The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-01-19


ninhcd room with the bar In the north
end Of the room. Around the sides Of
the room nre arranged leather uphol-
stored aettecs for the use Of spectators
white plain tables and chairs arr pro-
yided for the attorneys A. the left
Of the Judicial bench slts the balllf,
Finley Pcrrinc. one Of the most agree.
able. entertaining and sDcimbie men Il
has been our pieasurT. 10 meet AZ the
r'Sht Of the bench sits the clerk. Judge
Murphy. IL good-natured. accommodate
ing. easy.going man Of advanced years.
At exactly IL O'Clock noon the door OF
the private once ~ the Judges opens
and the baiiiff pounds on the table 10
call the audience 10 standing posture
while he cxclnIms IN loud voice:
Gentlemen: The honorable judges ~
the supreme court u the State Of Ore
gOn." A. soon a. the judges have filed
into their places chief Justice Moore
leading and taking the middle chair,
Justlc" Woiyerton following and taxi
ing the chair az the right OF Judge
Moore. Judge Bean bringing up the
rear and taking the chair on the left,
the baillff calls out; Hear ye hear
ye. hear yc hear yel The Supreme
Court Of the state Of Oregon IL now
in nslon." The audience is then seat
cd ana the court proceeds 90 business
Monday Is the day FOR handing down
decisions. The decisions are written by
one of the Judges and concurred In or
obj .cted 10 by the others. The cases
are divldsd among the judges 10 that
they each DO about an equal portion OF
the work The decisions are taken TO
the office of the clerk OF court where
they are Immediately pounced upon by
the newspaper reporters. who make
outlines of the opinions for their pa
pers. II a case be set for argument
the chief Justice calls the case and d.
rects the attorneys TO proceed The at
torncy for the appellant steps to the
reading desk. opens his brief. a copy
OF which each Of the judges holds in
his hands, and takes up the argument
or makes such statements as he may
desire. Sometimes as many as nifty or
a hundred law books are produced and
read from as authority for the PROPOSE
tlons maintained by the attorneys. As
points Of law only are argued in the
supreme court there is seldom any one
court officers. There Is nothing 10 ex-
cite interest or attract attention and
even one OF tbe psrtles 10 the case
would ind IL rather dry entertainment
II he undertook to listen TO the argu-
ment u his case
The young attorney stands before the
supreme court FOR the first time with
shaking knees and trembling hand. yet
there Is no court - easy to practice be-
for, as the supreme court No judge
could be kinder or more considerate Of
youth and inexperience than are the
judges In this court, Surprises are sell
dom sprung herr and the attorney has
that will be raised 1t is his own fault
II he goes before the court unable to
sustain his positions and acqut himself
with credit. or course the attorney
who appears In the supreme court must
be able In argument and discriminating
in judgment. Eloquence goes for moth
ing here. II is simply question OF
what is law and what is not, and the
Judges are lawyers Of eminent ability
who look beyond. above, through and
into the sophistries Of a lawyer at the
bar OF their court Each lawyer ap-
pearing In the case has an opportunity
To argue before the court and every
lawyer, be he high or low In reputa-
ton, well known or obscure Is treated
with the utmost courtesy and is ac-
corded the closest attention by the
court.
EANNN WI Allf ~ NAlN al dlpulAu ltill
fellow well met OF the state house AL
ways in good humor, known to every
body and everybodys friend. ready to
do any favor for anyone. a joke. a
story, bit OF good sense always at the
tip OF his tongue. he Is everywhere |
sought and everywhere welcomed. |
When not on duty he is to be found In
the state library.
The members from Clatsop county |
are still refusing to attend the sessions
OF the house. and continue TO lend their |
assistance to the obstructionists, Ev-
eryone is disguSted with the present
state OF AFFAIRS. but no one seems to
know how soon the deadlock will be
broken