The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-01
LEGAL QUlPS AND QUIRKS;
SUNDRY LAW ODDITIES.

The somewhat novel experiment OF hav-
ing lawsuits decided by juries composed
Of lawyers has, according TO local reports.
resulted satisfactorily in at least two
cases I'm this country within the last
year. Just recently the case OF widow
suing on fire insurance policy on her
house was, by consent OF the litieants and
their attorneys, submitted TO be heard by
jury OF seven well known lawyers In
Collins. Ga, After the evidence and the
charge by the Judge, the lawyer jury re-
tired and speedily brought in u verdict
for the widow, which, IL is said, was
"eminently just" Earlier In the year was
reported the case of American B. 3. Co.
VS.. Pung, in Chicago, where both sides
were in court ready for trial. but enough
jurors could not be found. The judge
thereon called on twelve lawyers, who
happened to be I'm the courtroom. TO
serve. This case, also, IL was reported.
was tried with satisfactory results. Here,
possibly, is new work for able lawyers,
serving as professional Jurors.
what is a building?' Is the apparently
simple question the queens bench div-
sion court Ureland) has been trying 20
solve. A church mission erected struc-
ture made up of wooden walls. canvas
roof and a chimney. This the city OF Dub
lin argued was building for which
corporate permits were necessary. The
mission claimed that IL was not a build
ing but rather something 'in the nature
OF "A tent To enforce his argument, Mr..
o Hhaughnessy, solicitor for the city,
quoted the grave digger's question In
Hamlet: "Who builds stronger than
mason a shipwright or carpenter"
asked this question next. say a grave
maker; the houses that he makes last
TIL doom sday." At last accounts the
court had not decided the question.
The new German code OF civil proceed
ure makes the husband supreme In most
social matters. He may fix the hour for
dinner, the manner OF serving IL. the
number OF servants and he may limit the
yearly supply OF linen. but under no CIR
cumstances may he open his wife's let-
terg without her permission. Though he
may fix the dinner hour IL Is probably
Just as well for him TO be on hand ct the
time when the dinner Is actually ready.
The lawyers inalianable and inestima-
bic privilege Of ''cursing the court" when
the decision has gone against him Is mar
red. as most lawyers realize. by the fact
that the "cursirg" must be done In pri-
vate This snimsdvcrsion. however. some
times takes the form OF communication OF
the lawyers opinion 10 the publisher OF
the law reports Parts OF some OF these
conn. .unications have been printed re-
Z Gently by a law publishing hrm. one
lawyer wrote: '"lhs case ~ q legal curl
osity. and seems TO have been decided by
main force" Another, beaten I'm q high
way case wrote 10 the court: They do
not know a highway even when they
stumbls over 81" Another requests tho
publisher to chastiss the court. stating
that "It will be OF great benefit 10 pro-
fession that this csse be thoroughly air
ca AMI the fallscy and danger OF n in Its
far reaching result be exposed" Another
very prominent lawyer write: The opin-
| ion of our court In sohoolboy blun6er
deserving OF nothing but scathing rebuke,
| and a review OF II should run In that line"
Most seductive OF all tho suggestions was
| the statement. ''t should be very willing
| 10 pay for such criticism Of the decision
IA herein above indicated by me" This. +"
| comments the publisher, recalls the
| Quaker chasing his hat IN the wind. who
| hired an urohin TO curse ~"
The recent care Of skipwfth va. Hurt
| a .egal publication records, was An ac-
ton b. the county Judge OF q county
treasurers bond The county treasurer
vas skipnlth Nho skipped With the