The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-12-15


their idle moments at place which
has gone down to history, under the
name of "Joraan's Chapel" Today
Jordan's chapel is a memory only, 20
the older residents of the city. Like
many of the brilliant business and pro-
fessional men, who make it their
"loafing' place, Jordan's Chapel is
gone, but it has today prototype Ill
the Wayne circuit court room.
In recent years it has been the Cir
cult court room where the wits and
bright minds of the city have gathered
OF course when court is not in session,
to discuss current events and to spin
yarns wise and otherwise.
Almost any morning, if one cares to,
he can wander into the court room,
providing he gets there before the
court begins it's labors, and find the /
recollect few years ago. club, in SEES
sion. II the visitor will draw up &
chair near a large table at the east
end Of the room he will hear some
tales, and we'll told ones, which Mark
Twain would travel miles to hear.
The signal for the club to begin its
business session, is when Judge Fox
descends from the bench, seats himself
In q comfortable chair and cocks his
feet on the table. In a few minutes
all the attorneys in the court room
assemble about him, some more chairs
are pressed into service and some more
feet are deposited on the sturdy table.
One or two newspaper men are always
to be found at the club gathering but
they rarely have anything to say.
They are valuable members of the club
however, for, as President Fox states,
a good listener is as good if not better
than a good story teller.
The first club member who has
story to submit is the first one to open
the bushes session. Judge Fox, Henry
U. Johnston, Perry j. Freeman, Will
fred Jessup or Squire Abbott, are the
ones who can always be relied upon
to have "a good one on tap" for an
opener. After the first yarn has been
spun, one merry tale after another fol-
lows in rapid succession. After the
adjournment of the session one is 2
natural born pessimist or a dyspeptic
who is not to be in a good humor
Nearly all the club members are good
story tellers and all of the members
are good listeners. Squire Abbott in
his low tone of voice and his droll
manner can always be depended upon
for lively yarn. He has the valuable
faculty of being able to see the funny
side of life. Another splendid story
teller is Henry u. Johnston. He tells
his tale in crisp tone of voice, with
the rapidity of a gattling gun. He al
ways acts his story. and in this par
ticular he has no equal among the club
members. Perry J. Freeman very sell
dom "recollects." His stories are the
latest available and they are always
good. Judge Fox with solemn face
tells "side-splitter" then looks at you
inquirinsly when you laugh. John L.
Rupe can be depended upon for a hot
one. wherever he is present. The
other day he told the following:
Several years ago when he was
young and struggling attorney. Mr..
Rupe and another young attorney were
called upon to take part in case
which was to be tried in the justice of
the peace court at Whitewater. in
the quiet little village law suit"
not to mention two city lawyers"
was most exciting event.
Consequently, when Mr.. Rupe and
the other attorney arrived at White
water, they found nearly the entire
population congregated in the 'sQuire's
court When the attorneys entered
this room there was subdued murmur
and Immediately they were the center
of attraction. However everyone kept
some distance away from the two
young lawyers.
After they had undergone a search
fng investigation from all eyes big
ungainly half-witted fCllow-the town
fool-walked toward them in a hesi-
tating manner. His face was covered
with tangled fuZZ, while one suspen-
der strap supported his Jeans His
face was stupid but curiosity cleaned
from his eyes. After he had gotten
so close to Mr.. Rupe and his compan-
ion that he could touch them, the over
grown lad halted, then slowly ran his
eyes over the attorneys from foot to
crown of head. Next he walked sol
EMMY about them two or three times,
always eying them closely. Finally
satisfied with his scrutiny the fellow
turned toward his awe-stricken towns
men and remarked in q loud tone
We'll l predict there will be trouble
before this here case is ended"
Henry L. Johnston tells good story
on a former well-knoyn local attorney
who died several years ago at the age
of over ninety years. This attorney
had at one time represented Wayne
county in the state senate. He was n
brilliant, popular man but possessed of
an extremely cayenne temper, which
was liable TO explode in a most violent
manner, at any time.
This attorney one day. according II
Mr. Johnson. was arguing a case before
local justice of the peace. After cit
ing an authority from one of the
law books the old man asked the
squire if he grasped this point of the