The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-07-25
JUDGE AMBER
Writes Of HisExperience
In the Philippines
DEALS OUT JUSTICE
With the Aid of an Interpreter
--Spiendid Chance for
Young Lawyer to
Get Rich.

Judge Byron s. Amber, who had
been appointed to the court in the
Philippines, recently arrived at Manila.
He is brother of Judge Ralph s.
Amber, of Canton. and in letter
which the latter received Monday the
Philippine jurst tells something of
his experiences in Uncle Sans new
territories.
Among the earliest persons whom
Mr.. Amber met in the Philippines
was Father Vattman, formerly pastor
Of the Catholic church at Canal Fulton.
The father had been appointed chap.
lain of a regiment and finally landed
in Manila. He had taken but one
razor with him. and having losIG it
was in a dilemma He appealed 10
Judge Amber and was made present
OF one ont of case.
Judge Amber wrote to he's brother
for number of articles of wearing
apparel, such as necktles. suspenders
ctc.. which he said could not be Sc
cured there at ALL
He has not yet been fixed perna-
nently in his official position. not hav-
ing a permanent court room, clerk
aScribientes, as IL. IS called in Span
ish, or interpreter. In spite of these
drawbacks, he has been holding court
and disposing of cases. The appro-
priation for his court was not oper-
ative until July /, when the necessary
adjuncts 20 running court in Manila
could be secured. The letter was
written, before July 1.
One of the things hat made the
practice difficult to an American is the
fact that there is no criminal code.
and all cases had to be tried under the
old Spanish law. In discussing the
sitIat on there the writer said:
81 am surprised at the small number
of murder cases in Manila. There
have been no executions since the
civil government took hold, and Cnly
one culprit sentenced to death, with
perhaps half dozen trials for mur-
der in d fferent degrees all told.
Municipal courts dispose OF a large
part of the criminal CASES, having jur-
isdict.ou in more serious crimes than
in Ohio, so that in Manila the crimi-
nal business in courts Of irst instance
is very light. although in the prov
irccs it comprises almost the entire
b:s.n SIS of the c-u'ts, .or Lhe reason
that there are very few lawyers n
ly speaking who sPeak Engii h. A
young ma1, who N I'd lit, II to b ng
lawyer, could talk Or loa,n Spanish,
could come odt here AMI settle ia a
few years. The Spanish-Americar
lawyers are busy all the lime and
command big fees.
The work of the courts is inter-
fered with by the customs of the req
pie. All work is suspended for ;hres
hours by all classes during the middle
Of the day. Dinner is served at 8
o'clock in the evening, and social calls
are usually made from to o'clock
in the evening. AS that Is the time
also when almost everyone goss drlv-
ing. very few persons are found at
home when calls are made. and that is
why it is such a popular time for calls.
Every one wears white except on
formal occasions in the evening rhese
white costumes are not expensive, but
they wear out rapidly as they cannc,
Withstand the laundering. Clothes
here are laid upon a rock and pound
ed with club by the washerwoman.
which is rather hard upon the fabric"
law bulletin, which is being pub
lished in Manila, shows that Judge
Amber is doing a lot of work in his
courts, the report indicating that lie
disposed of more cases than two of
his associates upon the bench. He
has not as yet felt the enervating in
fiuences of the climate or dropped into
the indolent ways of the tropics.