Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/156

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Published Monthly, at $3.00 per annum.

Bag. Single numbers, 50 cents.

Communications in regard to the contents of the Magazine should be addressed to the Editor, Horace W. Fuller, 151 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass. The Editor will be glad to receive contributions of articles of moderate length upon subjects of interest to the profession; also anything in the way of legal antiquities or curiosities, facetia, anecdotes, etc. THE GREEN BAG. IN his address on " Legal Journalism," delivered before the Illinois State Bar Association, Mr. Irving Browne gracefully compliments the "Green Bag." Speaking of the different law jour nals, he says : — "Finally, that the bar are not completely engrossed in the practical is strongly evidenced by the success of a picturesque Boston monthly (The Green Bag), just entering on its fourth year, and boldly professing to be 'useless but entertaining,' the latter of which it decidedly is, and the former of which it decidedly is not. We fear that the following Michigan incident is not the only example to be found of perverted justice : — Adrian, Mich., Jan. 25, 1892. Editor of the11 Green Bag " : A case occurred before a Circuit Court Commis sioner in this city, which shows how little it some times requires to turn the scales of justice. This commissioner, besides holding court, practis ing law, and raising geese, is an insurance agent. When recently informed that the Circuit Court had reversed one of his decisions, he remarked that he thought at the time he decided the case that he de cided it wrong and it would be reversed on appeal; but if he had decided it against the plaintiff he would have lost his insurance, worth thirty dollars.

The following good story comes from a Wis consin subscriber : — Janesville, Wis., Jan. 16, '92. Editor of the " Green Bag " : Dear Sir, — An old woman who had lived with her husband many years consulted one of our young at18

torneys in regard to obtaining a divorce. She stated that her husband had deserted her, but she did not care so much about that; that he had not supported her properly, but she did not care so much about that; that he had sometimes been cruel to her, but she did not care so much about that; that he some times had used abusive language to her, but she did not care so much about that; but, she said, " he ain't a Christian." The young man was rather perplexed, and carried the matter to his preceptor, who, having heard the statement of the case, advised that instead of bringing an action for divorce, he bring an action for conversion. Yours respectfully, J. M. W.

A Pennsylyania correspondent favors us with the following : — My dear "Green Bag," — Years ago an old Penna. " Dutch " constable, named John Krieger, after making his quarterly return to the Sessions, was in the habit of calling for a little advice for some friend of his, usually putting the case hypothetically. One, I remember, he put thus: " Misther Schkwier, I vill you vonst somdings tell : posen I voot zell a feller somdings un he not bay me, 's isch a falsch petence, hah? -' To which I answered : " Of course; any thing else, John? " " Na, dat vos juscht vot I tolt em; goot-pye." The style of the inquiry reminds one of Justinian's definition for a very different thing, namely : " If a man sue, alleging that he has a right to the usufruct of a field, or a house, or a right of driving his cattle, or of drawing water on the land of his neighbor, this is a real action." H. L. F. The following legal points in the famous Fisk Will suit and Cornell University are contributed by Judge Murray E. Poole, of Ithaca, New York : — John McGraw, a wealthy lumber-dealer of Ithaca, New York, died May 4, 1877, leaving all his prop erty to his only child, Jennie McGraw, who af terwards married Prof. Willard Fisk, of Cornell University.