Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 23.pdf/183

 The Editor’s Bag The referee in bankruptcy was asked

159

contempt of court—perhaps disbar

one day who had most of the clients,

ment.

and he replied, Mr. H—. An attorney who stood by replied, "I always knew

mask; there was no telling what he would do. Finally a day came when a big trial was on at Hannibal. Lawyers from Chicago and St. Louis were there, as well as every member of the local bar. Unusual solemnity reigned in court.

that old H— had many of the dead beats, but I did not know before that

he had all the dead beats in our town." THE JUDGE WAS EDIFIED T IS a well-known fact that many

very

sedate

and

learned

men

greatly enjoy stepping aside now and then from the weighty matters connected

with their profession, and indulging in affairs of less absorbing demand.

The

late Judge John T. Redd of the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Missouri recreated his energies by reading light literature of the “Deadwood Dick” type. When

The judge's smooth face was a

Judge Redd, digniﬁed and austere, entered the court room and ascended to his bench. Everybody supposed his ﬁrst business would be to call the

docket. Instead he opened a drawer, ﬁshed out some papers and laid them on the desk before him. Then he rapped his gavel with unusual emphasis. There was an immediate hush. “Gentlemen of the Hannibal bar,"

going about from court to court he gen

said the Judge in the tones of a keeper

erally carried a supply of ten-cent novels

of a cemetery, “a few days ago I was

along with his briefs and law papers.

the favored recipient of your bounty in the form of some literature. I call it literature because it is customary to so refer to written or printed words. The man who gets up a horse bill or a notice of an auction sale is to some ex nate tent ayour literary gift as person, literature. and I’ll denomi—

This practice of the Judge's was the subject of some good-natured banter by the lawyers, all of which his Honor took in good part.

One day some wags of the Hannibal bar put up a job on the Court. They ﬁxed up a package of blood and thunder books, marked "important papers," and had them delivered by express. Court was in session when the bundle arrived,

the expressman deeming it of such a nature as to warrant the interruption

of proceedings while Judge Redd signed acknowledgment of the receipt. He looked thoughtfully at the package, and then placed it in a drawer near his bench. Then he resumed the trial. It was several days before the lawyers

"For not having referred to your thoughtfulness sooner, gentlemen of the bar, I crave your pardon. The delay

was occasioned by press of other duties, which made it impossible for me to appreciate the extent of your interest in me. I desired to be able to properly appraise the present before I under took to thank you. I am now in a posi tion to express myself understandingly. “In the still small hours of the night I enjoyed an exquisitely thrilling sensa

in the conspiracy heard how the Judge took the matter, and they began to fear he had been mortally offended. Cer

tion as I read how ‘Volcano Victor’ shot ten revenue oﬁicers with a six-chambered

tainly he had been unusually grave.

revolver, and slew a buffalo for break

That was a. bad sign. There were seri ous grounds for thinking he might re gard it as an act deserving a ﬁne for

lingly followed the author through the twilight shades of the ‘disappearing

fast with the remaining loads.

I tremb