The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-14
DECISIONS ARE VOID
IN BLACKWELL'S
COURT
Business of the Hamline
Justice Transacted in the
City Proper Declared to Be
Invalid by Judge Lewis
Legality Of Marriages Per-
formed Is Also Questioned.

Judge Lewis, in the district court,
yesterday handed down a decision in
which he holds that Justice of the
Peace j. r. Blackwell, elected to serve
in the Tenth and Eleventh wards, or
what is known as the Hamline dis
trict, has no jurisdiction down town,
where he maintains an Office and con-
ducts the greater part of his business.
In thu opinion of Judge Lewis the
Hamlire justice has no more rights
outside Of his own district than a pri-
Vate indi ,idual and a judgment Sc
cured in Justice BlackWelPs court at
his down town Office is declared by
Judge Lewis to be invalid.
Even Marriages Void.
The decision is of the utmost i'm
portance, inasmuch as it will doubtless
invalidate all of the business transact
ed by Justice Blackwell at his Wa
basha street office. Well informed at
torneys expressed the opinion yester-
day, when discussing the decision, that
every piece Of litigation cared for by
Justice Blackwell outside the Hemline
district was void, and some of them
even went so far as to say that the
marriages performed by the Hamline
justice at his Wabasha street office
could be declared invalid and of no
force
Judge Lewis yesterday declined to
express himself as to whether his de-
cision would result in invalidating 9TH
er judgments rendered by Justice
Blackwell, saying that on account of
the vast Importance of the matter, he
did not care to discuss 1t. The word
ing Of the decision handed down by
him, however, leaves little or no doubt
as to the judges opinion in the mat
ter Should litigants who have aired
their troubles in Justice Blackwell's
court in the past decide to take adj
vantage of Judge Lewis decision and
test the validity of the justice courts
jurisdiction, 1t would be almost i'm
possible to predict what the conse-
Quences would be.
Decision Is Sweeping.
The decision of Judge Lewis is a
sweeping one, and means that Justice
Blackwell will hereafter have to trans
act his official business in his own bail
iwick.
The case in which the decision was
rendered was that of A. Weichert
against A. B. Thorne, J. r. Blackwell
and F. E. Baker. Thorne originally
sued Weichert- before Justice Black
well, retaining Attorney T. E. Baker to
prosecute the suit. The suit was COM
menced before Justice Blackwell in
the Hamline district, but upon agree
ment was transferred to his Wabasha
street office, where he occupies the
same office with Attorney Baker. A
judgment for the amount asked was
found against Weichert, but his at
10, Gil.
validity of the judgment on the ground
that the justice and the plaintiffs at
torney occupied the same Office in
violation Of the law, and acted in col
luson with intent to defraud. When
they were cited into court to- show
cause why the Judgment should not
be set aside on these grounds Judge
Lewis held that it could not be DONE,
inasmuch as the objections had not
been stated at the time of the trial.
While refusing to declare the Judgment
invalid at that time and on the objec-
tons cited Judge Lewis took occasion
to denounce the methods employed by
the Justice and the attorney on ac-
count of Attorney Baker being per-
mitted to practice before Justice Black
well when the two men occupied the
same office. practice which Is pro-
hibited by law
Cary & Selb then renewed the at
tack upon Justice Blackwell and the
validity of the judgment rendered by
him against their client, this time on
the question of jurisdiction, their con-
tentions being upheld by the decision
rendered yesterday.
Judge Lewis declared the Judgment
void and restraints the defendants from
attempting to collect it.
Ever since Justice Blackwell he's
been conducting court down town at
torneys have held the opinion that his
actions were Illegal, and the decision
yesterday was the principal topic of
conversation among the attorneys who
were about the courthouse.
Actress Dies of Her Injury.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. April Reference