The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-26
Legal Wit and HumOr
of Former Days.

New York Times.
That there were some sporting Judges
in the old days was illustrated on one
occasion when a scamp was brought be-
fore an Onondaga justice of the peace
charged with gambling in the shape OF
what is known as the strap game:
The justice, expressing wish to de-
eide understandingly requested the &C
cused to give him an illustration. The
man produced leather strap, gave 1t a
scientific whisk across the bench and
asked
You see, Judge the quarter under this
strapr' =,
a quarter of a dollar there?' inquired the
Judge excitedly, and forgetting for the
moment his judicial capacity.
"Sartin," was the reply.
No such thing" said the Justice, con-
fidently.
Agreed exclaimed the Judge.
With the accustomed adroitness the
strap was withdrawn, when 10! there was
The Judge was of course indignant.
There's your dollar said he, and you
are fined S. for gambling contrary to
the statute in such case made and pro-
vided.
It often happens that it is. convenient
and, in fact. policy for creditor to &C
cept the value Of debt n u KndG IN ten
Mr.. Grey of Syracuse had litigious
client in an old farmer named Merrlck'
who was in hot water with q GARNET CAP e1,
which Merrick was to take in full OF an
demands. the cabinetmaker' note at SIX
months payable in cabinet ware;
About half a year afterward MerricK
came riding up to Mr.. Grey's office, dis
mounted, and rushing in, exclaimed:
az say, Squire, am bound to take cor
f1ns?'' D., l..
why, that fellow has sent up three
collins to my house and receipt Tor me
to sign in settlement or the dept.
Old Jacob Hays was a well known char
acter in the legal world a few years ago
He had spent most of his life as crier to
afternoon ne reclined in his chair and
fell fast asleep. While the recorder was
addressing the Jury Hays began to snore
rather loudly. whereupon an ofhcer WINS
Uncle Jacob, some one is snoring and
disturbing the court.
Up jumped Hays, and in loud tone OF
voice exclaimed:
"Silence! There must be no snoring in
court" Then. turning to the recorder,
he remarked you can go on now with
out interruption.
II is also related of him that on an
other occasion, when drowsily loungfng
in his chair during a serious and mo-
notonous trial. he waa awakened by
sudden and terrific peal Of thunder and
shouted out: SILENCE! Silence'
An innocent legal aspirant was being
examined by Mr. Brady, who put the
following question::
Suppose man sold a horse, warranted
sound and free from vice, and directly
after 1t was taken home 1t showed itself
both vicious and unsound. what form of
action would you bring against the SELL
err"
After a slight hesitation, the student,
with some assurance, answered:
II would sue him for =. each of prom
ise.
Some judges are harsher than others in
enforcing punctualty. especially in the
case of jurymen. The late Judge John
Sloss Hobart of the Supreme Court of
the State of New York was an example.
He haG fined a juryman one morning for
not being present on the call of the panel
at 10 o'clock. A day or two afterwards
the Judge himself was late. and the ag-
grieved juryman, who was still in at
tendance, awaited himself of his chance
to have his penalty forfeited and espe-
cially called attention to the fact that the
Judge himself showed no better example,
whereupon Judge Hobart retorted seri-
ousy:
II desire the jury. and this juryman in
particular, to understand that 1t is not