Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-02-05

Quoted his own law office and has
taken an active interest in politics and
during all his years in Fergus county
has been relied upon by members of
the republican party to serve in many
official and unofficial capacities.
Judge Cheadle was born in Indiana
Oct. %, 1853; lived in southern Ohio
until IA years Of age, and then moved
to Minnesota with his parents. He
was graduated from Carleton college,
Northfield, Mimi, in 1883, working
his way through college by teaching
country schools and working on farms.
Previous to coming to Montana in 1893,
he was superintendent of public schools
for 10 years.
Judge and Mrs, Cheadle, who were
married in 1890, have three children,
D. c., E. K. Cheadle, Jr., an attorney
of Shelby, and n daughter. Mrs. Har-
ny Lay, wife of Harry Lay, manager
Of the Lewistown Democrat-News.
During his early years in central
Montana, Judge Cheadle came in con-
tact with many famous characters. He
enjoys reminiscing on early days in
Fergus county and many of his anec-
dotes are famous.
Among these is one Judge Cheadle
tells about Thomas c.. Bach, who
qualified as associate justice in Au-
gust, 1886. Meagher county, including
what is now Fergus county, was in his
district. Judge Bach presided over his
turbulent district until Montana be-
came a state.
There are many even TO this day
who remember him Well" Judge
Cheadle relates. Judge Bach was a
gentleman of dignified personal ap-
pearance, very punctilious in his
conduct of and on the bench and al
ways prone to assert the dignity there
Of. Fort Benton was in his district.
1T is related that a jury was con-
vened for service in Chouteau county
one hot summer and the court was
proceeding with the trial of various
and sundry m~alefactors. The judge
was then, us always, very mindful OF
the dignity of the proceedings in court.
III VI tilG Jul liitAli NiAOlii w N1iA
call Mr.. Jones. because that wasn't his
name, anne into the box minus his
coat. Judge Bach. arousing himself
at the unusual phenomenon of q jury
man appearing for duty in his shirt
sleeves and with a darkening brow and
in tones Of thunder, uttered the mo-
mentous words: Mr.. Jones, where is
your coat?' Mr.. Jones, despite his
alarm at the judges threatening tone
and manner, managed to calculate:
AT home, your honor. Go and get it,
sir Numbered the judge. Court is
al recess until the return Of Mr.. Jones'
The judge and the lawyers con-
yersed for half an hour, but Mr.. Jones
did not return. An hour passed but
still he was not there. Summoning
the sheriff, Judge Bach said, Mr..
Sheriff, how far does Mr.. Jones live
from the c%ourthouse?' About 40 miles,
I reckon, your honor replied the
sheriff. This was true, and Mr.. Jones
did not get back until the next day
but the dignity Of the court was vindi-
Gated and maintained.
I'm the early days of Fergus county
justices of the peace played a m
what important local part. They had,
or assumed, unlimited jurisdiction.
They would entertain an action for
divorce, a suit for $4,000, applications
for injunctions or any other thing that
a litigant might want. At Maiden a
justice of the peace brought an in
junction forbidding a man to settle on
a certain tract of government land,
and the injunction was obeyed.
"A Lewistown justice rendered judg-
ment in the sum of $4,000 with interest
and costs in total disregard of the
statutory limitation On his jurisdiction.
A justice at Utica at one time seriously
proposed TO try a man for grand lar