the two parts matched, as no pieces if the world were hunted over would do if they had not once been a part of the same board. It was noticed, also, that the nails had been driven into the boards with a hammer having a dent on its face, and a hammer with this same dent was found in the shop. The man was arrested, and though not a par ticle of direct evidence could be found against him, the three circumstances — the St. Paul news paper, the matching of the boards, and the dent in the hammer — so impressed the jury, one member of which was a carpenter, that he was convicted, and was without a doubt guilty, as all, even his nearest friends, came to believe. The only expla nation for his crime was that he was a monomaniac on the subject of fires; and he was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment, with compassion for the man, but to protect the community. It was re garded as an illustration of the remark that cir cumstantial evidence is often more convincing than direct; for in this case the only chance for doubt was that another person than the carpenter used his shop, which was not for a moment contended by his attorney. The meeting of the American Bar Association at Boston, on August 26, 27, and 28, brought together the largest number of members ever gathered at any of these annual reunions. The exercises were of unusual interest. President Simeon E. Baldwin's address may well be held up as a model for imitation by future presiding officers, being brief, concise, and yet thoroughly covering the changes which have been effected in the laws of the United States and the several States during the past year. His remarks regard ing the hasty manner in which legislation is rushed through during the last days of Congress furnish food for earnest reflection, and should stimulate endeavor to reform altogether this objectionable feature of our law-making. "Of the 433 pages of legislation," said Professor Baldwin, "which constitutes the work of the last session of the Fifty-first Congress, 284 pages are covered by the enactments of the closing day and 139 only are occupied by those of the three months preceding. The opportunities for ' log rolling' which such a condition of things involves, the injustice to the President, on whose attention fifty bills are pressed at the same moment, and the
ready excuse it offers for evading the responsibility for any measure in the shape it finally assumes, are obvious. The remedies are obvious, too; but there are many and powerful interests opposed to their adoption." It appears, then, that over one half of the legis lation of the Fifty-first Congress was matter that was just as little authorized by due consideration at the hands of the people's representatives, as though it had been thrown upon the President's desk by the man in the moon, and signed by Sinbad the Sailor instead of the chief executive, who merely glanced at the titles of the bills and signed them hurriedly. The annual address was delivered by Hon. Alfred Russell, of Detroit, bis subject being "Avoidable Causes of Delay and Uncertainty in our Courts." In it he earnestly advocated the abolition of the jury system in civil cases, and his remarks upon this subject will undoubtedly give rise to much comment and discussion. The address was a most scholarly production, and evinced much thought and research. Admirable papers were read by Frederick M. Judson, of St. Louis, on " Liberty of Private Contract under the Police Power," and William B. Hornblower, of New York, on " The Legal Status of the Indian." Of the reports of the various standing com mittees, that on " Legal Education and Admission to the Bar," prepared and presented by Prof. William G. Hammond, of St. Louis, deserves especial mention as a masterly and exhaustive treatise upon the subject; and if the Association had done nothing else at this meeting, the pre sentation of this report alone would entitle it to recognition as doing able work in the interests of the profession. The Association voted to bestow gold medals upon Lord Selborne and Hon. David Dudley Field for their eminent services as law reformers. The meeting next year will be held at Saratoga.
Hetcnt SDeatfjg. Ex-Govf.rnor Paul Dillingham, of Waterbury, Vt., died on July 27. He was born in Shutesbury, Mass., Aug. 10. 1799. His parents were Paul and Hannah (Smith) Dillingham. The Dillingham fam
