Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-12-03

The bad justices must GO.
The whole Cook County bench Is
against them.
1t Is probable that 40 per cent. Of the
present justices viii be removed next
winter.
Once more the practice Of pettifog-
ging lawyers In bringing suits In re-
mote parts of the county has been
prominently brought to the attention If
the higher courts, and some Of the
judges are considering drastic action
TO check what they freely characterize
as q growing disgrace.
Judge Brentano lately granted an IN
junction against Thomas L. Humphre.
vile and Attorney Frank Little, togeth.
er with three clients. restraining them
from bringing any more suits against a
local medical college. The college had
been sued on contract before Justice
Humphreville In River Forest, and the
Judge refused to allow one of the It'll.
giants to make a statement after he adj.
mitted bringing the action in the coun-
try justice shop.
Judge Brcntano declared from the
bench that he would do what he could
10 put a stop to the scheme Of snap.
shot. jug.handled actions Mt law In
distant corners Of the county, far re-.
moved from the residence or business
Of the persons sued. The Judge had
already expressed the same views. rs
have other members Of the judiciary,
and all agree that q means should be
found to remedy these abuses Of legal
process.
This thing Il an outrage" said
Judge BrentanO. "One Of the first prln-
ciples Of law action Is that both sides
shall be fairly heard, but when a man
Is sued In an inaccessible part Of the
county at an unseemly hour this Is out
OF the question. For instance, I know
a downtown business man who was
sued at s o'clock Monday morning out
in Darlington, thirty miles away. for
an alleged debt OF SO. This Justice
Humphrevllle holds court In River For.
est, ten miles out, and bis son, who Is
lawyer In the heart Of the city, helps
make out the praecipes. don't care to
quote names now, but there Is conniv.
ing between large number Of lawyers
and these suburban justices.
"Of course suit can be brought any
where In the county. but with plenty
OF justices within easy reach Of the
Court House why should poor woman
Ike sued before magistrate far out In
Thornton; Perhaps she takes an early
morning train, and when she gets on
at the depot she inquiries for Justice
SO-and-So's court. Nobody at the sta
zion knows where It Is, and by the time
she finds It the justice tells her, oh,
We disposed Of that case an hour ago,
Why weren't you here?"
zone OF the worst features of this
practice Is the hardship worked on the
poor man who cannot afford to hire a
lawyer" said Judge Hanecy. at Is one
OF the worst abuses of our judicial sys,
TEN, and ! see cases almost every day.
Suits are heard In places where there
are no cars or few trains and at hours
either very early or very late, so that To
defend them person must hire n
nights lodging. The whole expense Is
usually more than the amount sued for.
Many cases have no merit and are
made solely 10 harass and annoy the
defendants with default judgments.
'"The judges have only indirect power
10 remedy the evil, but they can exert
their moral influence against 1t, and
this would be important In cases which
get 10 the higher courts. OF course
many OF them do not reach us at ALL
The butterine case was one Of III,
most important where defendants were
recently put 10 unwarranted lnconve
n!encc. Several prominent manufac
tnrcrs We're arrested on warrant,
sworn out before Justice in the town
OF Cicero, and required TO appear at OF
near midnight.
In speaking Of this case Judge Chef
lain said: II do not hesitate To con
denim the pernlcious practice of sub
Ject!ng citizens at unreasonable hours
10 civil and criminal proceedings, some
times wholly fictitious, before remote
justices, or further annoying them by
frequent continuances where defend.
ants have the courage TO appear. Such
proceedings are Instituted 10 induce
people to settle fictitious claims, or, as
frequently happens, 10 hurry them of
10 jail"
The three judges named have consid.
cred the question as To whether, in az.
gravatcd cases Of this character, the
defendants should not be promptly dis.
charged On the sole ground Of sbuse o!