned.
 The proceedin gs were watched with interest and amusement by Q large audience who heartily enjoyed the wrestle of the attorneys with the knotty legal problems with which they had to deal.