Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-04-13

lawyers OF To-Day VIII tell you who they
were, what they we're and speak well Of
their brethren gone before, And the bar
OF Windham county to-day, while not
large, stands high in the state and wherever
known. II this county seat is up in the |
mountains, the court house walls have |
echoed to oratory equal to any in the land,
and legal battles which have become
famous in Vermon''s judiciary have been
waged in the old court house at Newfane,
and are cred in other states as good law,
The court room is upstairs. To the
right at the head of the landing is the law
yers' room to the left the no IN where the
Jurors retire to consider their verdicts
The Judge enters before court after first
bell, chats moment with the bar, and
then the sheriff raps to order and court
begins. There is no proclamation, and no
g hear ye, hear ye," etc. Beside the pre-
siding Justice there are two associates,
elected by the people, and thus the bench
has three men, The venerable Judge
Walker of Grafton has served in the
capacity OF side judge, and now at about
70 takes as much delight in attending the
court twice year, March and September,
as Of yore. He is cousin of Rear Ad
miral Walker of the navy, now retired at
60, who:e early boyhood was passed in this
county, and of whom the Judge tells many
pleasant anecdotes.
Court time is the holiday of the section
and brings to Newlane motley crowd of
litigants, witnesses and attorneys. A
neighborhood suit means all the town to
court. And it is entirely democratic. For
example, there is no regular barber in this
village, but fellow with disposition to
be accommodating shaves court folks and
occasionally neighbor in his own kitchen,
while his wife busies herself with the sup
per at the same stove, and he takes the
warm water for bis lather cup from her
tea kettle with usual reprimand. Neighbour
ing women drop in while the shaving is in
progress to discuss the case on trial. They
had heard it, for the women of the village
during the afternoons put on their Sunday
clothes and sitting in the gallery of the
courthouse listen to the cases and discuss
the evidence and the summing up of coun-
sci with the same avidlty as the men. And
while the barber's wife and her neighbors
discuss the merits of an important case,
some of the jurors wait their turn for the
razor, but never interrupt the converse
ton Nor does the discussion seem to warp
their opinion.
And here it is timely to add that from
among this sturdy farming class come
healthy and common-sense jurors. One
case was tried here the other day, the first
under the civil damage law regarding the
sale of liquor. 1t was relative to sale Of
cider to young man, who was drowned
as consequence, and his widow brought
| no co1loc nd no nf thp
premises. The jury on first ballot found
both men guilty of the sale, and on first
ballot again agreed to man on a verdict
OF $4,000 for the widow and child. They
were out but 10 minutes, and the verdict
was a righteous one, too. Men heavily
booted, some wearing caps and mutflers,
coming from their rugged mountain farms,
grasp the merits of case and the law as
given them and act intelligently. | am told
that this old country furnishes splendid ma
terial from which panels are taken to settle
disputes between man and man. The
courts are dignifed, decorous, and bust
ness goes on we'll There is no hurry in
PERMISSION from - sharp until NJ thus
flowing ample time for dinner, smoking,
swapping stories and an occasional horse
trade. Lawyers use the time to further
coach witnesses and prepare for argument
Where there are more than one attorney
all argue the cases to the jury in order
First the plaintiff briefly then the defend
ant, and the plaintiff closes. In one case
with four lawyers, each addressed the jury
for about an hour each. The charge Of
the court was as able as from any bench in
any state. So, as said before, court time
is the holiday for the village, not only for
the men but the women, and sometimes
the children. And after all, why is it not
quite proper and educational, for at least
it gives the people an idea OF what the ma
iesty of the law is and what the application
OF the principles Of justice and equity IN
court mean.
that many of the litigants come to court in
their own conveyances and bring their wit
nesses with them. Jurors come by their
own teams, bringing their own grain, hir-
ing stable room and buying hay, and thus
come and go as they please, reducing ex
pens es to a minimum. 1t is then the hote
are lively and ''hoss" is talked more or
less. Occasionally juror who thinks he
has good piece of horseflesh is in no
mood to hear it limited that some other
mans equine is better stopper than his
own. And so it comes to pass that up the
street can be seen an occasional brush
that is interesting and attracts a crowd,
and to which sometimes bench and bar are
not ayerse. Court time also furnishes a
. capital opportunity for swapping horses
and one juror said he had traded horses
five times since he came here and expected
to make several more swaps before he re-
turned home.
And practical joking is not unknown. 1t
is related that occasionally judge holding
court is not alto gether an innocent party
or unenjoyable participant. A good prac-
teal joke is told as happening only recent
ly. One day party of countrywomen at
court brought their own lunch and at the
noon hour started for the hotel to eat it.
Entering the hall, they inquired of another
court officer just EN- ering where the parlor
was and they were told that it was the
} first room at the end of the stairs. 1t so
happened that this room belonged to the
presiding Judge, who was little tardy land
! when he arrived the women had the lunch
| spread out on his table and were perfectly
J at home in his room He said nothing, en-
: joyed the joke and passed on to the dining
: room. Later, when he returned the mis-
! guided guests had gone. This was on the
: second floor of the hotel The Judge said
; nothing, but bided his time.
Now it SO happens that the old jail is a