The Supreme Court of Wisconsin. package seemed to be a cat quietly moving on the ground. The soldiers who stood guard had their gun-barrels full of whiskey, which they drank to keep out the chill dur ing the lonely hours of walking the beat. Afterwards, in 1850, he was elected judge of the sixth circuit, and became one of the judges of the Supreme Court until a separate court was created. He then continued to serve out his six-year term on the circuit. He died June 27, 1863, at Menekaune, Oconto County, when only forty-seven years of age. His work is found in Chandler's reports and in second Pinney. He was but a short time on the bench of the Supreme Court. He was industrious, and his opinions give evidence of judicial ability. A witty remark of Judge Knowlton is
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often mentioned in the legal gossip of the State. While the Supreme Court was hold ing its session, the lawyers and judges, most of whom were absent from their homes, were wont to meet in the evenings in the court room for social intercourse. In one of these gatherings, Chief-Justice Whiton said in his quiet way, " Judge Knowlton, you must have some peculiar country or very peculiar officers in your circuit." "How so?" asked Knowlton. "One of your county clerks up there," say's Whiton, "has recently certified in a statistical return to the Secretary of State that there is no real estate in his county." A general laugh greeted this remark. " The clerk is entirely right," replied Knowlton, " there is no real estate in his county, it is all government land."
