Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-07

No? Then gaze upon the features Of
Bryce Crawford judge of the county
court for Douglas county, for his is
tented.
Il am satisfied with my job" he says II want
TO hang onto it as long can. think it is as
big job as can fill.''
Not only contented you see, but mot puffed up,
Iaunteth not himself"
Allowing or the sake Of argument that 1t is as
to OVERLOOKING Though the volume of business
sTncreased by one-third, Bryce Crawford has dis
pensed Justice with hand at just and en-
ergetic ..
A well-known laws delay" was given a swift
punch in its loggy old carcass when Bryce Craw-
ford imported businesslike methods from the police
court to the august county court Attorneys
found that there we're ways of hearing cases
besides the long-winded ways in which each lawyer
seemed to try to Guido his opponent in the amount
of verbiage he could add to the record. The new
Judge didn't browse over their oratory He pinned
them down to cases. He asked one side what
cessions it could make and he asked the other side
what concessions it would make, thus shortening
the trials both in time and expense and not inter-
fering with justice, but only facilitating it.
Thatds but.one count on which Judge Crawford
and his methods move the cumbersome and en-
numbered machinery of the county court to grind
faster, and even finer
He works hard; he has the cooperation OF his
office force and runs things scientific and
efficient system all the way through. The county
court is busy place. People must call there at
two out of the three most important events in life
marriage and death-before the former and after
the latter If there is an estate to be settled
Since Judge Crawford has been in charge 1876
estates have been settled in the court aggregating
in amount we'll over s1O,OOO,OOO and varying in
Nsze from estate OF over 81 900 600 to estates
favvh drad in
He has appointed guardians for 798 persons
having property varying from s1.5OO,O0O down to
few dollars each.
Besides this. 2.6ss civil cases have come into the
court.
He has. collected over $4,000 in inheritance
taxes. One estate paid $14,S16 Another paid
$s,e03.24 and the rest were for considerably
smaller amounts
To $3.50 couples he has issued licenses to wed
End live happily ever afterward, If possible. He
also holds preliminary hearings crimes
lnitted in the county, but outside of Omaha
The earning of the court paid all salaries and
expenses and yielded more than $1,000 besides.
which went to the county treasury. This the
largest surplus ever returned by the office.
1T was due" this modest judge hastens to add,
entirely to the increase in the business of the
office"
To look at Judge Crawford, good people you'd
in the world think he a judge. Remem-
her how Friend Shakespeare painted the judge in
his famous '"Seven Ages of Man"
And then the Judge
In fair round belly with good capon lined
- With eyes severe and beard OF forrz=I cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances.
And so he plays HIS part
Judge Crawford doesn't answer to a single one
of these characteristics. His figure is rather small
and slender His eyes are not severe but blue and
friendly. His beard is not of formal cut or of any
cut at all for he is clean shaver. He is not full of
Wise saws and modern instances.
He is full Of stories and modern jokes and he
likes to tell 'em and make people laugh. and he
usually tells 'em well, too. even II he is Scotch
, by descent on both sides of the house.
= He is good conversationalist and good lis
toner. He has the quality OF making the per-
with whom he is talking feel that he is inter-
csted alphabetically in his affairs He believes
there is time for laughter and time for tears
The Judge might long-tailed coat as
sort Of badge of his judicial dignity. But he
doesn't Ordinary sack suit Just like other men
wear is good enough for him. He couldn't decide
cases better in long-taed coat than in a sack
coat. Therefore why the long-tailed variety?
Unassuming and genuine adJectives hon
estly bestowed here. He treats the employees of his
office as equals. He fixes Argus eyes upon
them He doesn't bring them up ION the carpet"
,S1e simply expects them TO do their work. And
they do it. And when he hears a good story Cor
what man with Scotch sense Of humor thinks is
. good story he tells It to the boys in his office