The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-11
REFORM NC HAWAIIAN COURT,

sure it would be, to the easy going and
Negligent judicial customs of these ISL
amos. When Mr.. A. s. Humphreys,
tate OF Phoenix, A. t., was named as
one who might be induced TO wear the
ermine of the Circuit Court, the Adver-
tiser warmly approved. We saw that
our courts were too reckless and undis-
ciplined; they stood too little on form
and ceremony; they were inclined to
whoop things up and jump the traces,
wholly regardless of the harm done 10
their dignity. The one thing they need
ed and have now got was a Judge
trained in the punctilious etiquette of
Arizona.
You mange-eaten tramp" said a
Tucson Judge to a shirt-sleeved wit
ness some years ago, where's your
coat?"
II left it at home. your Honor!' re-
piled the culprit in weak tones. 1T
was such hot weather that / felt more
comfortable without"
You did. did you" said the Judge
sharply. Now you mosey home and
get that coat. Court is adjourned for
an hour"
rU.r uays later the witness reappear-
ed, then in proper garb. smiling to think
that the Judge could find no further
fault. When the court saw him light
ming began to flash. An order to the
Sheriff brought the man before the
bench at a quickstep. Where have you
been?" Numbered the Court.
Been home for my coat. / rode as
fast as / could
Where do you live?" was the next
question.
"At Holbrook,'
What" snapped the Judge, "a hun
dred and fifty miles from here? Why
didn't you tell me that?"
Because" was the sufficient answer,
you didn't ask"
There may be better illustrations of
Arizona judicial etiquette. but we were
reminded of that particular one by
Judge Humphreys course towards our
esteemed unconventional friend Mr..
Tesla, whose experiences are thus re-
lated. not without some tinge of per-
sonal bitterness, in Mr.. Testa's own
paper:
Judge Humphreys Of the Circuit Court
Of this small Territory is very particu-
lar. His Honor is on his dignity as no
legal luminary has appeared To be in
these Islands. He made an exhIp1uon OF
I
dol grin. when he forbade Mr.. f. J. Tes-
ia to talk to the clerk of the court while
not adorned with a coat. Tesla did his
usual function in the newspaper business
by copying court notes." and he was as
/ most working men are during business
hours in this warm climate-in his shirt
sleeves. The fact hurt the learned Judge
who probably didn't have shirts when he
arrived here. He deliberately insulted
| MIR. Tesla, who knows more about the
etiquette Of a court In a minute than Mr.
Humphreys does in a year. and all be-
cause The Independent, few weeks ago
/ called special attention to the improprIe-
/ ty of a Judge of the Circuit Court max
ing "A cowardly attack on a brother
Judge, who had the misfortune of being
I a Democrat. We hope that Mr.. 1esta
will take no notice of the insult offere.
to him by the petty-fogging carpet-bag-
ger. who has gained a seat in our for
merly honorable courts. The Judge Is
too insignificant to be noticed whether
he has a shirt on or not. In the mean
time we hope our staff will attend ,'
their business without asking the advice
Of a Judge as to the size of their collars
or their costume in general
This is indeed severe but We must
say that Mr.. Tesla committed rash
and inexcusable act when he appeared
20 an Arizona Judge in anything ex-
cept a Prince Albert coat and light
pearl-gray creased trousers; white shir
With small gold studs; link sleeve
buttons; high dickey with fourth
nand tie; fob chain and carrying {
2 Youmans' silk hat of the latest block
Had Tesla doomed up before the Cour
in this, the usual costume of industri
Gus newspaper men in the Honolulu
climate the Judge would not have beer
p shocked. AS IT was he was dumb
; founded. Never before had he seen
Q reporter wearing shirt-sleeves in tn
< sacred temple of Arizona justice; ant
if the Court knows itself he never will
see such an unbecoming sight again.
: Other men than Tesla have beer
taught to respect the divinity that dotl
hedge the court where His Honor sit
: N awful state. The Attorney-G Genera
made bold to ask Judge Humphreys t
examine a certain point of law and wa
brought up short with the remark tina
, the Court wanted no instructions from
him. Ex-Judge Davis was yanked int
a state of mindfulness so quickly tina
> he was under the impression, for sew
eral minutes, that he had been strucl
by the Constitution. In fact it ha
, reached such a pass that the free an,
, easy lawyers and spectators of forme
years shiver in their shoes every tim
, they come within range of the Arizon;
! woolsack. And well they may, for mos
8 OF them know no more about the rea
= thing in judicial punctilio than mul
: knows about side-pockets. But they ar
learning. A Daniel has come to judg
ment and woe to the man who enter
: the temple of justice in anything bu
fashionable attire or is intent upo
A making the irreverent suggestion Sha
r an Arizona jurist could learn anythin
y by looking into law books.
e MORE OF THE MOLAH.r