The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-02-27
Measure Provides That Judge May
Excuse Those Living South Of
Line Between Towns 156-157
CLAIM WILL SAVE MONEY
Say That Suits Involving Small Sums
Are Not Now Filed Because Of
the Great Expense.

Attorneys of Baudette and Spooner
have united in backing bill which
will be presented to the house by D.
P. O'Neill calling for the trying OF
cases in district court in either Bau-
dette or Spooner with juries drawn
from the country north of the Red
Lakes at the option of the presiding
judge.
The bill is offered as An amend
ment to the present law which pro-
vides that terms of court shall De
held in Baudette and that cases may
be tried there when both attorneys
in the case are willing to have it
transferred from the county seat. The
amendment provides that in all civil
cases where the defendent lives near
er Baudette than Bemidji, the case
shall be tried in Baudette unless the
defendant valves place of trial.
In the case that parties against
whom actions are brought live out
side of the county, the case shall be
tried in Baudette if the plaintiff
wishes subject to the right of res
ident Of the state to remove the act
ion to the county of his residence or
of change Of venue.
The bill provides that on appeals
from municipal courts or justices of
the peace. the appeal shall be heard
at Baudette if the court appealed
from is situated north of the town
line between towns 156-157, which is
north Of the Red Lakes. BY consent
of the parties, thereto, the appeal
may be tried in Bemidji.
Petit jurors shall be drawn for the
Baudette term the same as for the Be.
midi term but the presiding judge
has the right to excuse from duty
jurors living south of the town line
between towns 1856 and 1877. This
provision was inserted so that in
cases not OF general county interest
the county will not have to go to a
great expense to get jurors to Bau
dette.
c. R. Middleton, s. NJ. Koefod,
and George E. Erickson, the three
attorneys Of Baudette and Spooner
who are here for this term of court,
agree that it costs so much to brine
witnesses and attorneys to Bemidji
that many cases are never brough:
to trial as the amount involved i:
less than the expense. They further
state that the round trip from Be.
midi to Baudette cannot be made FOR
less than $13, that figure allowing
nothing for time nor entertainment
An argument which they believe Is
a strong one in favor Of the bill j:
the fact that aliens have to appear
in district court in order to get their
naturalization papers. Many of the
homesteaders in the northern part OF
the county are aliens and the cost OF
two trips to Bemidii for themselves
and two witness for getting their
naturalization papers is so great that
many are forced to go without them
At one term of court held in Baudet.e
fifteen men were naturalized and il
was estimated that they were per.
sonally saved over $1,000 in railroad
fares and hotel bills by not having
to make the trip to Bemidji.
The north country attorneys agree
that the bill does not materially
change the present law but allows
them to keep minor cases in Baudette
whereas the present law forces them
to come to Bemidji for trial if one OF
the opposing attorneys so wishes.
The amending bill Is based on the
law by which court terms are held In
Virginia in st. Louis county. It Is
said that if the people Of the north
ern part of this county can try their
own cases without the expense OF
the roundabout trip to the county
seat, much OF the county division talk
will be dropped.