El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-10
Federal Court Typical Scene
Dignity Characterfzes Procedure
When Judge Maxey Enters-NO
Time Lost Getting Down to
RmSfnagg
BY Norman NJ. Walker

" ALL is the open season for federal
court in FL Paso. Monday when
4 the court crier called his ancient
and honorable "oyez, Oyer to open the
court the dingy third floor of the fed
eral building had taken on an anima-
ton which is as wonderful as the
works of one Aladdin, the journeyman
magician of oIden times.
For months the old federal building
offers no more attraction to the way
farer than a bargain sale of stamps
two tWos and a one for a nickel, G
the customary customs duties Then
the court crier chants his mystic mes
sage and presto, the COW men and court
officials, Chinese, Mexicans and ne
groes boil out of the old elevator, fill
up the corridors, lounge on the steps
and occupy every available foot OF
space on the top story.
Typical of West Texas.
Monday the scene was typical OF
west Texas at court time. Cow men
rode up and down the elevator with the
same feeling that they ride an un-
broken bronco. the MeXicans walked
up the three flights to escape the devil
machine" and the court officers, criers,
clerks and jurymen ~milled" back and
clerks office, attorneys elbowed their
clients, Mexican revOlutionists, with
their big hats and brown suits, huddled
timidly in a dark corner as if they
feared arrest and women witnesses in
the white slave cases sat on the
benches in the corridors and watched
the crowd go past.
Questions Keep Clerks Busy.
One of the clerks established a tenn
pOrary office in one end of the long
until he was hoarse. In the marshaPs
office the deputies attended to their
routine duties whenever they could get
away from the questions who wanted
- L - 4
from jury duty. where the judges Of
flee was, where the grand jury met
and many other where's and where
forces. The clerk and his assistants
operated another bureau of informa-
ton in their office and the grand jury
room was the only one left vacant, for
no one seemed DESTROYS of entering this
room where they expected to be called
later by the federal grand jury.
DecOrum Reigns Within.
Within the door of the court room
judge Maxey presided with his fine
dignity, his yer present sill
yer pitcher of water on the desk and
a milk bottle filled with bright, autumn
flowers at his elbow. Back of the
judges bench were the chief justices
of the supreme court, in frames, with
only chief justice White missing. These
have been hung since the last term and
add much to the appearance of the
Around the long attOr-
dOcketed in the federal court sat and
talked in whispers, for there must be
no smoking and no loud talking In
Judge MaXey's court While the law
yers are swapping stories and talking
shop, John, the negro valet of all fed
eral courts in west Texas. opened the
door leading to the judges chambers |
and the presiding officer of the court !
entered. Instantly the talk ceased, |
in the court room arose and !
stood until the judge was seated.
No Lost Motion.
There is no lost motion about the |
Judge MaXey was comfortably seated /
n his high backed chair Capt. Hart /
.alled the grand jury, they were sworn 1
md questioned. One man asked to be !
excused on account of a rush of busi- i
less. But judge Maxev excuses no one !
because of BUSINESS and he reluctant I
V takes the oath. A postmaster al /
Maria and a state ranger had been
summoned by mistake and were 1
excused, but all others had /
o serve, as the federal court knows
10 excuse but sickness and death. The
,etit jury is next called, sworn and
and the docket is taken up
n detail.
Resembles Supreme Court Procedure. ,
There is something fascinating about
he federal court that is similar at |
Orneys say, TO that which attracts |
ourists in Washington TO the supreme |
curt of the United States. The dig
ity of the law is upheld in the federal
curt, there are none of the sOcalled
avs delays and no man enters there
rho does not leave with an added re-
pect for the United States and this
l. 49,