The Mena weekly star., 1912-04-18
JUDGE DANIEL HON
 HOLDING COURT
Exchanged Circuits With Judge Jeff T. Cowling-Eif0rt to Postpone Session Fahed, but Haste Will
 Be Made to Get Through.

Monday, with Judge Daniel Hon of Ft. Smith on the bench. Judge Jeff T. Bowling, the regular judge for this circuit, exchanged places with Judge Hon. by mutual agree ment.
 Rumors were. rife around the court house early Monday re- garding an effort to adjourn court until later date to give the farm CTS who have been delayed by the wet weather from planting crops a chance to do their planting.
 A petition was drawn up asking that the court be postponed until the second Monday in May. When Judge Hon opened court this mat ter was taken up and a standing vote was taken of the members of the petit jury as to whether they preferred to go ahead this week or be excused until next Monday. The members of the jury were about evenly divided on this proposition, and Judge Hon then decided to con- tinue under the regular order but will make all the efforts possible to shorten the term by continuing cases until the fall term.
 The grand jury was not given an opportunity to express it's views regarding the postponement be- cause of the fact that there are three prisoners in jail being held until their cases can be investigated by that body. Judge Hon told the grand jury, however, that after in- vestigating these cases and other matters it considered necessary it could adjourn just as soon as it's members thought best. Several of the men summoned on the jury were excused and after it was de- cided to hold the petit jury excuses came thick and fast. It was really remarkable in this country, noted for healthfulness, how many mem bers of this petit jury had sickness at home. This is the kind of an ex- cuse which has the best results in getting relieved.
 Judge Hon was very liberal in eX- cusing the jurors and when it was over there were only twenty of the original thirty-six petit jurors left.
 Judge Hon delivered his instruc- tions to the grand and petit juries combined. It was brief and to the point in every instance. His open ing remarks referred to the fact that circuit courts are expensive af- fairs-cost the taxpayers more than all other courts combined, and he thought it duty to get to business, get through and go home. He called attention to the laws mostly violat- ed, dealt with special force on crimes which lead to greater crimes, such as carrying concealed weapons. Judge Hon also referred with more than ordinary force to laws enacted for the protection of boys and girls, mentioning the re- cent enactments making it crime to entice a minor away from parent or guardian. His Honor spoke of the increase in crime among the boys and urged the enforcement of the laws regarding juvenile courts.
 It was noon when Judge Hon closed his remarks and the grand jury was excused to go to it's room and organize. Henry Finger of Hat field was made foreman of the jury.
 There is an unusually large num- Der of attorneys before the bar at this term of court. Including the visiting attorneys there were six teen in court Monday. Those from out of town are: Prosecuting B. S. Isabel and Glen H. Dale of DeQueen and I. l.. Awtrey of Wom- ble.
 After a forenoon of necessary preliminaries, the Circuit court ar rived at stage Monday after noon where it could begin the round of dealing out justice be- tween man and man in matters in dispute which were of such im- portance as to justify the pondrous wheels of this court of justice to turn.
 The court sat patiently, directed and guided the eontesting litigants along the path laid down by law.
 Determined lawyers used their brain with skill and cunning to bring out the evidence favorable to the contention of their side, thoughtful jurors listened attent- ively and taxed their reasoning power to see the truth, clerks and stenographers served those in le- gal labor as they strained with their task, and at the close of the day two cases involving S5 and Si0 respectively, had been disposed of by trial. In one ease there was a couple if iron wedges. few pounds of salt pork, possibly a hammer or an axe, and other such articles, which the jury considered m all were worth Si0. The ownership was m question, and scores of men gave their time at the expense of the county and the litigants to decide the rights between them.
 fl takes about as much time in some instances to try a s5 case as it does one for s5.000. and an hour of the courts time on one is just as expensive as the other
 The heavy rains of Monday and Tuesday caused the energetic Larulnr. h.la LnEa nN an-II To boz