Western Justice.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 87

Western Justice.

A well-known London solicitor, who ha? ftccntiy returned from a pleasure trip to the United States, is fond of relating the following anecdote, in illustration of the Jomcwhat primitive m-ethods of law-adminis-trauon which still obtain in the more remote districts in the States.

"Tbr-y told me at the hou=-s Mhere I was stopping." ho fcays, "that the local Jrstiie of the peace was to hear z. v?ry interesting ca c e. I attended out of mriosity, and found that a woman had sued a. 3nan for 5000uol for ki-sing her without fir.-»t obtaining h«r consent. The lawyer for the defence set up a want of jurisdiction ir the court because the amount at id-iiii: vss more than 30Wol. " 'Thai has nuthin' ter do with the csuse,' e&i<K the justice. 'There won't be no judgment anywhere near SOOdol, so I guess the court kiu cover all he tackles. T&-cee-1 with the trial.' Here the lawyer Tor the plaintiff set up a howl of indignant protest for he did not want a decision in advance if it was only going to give his dwiit a paltry 6um. _ ... " ' Pereeed-' said the court, sternly, else there'll be some fines for con temp' flyin' roui*d .here. .I'm read up, on .this here class of litergashinff. Peroeed.*

"Afl<ii a witness or two had been exarr ;ued, the court inquired for the plaintiff. "'We would have her to give evidence replied her lawyer, ' but Mi?s Payson is not well, and her physician warns her Against undue excitement.' ""Miss Payson? Is't Saroy or Jinnie ' " ' Sarah, your Honor.' "'What!' with a roar, 'does that tall, ugly, red-headed, hatchet-faced ole maid have the nerve fur to ask me to tax a man sUoodol fur kisßin' her? I don't berlieve he ever did. She'll git 6c, and she wouldn't git that ef I could kerlect costs from h-er.' "1. afterwards learned that ' Sarey ' had refused the justice some years before."