The Editor's Bag A JURY THAT FOUND BOTH
WAYS
CURIOUS occurrence in Judge With row's Court at St. Louis, Mo., is re ported in the news columns of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. One Joseph Sterneck, it seems, sued the United Railways Company for an injury received in a fall from a street car. On Jan. 27, the taking of testimony having been completed, Judge Withrow handed two forms to Louis Schneider, foreman of the jury, telling the jury in case it found for the rail road company to sign the first form, and if
he was satisfied of the soundness of his deci sion. "It had got noised around that on that particular day he would read his decision, and the little court room was packed with parti sans of the litigants. Belford took his place on the bench, adjusted the shotgun on his
knees, unfolded his manuscript and began to read. His judgment was entered on the record, court adjourned, and there was no bloodshed, but before he entered the room he did not know but that they would carry him out feet first."
for Sterneck to sign the second, and fill in
the amount. A few minutes later Schneider returned and handed the court both forms. One was in favor of the company and the other gave Sterneck $500 damages. “Which one am I to use?" asked the court. "Well, the jury thinks you had better use the one giving Stemeck 8500," said Schneider. "But that is utterly impossible, for when you return two conflicting verdicts I cannot accept either," Judge Withrow answered. He then ordered the jury to retire and find a single verdict, while attorneys for both parties argued that the verdict in their favor was the one the court should accept.
JUDGE BELFORD'S COURAGE UDGE JAMES P. BELFORD, formerly of the Supreme Court of Colorado, whose death occurred Jan. 7, is mourned as the last of the “Old Guard’I which had survived that state's earlier days.
As a campaign
orator, a judge and a statesman he was a
remarkably brilliant and well-rounded man. That he was not wanting in courage is illus trated by the following anecdote told by Judge E. T. Wells, his colleague on the terri torial Supreme bench:— "He was a man of nerve, who would take a chance with his life in following out a course he believed to be right. "I saw him sitting on the bench in a law suit at Georgetown with a double-barreled shotgun across his knees. I forget the title of the case now, but it was one involving large interests in a wealthy mine of the dis trict. Both sides had engaged the services of noted gun men to make a demonstration in the town and later in his court room. Judge Belford had given a great deal of study and deliberation to the issues raised, and
197
THE LAW'S LIFE LINE I'M the Reasonable Doubt, Friend of the persecuted, Enemy of the gallows, And the pen,
Twin relics of barbarism. So raise all the hell you like Cut,
Slash, Kill, Waylay, Rob, Grind your heels in their face; Don't be afraid You'll find me there At the trial, Because I’m the law. When I get in Among Those twelve Upright,
Honest, Intelligent patriots, Meaning the jury, They'll see me, And only me.
So what do you'care? Nobody this side The Pearly Gates Can tell Just what I am. Therefore they have to take me Sights unseen Blindly, In the dark,
And give me the benefit Of what they don't know, Which is lots. But they'll do it;
It's the law, Which has justice Skinned a mile.
