Smyrna times., 1908-10-14
RECOLLECTION OF SMYRNA
OF OVER HALF A CENTURY
WILLIAM A. HUKlLL RECALLS HIS
BOYHOOD DAYS IN THIS VICINITY
Tells of People he Knew Who We're
Prominent in Smyrna in The Early
Forties and Relates Incidents


Forties and Relates Incidents
Wilmington, Oct. 12:-As l said
IN the closing sentence of my remi-
niscence artice last week Judge
Spruance and Judge Charles B.
Lore were the only lawyers to whom 1
ever paid fee for legal advice, and
neither of those fees were very large
either. My experience with Judge
Spruance on that occasion when paid
him the fee, was rather comical.
He frowned and laughed but not
over the fee for that was satisfactory
to both sides but l was a little in
doubt about question of law touch
ing a matter between my landlord
and myself. was a farmer
at that time and a tenant on another
mans farm was going to remove to
another farm, which necessitated nv
moving Some hay. 1 knew in Justice
to myself had right, but whether
| had a right in the eyes of the law
was the question. My mind was
made up before 1 went to consult Mr..
Spruance what was going to do
but thought l would like to know
what he would say for satisfaction,
and putting my lease in my pocket,
l went to Wilmington to see him.
Not caring to pay very largely for
an experiment l opened the case with
him by saying, 81 am not sure that
| have very stong case and you
must be easy now, call right he
said go ahead and talk" and
handed him my lease and satted my
case. After reading the lease he
said to me, 'you can't move that
hay young man, F." and then reasoned
with him some how this way: "Mr.
Spruance l bought hay and hauled
it on that mans premises, fed it there
for two years before he ever allowed
me any grass to cut'' "Oh we'll you
signed lease that cuts you out''
Judge Frowned and Becomes Emphatic
Then said I" l don't believe there
are twelve men in the county that
would give it against me-" His eye
brows came down on me with an
emphatic expression that l dom t
believe he ever learned in Sunday
School "Don't tell you you had
rights but you signed them away"
smiled and handed him the fee
with "much obliged to you Mr..
Spruance for your good advice but
that man may come up here with a
double barrel gun cooked and stand
over me but I'll move the hay"
The Judge smoothed down and said
Now you had better be careful for
you may get into trouble. p" l
moved the hay and there was no
trouble. There are some other little
funny incidents that l might quote
that l expect he has forgotten. The
judge was little high strung in his
young days and it was said that he
had friction with member of the
Levy Court while he was attorney for
that body in New Castle and the
thing got so warm that he made a
move towards the other man but
friends interferred so he mounted a
table and run round the crowd to
get at him but they bothered him so
he had to give it up. l once heard
some one trying to get him to go to
a State Convention to take some
prominent part and in declining to do
so, said "No l don't want to get
mad and Levi will be down there
raising Cain.
Judges Long Wish Was Gratified
l also heard him once say in a
political speech in the Institute build
ing that he was not candidate for
any office but whenever there was
a constitutional convention to be
held he would like to go as delegate
to that convention and when the
time did come in 1896 his highest
ambition was gratifed. He always
had we'll extended reputation for
doing his own thinking and when he
drove his stakes they generally held
and if any body had use for man
that they could rap around their
finger and these were very well
acquainted with him, they were not
apt to bother him about that job.
William Andrew Hukill.
Next Saturday Last Registration Day.