Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-02
NEW JUSTICE IS
GIVEN GOOD START
COLLECTS MARRIAGE FEE IN
TEN MINUTES
Appointees Are Busy Arranging Their
New Offices-Se lph Does Not
Expect Many Wedding
Ceremonies

Justices John Summerfield and e.
r. Selph, the recent appointees of the
board of supervisors, yesterday took
the oath of office and settled down to
work in their new court rooms on New
High street, awaiting the April rush
of business in the legal line and the
Nav and June stampede in the mar
riage department.
Johnnie Summerfield was yesterday
called upon to perform marriage
ceremony He had not been in oftlce
more than ten minutes and was di-
recting the work of fixing up his court
room when a couple hesitatingly en-
tered and asked for the Justice. sum-
merfield wiped his bedewed forehead
with his shirtsleeve and allowed" he
was it, and if they'd just walt min
ute he would go and get on his coat.
The couple waited and looked at the
new furniture for the court room and
made remarks about how romantic 1t
would be to be married in a lumber
camp.
About that time the new justice ap-
peared and ushered the happy couple
into his private office. Before he was
Justice Summerfield he was assistant
coroner, and his career had been lin
tied to dead ones.
Gives Countersgn
He, however, put on smile that
might have meant "God bless you, my
children" or Let the jury look at the
remains" and waded into the cere-
mony.
He told them to hold each others
right hand and when they did that
awkwardly Summerfield,. who is one OF
the local herd, showed them the grip
of the Elks, and they held on at a
great rate while the ceremony was
read.
"Whew" remarked Summerfield as
he gathered in the fee and took off
his coat again, and the couple went
out of the office, while the clerks and
officers looked at the new justice and
| laughed as though they thought he hac
been indulging himself in some Apri
fool joke.
The justices courts are both on New
| High street. Justice Summerfield ha:
fixed up a pretty little court room ir
quarters formerly occupied by Justice
Young. His furniture is new and made
| to match that of the superior courts
Justice Selph is occupying quarters
in the Jones building on the second
floor His court room is the best o.
the Justices apartments and is near
ly as big as the regular superior
courts. Ine room was Formerly IN In'
old days used as Judge Mckinley
court and has later done service al
lodge room.
Detrlment to Weddings
4 The courts chair is one of the olt
lodge room chairs, a high affair
carved in filigree with little steeple
on it like those used by preachers, ant
Selph says that the couples he Marie
will be more at home when they se
that chair. Selph also states that h
does not expect to perform many mar
riage ceremonies, because his new cour
/, room is upstairs, and a man about t
be married is always weak in tn
} knees just preceding the ceremon
, and is unfit to mount stairs.
{ BY the arrangement of the furnitur
! for the new justice court yesterday
was evident that the change of tn
! courts to the court house building
T simply a matter of a few weeks. A
four courts will be moved under tn
same roof and several changes in tn
arrangement Of the higher courts wi
be made as soon as a building is sc
! lected by the supervisors for the hous
ing of the recorders, assessors SUI
Veyors and tax collectors offices. Bic
for these new buildings were receive
y yesterday and one will be selecte
u soon.
i Yesterday the supervisors appointe
+ +. j. Gilmore and Sidney w. Reeve
s clerks in Justices Pierces and SteI
= gems offices.