The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-15

Special Foreign Service
LONDON, JAN 14.-Seldom has there
been more striking reversal of
things, judicial than that presented by
the extraordinary spectacle Of one of
the most eminent, experienced and re-
spected of English judges on trial in
a rural police court charged with
breaking the law which he has so long
ably administered. Sir William Grant
ham is accused of violating the build
ing enactments of an inconspicuous
country council by outraging their
dignity and setting their powers at
defiance by persisting in the erection
of cottages on his estate after they
had refused to pass his plans and de-
clared them unintelligible. The legal
drama abounds in elements of Gill
bertian hu1nor, which might well fur
nish material for companion comic
opera to the Trial by Jury" And it's
farcical elements have been relieved
by a touch of genuine pathos. At one
stage of the proceedings the venerable
judge, overcome by the sense of the
indignity thrust upon him, and the
ingratitude shown him by his neigh
.bors, gave way to sobs and tears. The
story of it is worth more than the out
line of it which has been conveyed in
cable dispatches.
Sir William Grantham is now verging
on seventy. He has been eighteen
years On the bench. Prior to that for
many years he had an extensive prao-
tice at the bar. Both as a lawyer and
judge he has had much to do with
cases involving disputes concerning
buildings, plans and architectural de-
tails. On such matters he ranks high
as legal expert. He inherited a coun-
try estate at Barecombe, in Sussex,
where he has played the role of a
benevolent landed proprietor for half
a century. During that period he has
expended over 100000 in building con-
struetien and improvements. Among
his tenants he is regarded as a model
landlord. One of his hobbies is the
healthy cottages for worzingmen on his
property. That is a matter at present
engaging much attention in England
among enlightened men, who recognize
the evils Of overcrowding in the bis
cities and are striving to make it pos
sible for larger proportion of the la
boring classes to dwell in the country
Sir William drew up the plans ant
designs for a number of these cottages
> himself. AS required by law. he sub.
mitted them for approval to the col
lective wisdom of the Chailey rura
district council. Included in that au
gust body are ten farmers, two retired
clergylnen and two retired tradesmen
Their presumptive lack of technica
capacity to pass judgment upon mat
ters unconnected with agriculture, the
ology and groceries is supposed to b.
compensated for by the abundant prac
tical knowledge possessed by the chair
man, Mr.. Scarlett, who united In hi
person the professions of a barristeI
architect and surveyor. On cross-ex
animation he admitted that as a bar
rister no client had ever rislsed in
trusting him with brief; that as al
architect the only commission he eve
received to design a house came from
a relative, and that his qualification
as a surveyor had never been deter
mined by an examination. Under hi
guidance these representatives Of rura
enlightenment and progress. to the ma
jority of whom cross section and from
elevations were as void of meaning a
the nebular hypothesis. wrestled wit
the plans OF the learned judge. The
called to their aid the official suryeye
OF the council. who. By unique pro