The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-08-15
RECALLS ANECDOTES OF
NOTED CAROLINA JUDGES
Judge Ike Meekins Ran His Court Until
Water From Home Gave Out


about the way Federal Judge l.
NJ. Meekins of Elizabeth City ran
his court by a water bottle. The
Judge didn't like the New Bern wa
ter and always brought a five
gallon demijohn of water from
home. When his water gave out, he
adjourned the term.
Judge Meelins always visited
his brother in Washington, N. c.,
several days at the end of New
Bern court. One term, however
had run into Thursday and it
looked as if the visit was impossi-
BILE. That is, to court observers
They couldn't see how a case being
tried could be finished. But Attor-
ney Will Dunn bet Lawyer r. E.
Whitehurst he would be non
suited before o'clock.
Whitehurst called the bet be-
cause, he said, "There is not bit
of law or evidence on which he can
do it."
At 2:30 Judge Meekins inter-
rupted the trial. "Mr. Clerk, enter
verdict of non-suit against the
plaintiff. Mr.. Marshall, adjourn
this term of court"
Attorney Dunn explained how he
come to be prophetic: ~ overheard
the judge ask the clerk to find out
what time the last bus left for
Washington so he could get there
in time for supper, and the clerk
told him 3 o'clock. So l knew he
was going to be on that bus"
Stories of Other Judges
Judge Frank Armstrong of Troy,
resident Judge for this district, has
served notice that he wants bet
ter atmosphere for dispensing JUS
tice.
He has ordered there shall be no
reading, talking, or babies permit
ted in his court.
That's the word we get from
press carrying some of the Judges
recent remarks.
Judge Armstrong is one of our
favorite pillars of the law. We
don't always agree with some of
his ideas about things, but there's
no impugning his sincerity or his
motives.
And so, when he says he wants
peace and quietude around the
halls of justice, we know he wants
just that.
1t is nothing new in North Caro-
lima courts for Judge to impose
his personal opinions on the court.
When Judge Romulous Saun-
ders tried a rape case in Harnett
county, he opened his charge to the
jury thusly:
Gentlemen of the jury, female
virtue is as lovely in the cottage as
in the hall. l tried case of this
sort in Rockingham county, and the
jury convicted the defendant
convicted the defendant, gentle
men! Now, it will be for you to
say whether female virtue is as
highly priced in Harnett county as
it is in Rockingham county"
Governor T. w. Beckett told of
the justice of the peace who lived
on farm, and his fence was right
on the North and South Carolina
line. One day his son and the hired
man got in a fight. The old JUS
tice mounted the fence and in his
duty called out, "In the name of
the State of North Carolina l COM
n1and the peace" The fighters
didn't stop, and the hired man
seemed to be getting the best of
the boy. The old man jumped from
the fence into the State of South
Carolina and shouted, "Give him
hell, Jim. I've lost my jurisdiction"
Judge David F. Caldwell once
fined a defendant, who had APP
peared without a lawyer. the odd
sum of S1005, saying, "He ought
to have paid lawyer $40 to ap-
pear for him, and / should have
fined him ony 50. AS he would not
employ lawyer, / was determined
he should not profit by his failure
to do So"
Judge Mike Justice was trying a
case in which Col. Martin Kelly of
Richmond county was appearing
as an attorney. The coloners first
wife had died and left him IL chill
dren and he had married widow
with six of her own. He asked that
his cases be continued because the
10th child had just arrived at his
house, and he wanted to go home.
"Well," said Judge Justice, 81
think he ought to be kept away
from home!"
There was a Judge Cloud of
Asheville who also gave advance
notice of his holding court. He
sent word to Yanceyville that he
would "be there next week and am
hungry for bear meat. Bear hunt
ers of Yancey will please take no.
tice."