The record., 1912-05-09
Court Review.

closing out of the month of April,
having consumed nearly the entire
month in disposing of large docket.
While sitting in the court room
taking in the proceedings of the
court our thoughts were carried back
along the channel of circuit courts
of the county, going back to the
commencement oflitIgation in the
first years of the nineteenth century.
We summoned up eighteen appoint
ed and elected circuit judges who
have held courts in the county.
The first to be appointed were
associated judges for the county.
They were, William Bell and Will
lam Worthington. In 1904 Muh-
lenberg became part of a judicial
district, joined with Henderson
county. At that time Muhlenberg
county comprebended part of Nc
Lean county, and Henderson that
of Hopkins and Union. Judge
Henry Z. Broadenax was appointed
circuit Judge of the district, which
office he held until 1919 when
Benj amin Shakleford succeeded
him. Judge Broadenax was man
of distinction IN his day, considered
an able jurist, as was also udge
Shakleford. Judge Shakleford was
succeeded by Alney Mclean, a
citizen of Greenville. The courts
held by Broadenax, Shakletord and
part of McLean's term were held in
log court house, consisting of
three rooms, one in the lower story
and two above, chinked and
daubed with mud and lime,
ceiled with split boards put on
with pegs. This court house stood
until about 1884, when a brick
house was built aud condemned and
another brick house was built in
1885 which was received, in which
Judge Mclean finished his term as
circuit judge, running from 1922
until his death, which occurred in
the latter part of IS4I. His succ
essor was John Calhoun who con
tinued until 1850, when Jessie W.
kinchcloe was elected, being the
first elected Judge for the Mullen
berg judicial district. kincheloe
was succeeded by George B. Cook;
he was elected in 1886 and died in
less than a year afterwards. We
think he held but c--conIt in
Muhenherg. Thomas c. Dabney
became Cooks successor and filled
out his term. Dabney's time ex-
pired during the commencement of
the civil war. He was succeeded
by X. L. Petree of HopkInsvile.
Petree was elected August, 1862,
and became the war judge. We
knew Cook and Dabney but were
not SO familiar with their courts as
that of Petree. Petree was an able
lawyer, and nice, even tempered
man and gave good satisfaction in
his courts. He had the perils of
war TO contend with. We
heard Petree relate an occur
renee that took place at Prince
ton; at that time Muhlenberg and
Caldwell counties were in the same
judicial district. On one occasion
while Petree was holding court at
Princeton company of Federal
soldiers were stationed there, and
one day while his court was in full
progrsss, few days before adjourn
ment, lawyer was up making a
rattling speech before a jury, a
company of southern soldiers dashed
INTO Princeton and general enga
cement commenced near and about
the court house. Petree said, all of a
sudden they heard a great noise and
bang, bang! and the rapid fire of
guns, the rafting of balls against
and in the court house. An abrupt
and uncereInonious adjournment
took place at once. The jury, law
yers and witnesses scattered, ran
and hid; the clerk aud himself dash
ed into little back room for sheit
er where he got up on a chair to
look out transom to see what was
going on outside, and moment
after he got down a ball pierced
through the transom at the very
spot he was looking out and struck
the opposite wall and soldiers com
menCed dashing in the court house,
when he dashed out the back way
and as soon as he could left for
Hopkinsvillc and did not stop un-
| iii he reached that Mace. In the