Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1906-09-06
Hero of the War of 1912 +:
BY !. w. B.


perhaps three hundred souls. TIL
court house then an humble one, wa
built Of brick, about thirty feet squar
with lower room for the sittings O
the court, while the upper story ser
we'd for jury rooms and sheriff. office
The lower floor of brick was worn b
tramp Of feet into valleys, renderin,
it difficult TO walk, steadily. TIL
"bar'' and judges bench was elevat
ed some four feet aboveI the paveC
floor, encircled with wooden banister,
and rendered accessible by fight Of
narrow steps on either side.
Lawyers and litigants sthronged
the modest "brick tavern" from sur
rounding counties in the ''circuit'
and the unsettled titles to lands in
that early day together with the gen.
eral use, and universal popularity of
-Kentucky whisky, then as
now most fruitful source of bad
temper, and worse behavior filled the
docket, of tribunals with endless lit
igation, and gave the courts and
iawers a fruitful field for prosecutions
and defense of offenders, against the
peace and dignity of the common
wealth.
We are in these latter days some
times shocked, and Disguised. by the
reckless statement of some over i'm
pulsive moss-back that the sold
times " Of free whisky and ''fst-fghts'
were the best days. God forbid, no
one of sufficient age to remember the
revely and disgraceful broils, and
bloody fisticufs on tho county and |
circuit court days of eve olden time"
will be deceived by the unwaranted |
of the aforesaid "moss-
back who regretfully contrasts the
'good old days with the more or
derby and law-honoring conduct of
our citizens under the more desirable
police regulations of this age of high
er civilization; and modern progress.
Among the notables, usually in at
tendance upon the first days session
IF circuiticOurt in Marion, KY, one
Samuel Mccormack, who bearing the
scars of "battle received in the
service of his country, at the battle
II the "Horse Shoe aud other sang
linary engagements, delighted to
ecount the thrilling adventures ex-
,erienced by him while in the thick
st of the fight. And when his elo-
Iuence and powers of imagery were
by frequent potations of s.
kentucky "corn juice. (of which he
'as inordinately fond,) the listening
rowd would give frequent expression
their admiration by hilarious APP y
lause. \
"Uncle Sam" as he was familiarly "
allied was also made to feel the ex- =
aulted admiration entertained for :"
i'm, by frequent solicitations to =
imbibe" which he never declined, r
} long as his powers of locomotion o
ere not too seriously weakened by
revious rotations. He delighted to !"
past OF his courage, and his eloquence .,
und its chief success in his denunc- =
lions Of the coward, while a MAORI :"
OF his acquaintance accepted -
ithout question his boastful state "'
ents of valOr and self possession un-
,r fire, so frequently made, there " ~
ere some who entertained doubts of ="
cir entire creditability, and it was w
cided that our venerable warrior -
ould be put to the test. The op. ~
,rtunity for such trial was not 10
Ow to arrive. There were those y"
nOng the genial citizens of the vii ."
&c who were ever on the alert, for
'un" and tempted by the prospect o''
real "side-splitting" amusement, -
'uld not hesitate to engage in even !"
daring exploit" l.,