Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/425

 384

dealing with criminals unmercifully severe. 45, before he became judge; he was sent as He was born in Springfield. Otsego County, consul to Honolulu in 1858, and in 1863 he N. Y., within five miles of Cherry Valley, was back again and in the Michigan House May 22, 18oi. He grew up on a farm, and of Representatives, where he figured as a his educational opportunities were small. fierce Copperhead. He died March 27, 1863. Edward Mundy was a Jerseyman, born He read law, however, and like his colleague Miles became district attorney while still in August 14, 1794, and a graduate of Rutgers New York, and was public prosecutor at in the class of 181 2. He went to Illinois as Rochester. In 1839 he came to Michigan early as 18 19, and was in practice there, but

returned to New Jer and settled at Mar sey and became a shall, and the very merchant. When he next year was engaged came to Michigan, in in a locally famous 1 83 1, he opened a prosecution in which store at Ann Arbor, a Pottawatomie Indian and it was not until was convicted of mur 1834 that he was ad der. The savage had mitted to the State illustrious counsel too. bar. He was a dele One of them was gate to the Constitu Charles E. Stuart, tional Convention of who was afterward 1835, was Lieutenantelected to the United Governor under Ma States Senate; the son and acting Gov other was Lieut. -Gov. ernor in his absence, James Wright Gordon, and was Attorneywho narrowly escaped Genernl in 1847. He the same fate when died March 13, 1851, Woodbridge was and was succeeded by chosen. When Pratt George Martin, who was once on circuit in will be mentioned Lenawee, an incorri gible old scamp was farther on. This closes the brought before him



who had been fre group of judges who quently convicted and held office under the sentenced before. The judge told him that first Constitution. In 1850 a new Consti as he was fifty-three years old, and according tution was adopted, and thenceforward the to Scripture, was entitled to but seventeen judges were to be chosen by popular vote. years more, he would save further trouble For seven years, however, the Supreme with him by sentencing him for the whole of Court was to consist of the circuit judges that period. Hut the mature reprobate not in banco; after that it was an indepen only served the sentence out and was re dent tribunal made up of four (since 1887, leased, but he afterwards had four years for of five) judges elected for eight (now larceny in the county of Branch, and still ten) years, one judge going out every two later, two years for burglary in Cheboygan.1 years and acting as chief-justice for the last Pratt had been in the State Senate in 1844- two years of his term. Of the judges who 1 Cooley's Lenawee Bar; 7 Pioneer Collections, had served under the Constitution of 1835. Whipple, Wing, Green, Pratt, and Martin P 532-