The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-27
VOT QUITE AN kuGEAN STABLES
But the Dirt Got the Best OF the Judge,
and Cleanliness May Result.
Especial to News and observer.)


I Greensboro, N c., Feb 26.-Day before
yesterday Judge Cooke made a modest
enquiry of Deputy Sheriff Jones, who has
been running the court for the past two
terms, as TO where the sheriff was. He
was informed that the sheriff was out of
town. The Judge then said that he would
like to make his acquaintance: that he
would hate to have to go away and say
that he held two terms of court in Gull
ford county and had never even had the
pleasure of an introduction to or a sight
of its high sheriff. Deputy Jones stated
that the sheriff's health had been very
bad the whole winter, or the judge would
certainly have had the pleasure of meet
ing him. You make a most efficient
court officer, Mr.. Deputy" said Judge
Cooke, but / honestly would like to see
the sheriff,
Turning around in his chair and facing
Mr. Clapp, the deputy clerk, the judge
said: Where is the clerk? Is he in
town. Yes, sir" responded the depu-
ty, 'but he is in very poor health, and
during court he generally says in the of
flee to look after business there" well,
said the judge, 81 have the honor of an
acquaintance with him, but l would just
like to see him one more time. This hit
tie break in the monotony of the trial Of
the Brooks Manufacturing Company case
against the city of Greensboro created
some diversion and considerable comment
all in the judges favor. 1t was thought
that he was simply homesick and was
impregnated with human yearning after
some official comradeship, or something
of that kind. But this morning, when
court opened, it developed that Judge
Cooke wasn't after sympathy, but dirt
the other day. AS soon as court opened
he made the same feeling inquiries after
the sheriff, the clerk, and the register of
deeds, and by happy coincidence every
one of them was present and greeted him
with the greatest alacrity as well as cor
diality. The Judge then submitted a few
remarks on the filthy, disgraceful con-
dition of the court house, especially the
court room, the approaches thereto and
the Corridors He said the things they
had placed about i'll the passages called
spittoons or cuspidors were apparently
old boxes, used for generations without
emptying, and admirably adopted for
microbe breeding farm or germ labora-
tory; that all about were germ breeding
itotSoil ana JSlS5tLu QlII anu TRASH, dut
down stairs the passage was literally a
junk shop 1t was the duty of the court
he said, to look out not only for its own
health, but that of the witnesses, jurors
and attendants, even to the officers and
lawyers, and if things weren't cleaned up
and some of the dirt removed by the April
term OF court, he would absolutely refuse
to hold it,
There would be some excuse, he said.
II the county was poor and couldn't pay
Tor a house cleaning, but such was not
the case in Guilford county.
Register of Deeds and Clerk to the
Board OF County Commissioners. Kirk
man, asked to be heard He said that
for the past six or seven months the
court house had been undergoing repairs
every part of it being overhauled and
large new addition made: that the CON
tractors had signally failed to complete
the work on time,sand there had bee6
trouble aud delay in fixing up the vaults
OF the clerks and register of deeds nc.
fees, which necessitated the STORAGE nc
plumber IN the passages, which did not no.
long there; but that it would not be lone
before everything would be allrigbt
Judge Cooke rejoined that he didn't saa
what the contractor had to do With clesn.