Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-31
BENCH AND BAR IN ENGLAND
PsOulisritiss Of Practice and Procedure as
Viewed by an American.
DIGNFIED LONDON LAWYERS AND COURTS
Judge w. II. McBugh Tells of His
Visits to the Famous Haunts of
Solicitor and Counsel Dur
Ing the Summer.

Judge W. d. McHugh, who has recently
returned from a European trip of nearly
two months, brings back with him many
interesting impressions of the customs
prevailing in the countries which he Wis
tied, and as he gave more than passing
attention to the manner OF administering
the law, his conversation on that topic is
particularly entertaining. In contrasting
the English courts with those Of America
the judge does not yield all advantage to
the English, and presents much that Is In
favor Of the system pertaining in this
country. Discussing this subject with a
reporter of The Bee the Judge said:
The law and the courts of England oc-
cupy a position. peculiarly their own. and
are unlike those Of any other European
country. Originally every nation Of
Europe fell within the scope OF the Roman
law; but in England, from time immemor-
ial, the laws were framed and administered
according to the customs of the people,
and the decisions of the courts we're re-
tanned and followed and formed the old
common law Of England. Whereas the
Roman law emanated from the church, the
clergy in England was from the very be-
ginning of law limited to certain jurisdic-
tion, based upon the administrator of
strictly ecclesiastical law; for instance,
the laws of marriage and divorce.
English Lawyers Are CIsnnIsh.
"In England the lawyers have always
kept very much to the themselves. They
get together in buildings which are devoted
entirely to their uses, and not only do
they live In these buildings, in their
chambers, as they are termed. but the
law schools are also held there. These
H,,fldfn.a 80 a,II.d fnna 1nd paoav 80
them have gained worldwide fame in his
tory and story, such as Lincoln's Inn,
Gray's Inn, and the Inner Temple and
Middle Temple, as we'll as the Chancery
Inn. The establishment of the Inns Of
court dates back to earliest antiquity;
they were voluntary organizations among
the lawyers to perpetuate themselves and
the common law.
The inns are for the greater part very
old and each consists Of a number Of build
ings comprising the lawyers chambers.
These rooms are small, dark sand dingy,
and. ss the buildings are Of antique archi-
lecture, the halls are narrow and in some
cases the staircases are spiral and the
entire structure is Of a character to re-
mind one Of a fortress or dungeon. Each
inn has it's library and it's dining hall,
where the lawyers dine regularly, and even
the students are required to dine four
times in every term. The Inner and Middle
Temples were originally the home Of the
knights Templar. who fiourished Just after
the Crusades. and the Temple church still
remains as the property Of the lawyers,
In this church are the graves Of = number
of the Knights Templar Of old, who lie
buried beneath the floor. and their resting
places are marked by recumbent figures
in bronze Of knights in full armor.
Features of the Inns.
1.-THE dining halls Of the inns are i'm
pressively antique in appearance and about
them cling many associations Of past ages
The dining hall of the Middle Temple has
an oak floor which is eight inches in thick
ness and was laid centuries age, and there
is also in that dining hall a very old oah
screen which was carved by Flemish work
men. The Middle Temple iourished as q
home Of the lawyers as far back as the
reign Of Queen Elizabeth. and she was q
'bencher' Of the temple.
"The libraries Of the various inns are
extensive and complete. I visited a num-
Der Of them and found many American law