The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-13
WISDOM IN BIG CHUNKS.

| The greatest and most important
office in North Carolina is the position
of Superior Court Judge. The man
who travels from county 10 county
and holds court--if he is big of brain
and a patriot-has an opportunity for
high and lasting usefulness incompar-
ably greater than any other public
| official enjoys. North Carolina has
been blessed and is blessed today in
decade of the States history eminent
| lawyers. who were too big to be
merely lawyers, have gone about the
State preaching civic righteousness.
dispensing justice, and instructing the
people in their rights and their du
| ties. The people hear a Superior
Court Judge with an interest they pay
to no other man. He is "the court
and when the man wearing the
| ermine appreciates his grave respon-
| to him that is given to no other man.
except the minister of the gospel.
In their charges to the grand juries
| the Superior Court judges-the wise
| ones-inject a deal of wholesome wis
| dom, admonition and philosophy that
| bears fruit with the body OF the coun-
| ty, for 1.-The judges charge is always
| heard by many citizens who get most
of their knowledge of law and justice
| from the charges of the Judges.
At CASTOR Superior Cour. this week.
/ Hon. Charles M. Cooke is holding
court The Gastonia Gazette gives
| two columns to a synopsis of his
charge. 1t is full of chunks of wis
DOM We make room for few ex-
tracts, because the advice given the
grand jury will help citizens every
where. We quote from the Gazette's
synopsis
1.-The individual is also entitled to
security of reputation, in tins class of
crimes comes the Islander of a pure
woman. There are some male human
beings. l will not call them men. who
like to boast of their conuuests over
women; old rOues they arc. who like
to be known among certain class
for their numerous lustful amours, and
a
young men-these old roucs. gentle
men of the jury, deserve your atten-
| ton.
"Now L wouldn't believe one of 'em
wouldn't believe any man who'll
| tell on a woman. / will say here what
| said in Charlotte: / have no use for
a man who is disrespectfW to his
mother, who would cheat q Niger,
Cypress d child, or tell on woman.
If any of these fellows has been
| boasting to you of what he has ac-
| complished in his amours you In
vestigate him.
Touching speculation in futures,
Judge Cooke pad his respects to the
amen corner gamblers and then ad-
monished the grand jury saying, If
you don't indict the amen corner
gamblers, don't you indict the boys
| for playing poker; and If you don't
indict these two. don't you send up
any niggers for playing craps. I'm
| derStand me, they all ought to he in
| dicted, but if you don't indict the first
you ought TO have too much courage
and self respect to indict the others.
Here's Il prominent man carrying
pistol 365 days in the year. No at
tention paid to him. But his tenant
steals dozen. roasting ears or a
watermelon--and that's Il temptation
| to be reckoned with if it's a niger
that is tempted, especially if it's
| rattleSnake melon and he imagineS
| it's got red tmeat-and he is sent to
| the roads, knowing, too. that his land
| lord broke tho law unframed. How
are you going to elevate that man?
| Both men ought to be indicted. But
| if YOU don't indict prominent men
who break the law. don't you indict
| the backwoodS offender. But for your
own comfort I'll say the law doesn't
require you to indict yourself or any
| of your family.
| "Of the offenses against the COM
| munity at large / wish to direct your
attention especially to offcnses against
public justice. Those charged with
the administration of public Justice
must have regard for the law. If the
/ judge leans toward a friend or to-
| ward the strong, he is cOrrupting JUS
| tice. If the clerk Of the court should
charge too much it is cxtortion; II
| he should fail to issue papers, which
| by Jaw he is required to issue, he is
| indictable; if justice of the peace
| exceed his authority TO shield wrong
| doing; if the lawyers who are officers
of the court should fail to turn over
moneys as required by law, or should
las they may often so easily do com.
pound a felony they are indictable.
The high priests who minister at
the altar of Justice must do so with
| clean hands,