Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/46

TJie Stípreme Court of Wisconsin. had been committed in Grant County. A person charged with the crime and supposd to be guilty had been arrested, examined and committed to await the sitting of the grand jury. Judge Dunn admitted him to bail on a writ of habeas corpus brought for that purpose. The inhabitants in the neigh borhood of the murder were greatly in censed that the accused should be enlarged.

They arose en masse, and the accused and his bail fled to avoid lynching. The mob, in which were many prominent and rep utable citizens, then passed a resolution, a copy of which they sent to Judge Dunn, that if he attempted to hold another court in that county it would be at the risk of his life. On the first day of the next term in this county, the Judge entered the court room, calm, un disturbed, as if igno rant of the threats of the mob. Many of its members and leaders were in the CHARLES court room. He spoke to no one of his danger, brought no escort, but it was noticed that he took to his seat upon the bench his saddle-bags, and placed them by his side. They con tained an arsenal of pistols. In his usual quiet and dignified manner he directed the sheriff to open court. In his calmness and his resolute manner the bystanders saw that it would be a serious business to interfere with him; and the court was held undisturbed; and all thoughts of mob vio lence were dispelled; and admiration for the intrepid judge took their place. To the

pioneer bar and the following generation of lawyers Judge Dunn was always endeared. Always courteous and considerate, helpful to the younger members, and as indulgent as he could be compatibly with the interests of justice, and a most charming and enter taining companion in the social circle, he was honored and beloved. An incident is told to show his natural dig nity and the respect that he deemed due to his judicial charac ter. On one occasion he was out with com panions on a hunting expedition. In the rude camp he was en gaged in skinning a magnificent buck he had shot; as he shared in all the labors of the camp, and, like the western gentlemen of his time, he deemed the dress ing of his game a knightly accomplish ment. One of the party, with whom he was but little ac quainted, wishing to speak to him, called out from a distance, DUNN "Dunn, Dunn." The Judge turned on him, with sleeves rolled up, and knife in hand, but with a look in his face that bespoke the chief justice, and said, "Judge Dunn, if you please, sir." The crestfallen mess-mate, utterly dumbfounded by this rebuff, indulged in no more familiarity. The district to which Judge Dunn was as signed was the southwestern part of the State, including the mining region. He, as a Kentucky gentleman fond of sport and with no prejudices against a good article of whis key, was in touch with all the surroundings. He enjoyed the rude life of the frontier, and