Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-12-03

\ tory court of his Honor, Squire
Bonner.
In the summer of 1852 an apprecia-
tive public elected Thomas Bonner
Justice of the peace In Quartz town.
ship.
He was not the only early-day JUS
'tice in the county, for the records Of
Butte show that Edwin Fitch in 1851,
]. b. MCGEE In 1862, and William Rob-
ertson in 1853, all qualified as magis-
tratcs In Quartz township, while s. s.
Horton, Samuel Carpenter, d. +. II.
Low, Lewis Stark and H. NJ. Galley
did the same in Mineral township dur
ing the corresponding period.
Squire Bonner, however, seems to
have been the only II of the lot who
made any special effort to discharge
the duties of his office.
Justice, as he impersonated her, was
not merely a blind goddess, standing
with balances and sword, by her altar,
ready to hear the plants Of the atllict-
ed.
Far from it.
JIM was ihlhNi Al Az Nu hNtNNtiNN,
oil, more properly speaking, u knight
Grant, going from place to place seek
ing for an opportunity to apply the
balances and use the sword.
Realizing that but little business
would come TO him at Holmes Hole,
on Rush Creek, where he resided,
Squire Bonner put his Justice shop"
on wheels, metaphorlcally speaking,
and travelled from camp to camp in
search of controversies upon which 10
ndjudicate and collect the fees.
Many are the tales that the old-tim-
crs love to recount of this worthy JUS
tice and his pioneer methods of dis
pensing "gilt-c" ed" law to the guile
less miner.
On II occasion, fully equipped, he
made his appearance mt Nelson Point,
and announced himself as prepared to
deal out justice with Il liberal hand to
nll who felt themselves in reed of the
commodity.
Before his Honor promptly appeared
n ltamshire, who wished to sue for
n writ of restitution and the recovery
of $500 damages, the defendant being
an individual who held adverse pos
session of n mining claim to which the
plaintiff felt himself entitled.
The arrival of the wandering -. p"
Mt the particular time in question sery-
cd TO prevent Il personal encounter be-
tween the rival claimants, for they
were oil the point of setting the Ques-
ton of ownership on the field of honor
when Bonner made his appearance on
the scene.
The W men then wisely decided to
let the law take It's course and the suit
was duly commenced, TO the great dis
satisfaction, however, of many of the
miners, who had been accustomed to
zee all difficulties settled anon them
selves, and therefore looked upon the
invasion of the migratory justice with
rather unfrlendly eyes.
Just here 1t should be stated that #
was II of the inflcXihle rules of Bon
ner's court that the fees must be paid.
That was what he held court for, he
caid, and unless tie costs OF court were
lhNAAlNAN Ailhi'hA'Nh NiltIt NOUlu he nn
JOY in life for the worthy Justice.
TO make it absolutely certain that
he should not work in vain, it was his
custom to decide against the party
whom lie judged was best able to pay
the costs. Taking his somewhat pecu-
liar view of things, good business prln-
ciplcs would not permit him to do 9th
Crwise.
Ii so happened that rs the Ramshire
case progressed his Honor began to
feel uneasy about the costs.
He had understood ut the beginning
that the plaintiff had nothing, and he
carly determined, therefore, to decide
In his favor, and thus throw the costs
upon the defendant. But something
caused him to fear that even from the
latter he would be unable to collect his
fees.
He therefore made an order that the
defendant give bonds for costs of suit
and $500 damages, thinking thus to
insure himself against the possibility
of disappointment.
But this made the defendant Sis.
picious, and rs he was not o~vennyious.
anyhow. to have the trial proceed, he
refused TO furnish the required sure
ties.
In the meantime the miners compos.
Ing the large crowd which had assem-
bled TO witness the trial had early be
come indignant at Bonner's methods.
and when the mandate in regard to the
bonds were ISSUED their anger in
creased.
1t was decided to appeal to the PEG.
Pie at large. and n meeting was at once
called that this might be done. After