New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
LONDON'S C1DI.
CAUSTIC ORIGINALITY OF MR. COMMIS-
SIONER KERR
MIS-
From The London Mail.

From The London Mail
Although Mr.. Commissioner Kerr has hurt the
feelings and wounded the pride of many people
lawyers and public alike during his long term on
nouncement of his retirement finds him held in high
respect and regard
Malcolm Kerr. the aged scotsman-he is eighty
years old to-day,who has for forty-two years acted
us the City's cadi. is a character completely
out of the ordinary line of human nature that he
might have stepped straight out of Charles Dick
He has been fine old judge-capable. caustic
group at the annual thieves supper" in connection
cred that one of the men had been up before him
the judge. and the frank reply Well yes. l did"
pleased him that the astonished eX-convct
rewarded with a sovereign
He was an enormous worker. and would get
that many a learned brother would have occupied
fT eyer one lie sconomized time in several ways
of cases by redundant evidence. Don't want any
Quoting the proceedings. You've proved your case;
now you are only trying To up costs. Sit
other which angered MIR. Commissioner Kerr it was
to see Waste of money in law costs
o. summing up His general formula was something
'Gentlemen-You have hear-r-d the eevldence just
as "eel as ha hear-r-d it mysel; just leave the
poosed to possess. Cawnseeder your vardict"
or a variant upon which h. would ring the
chances was TO the effect that if the jury believed
the evidence for the nlaintin they would find a
verdict the plaintiff il they believed cVf-
g'neG Tor the defendant they would find a verdict
;or ia" defendant; hut if. like himself. they be
loVed neither the evidence for the plaintiff
thai for the defendant. Providence alone could tell
Hnat their verdict ought To be
hi,e v1s the cnn,r3ieei'1r' y 90 10 ms eth M,
that dog must have won character savage
Ness before II could prejudice its master In "a
ouent was an cleycr-y ycar-old boy Who had broken
and entered a shop by lifting latch and descend
in two steps i'm order TO secure handful of sweets
The commissioner protested against the employ
mont 81 me whole criminal machinery Of the coun-
~ ~ haslsteTIaI hearing. and old Bailey
rIal-to break 80 small Il butterfly on the wheel.
been To take the child into the backyard and tn
n. ne lnhieied punishment upon thar part of hi,
had provided for the specific purpose
lie displayed his originality OF thought dozen
times day. When arguments addressed to him
We're loaded with precedents and quoted cases I'm
break in 10" III my o"" court ne "ou''
He was the scourge of money lenders in the days
OF their unfettered exorbitance. and Shylock
VINO was entitled To the pound OF flesh which the
law gave him was served with Portia-lke Justice
away from the debt Although he had paid thc
as interest and Charges nearly twic. as murh ~
he had borrowed. You must pay this debt" said
the rate Of one penny month" II viii take that
the specified rate
He was once demonstrating aeans, The trylali,y
your lordship pleaded the counsel for the plniniif
IN, nat @ would you do II feaooious dog rushed into
should see that the policeman who looks after
judge.
one unfortunate debtor swore he could not pay.
ana that ne made rot a penny OF profit out OF his
business
Then why in the world don't you sell it to some
body quizzed the commissioner That Is what
smart people do with business that does not pay
\ tobdcconist with a bill for cigars the purchase
OF which was denied produced his books by way
o. proof
is that all your evidence asked the judge
Yes" said the plaintiff
Nov attend to me" said the commissioner
Just 70 home and sit down and make an entry
d4'iiiSl me lot fIrD worth or cigars smoke
them, the nasty things'-theu send me in your
account. and / shall refuse to pay. Then try to
prove your case by that entry"
The tohacconst closed his ledger and departed:
ana, II wise, learned from the judge a lesson worth
the amount Of the claim he lost