Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-05-27
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THOMAS SHELTON LEWIS

Married ISL, Josephine Is. CaVlOf,
End, May Jorden. He first settled in
Section %, Extra township. The
place is now owned by B. f. Simpson.
After the death of his first wife, he
took up another place about mile
west of the first home, near where
Ralph Akers now lives. He was a
1863. In his official capacity he laid
out the town of Dayton as the county
seat on July 8, 1855, on the land of
his uncle, Rev. Richard G. Meek, be
| ing the east half of the northwest
quarter of Section % in Extra town
ship. His farm and that of his broth
Isaac were adjoining and for many
years were embraced in Audubon
| township as the county was original
| ly sub-divded. The township was
overwhelming democratic and it was
the office of Justice of the Peace. He
used to figure in early times before he
was admitted to the bar as counsel in
contested cases in Justices courts
and before local tribunals. Many
amusing incidents occurred relative to
! him and his courts, as we'll as to many
other ''Honorable Courts" Of that
| period.
One one occasion he and Mr.. Griggs
were counsel to defend party sued
on promissory note, in which case
the defendant made an affidavit,
swearing that he did not sign the note
in question. But the proof was over
whelming that the signature of de-
PENDANT to the note was genuine.
was employed to prosecute the party
for perjury for the false swearing and
brought him before j. A. llallock, JUS
tice of the Peace for trial Mr.. Griggs
defended and made an application fol
change of venue i'm which the defen-
dant swore that he could not obtain
justice before said Hallock, or j +.
Harrington or X. Il. Smart or any
other Justice of the Peace in Audu-
bon county, except I. S. Lewis, and
the case was sent to Mr.. Lewis fol
trial.
The defense attempted was to try
to exclude the affidavit of defendant
in which he had sworn that his name
signed to the note was not his genu
inc signature. The trial occupied q
day and part of the night and the
contest was over the admission of the
affidavit. 1t was repeatedly Offered
and admitted, only to be stricken ou1
on the objection of defendants coun.
. sci; the court being apparently prone
to accept any subterfuge suggested by
the defense. Finally the court con
descended to help me out of the die
MAS | fondly believed-by suggest
ing to me: "Mr. Andrews, state you
question thuS:' and then he framed
the interrogatory, which | put as di
rected. MI. Griggs was apparentl,
discouraged and supposed the cour'
was about to favor me, but out o
} habit objected. When to the aston
; ishment of everyone present the cour
, sustained the objection to his OWL
question and explained that he hat
suggested it to enable the court ST
: be consisted with it's former ruling.
4 The laugh was certainly on me with (;
vengence. Uncle G. ID. Gray, a very
bright lawyer, was present and
thought he never would stop laughing
: | dropped the prosecution in hopeless
despair On the way home Mr.. Ora,
actually laid down by the way side ant
roar with laughter, saying the court
performance was the most laughable
ridiculous thing he mad ever witness
ed OF heard.
On another occasion Mn Churchill
] from Atlantic was trying a case be
fore Mr.. Lewis, where Mr.. Griggs anC
John w. Scott We're defending. Th'
plantitf Sought TO introduce the wifi,
OF defendant to testify against he
husband. The proper objection wa
! made and a lengthy, heated contr0ver