ANECDOTES OF A FAMOUS JUDGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XIV, 8 April 1899, Page 435

ANECDOTES OF A FAMOUS JUDGE.

QUICK WIT AND QUEER SAYINGS OF SIR HENRY HAWKINS DURING HIS LONG SERVICE ON THE ENGLISH BENCH. On one occasion a prisoner pleaded guilty, and then withdrew the plea and declared himself to be innocent. The ease was tried and the jury acquitted him. Then said Sir Henry Hawkins: ‘Prisoner, a few minutes ago yon said yon were a thief. Now the jury say yon are a liar. Consequently you are discharged.' A person summoned as a juryman applied to his Lordship to lie excused attending. pleaded deafness. ‘You may go.’ whispered Sir Henry. ‘Tha.uk you. my Lord,’ was the instant reply. At the express wish of the Judge he was retained on active service. Once, in speaking about eross-examination, he said: ‘lf you take a stranger and want to get at certain facts you must ask yourself what he is up to. A man can tell lies best, with a ea.lm face. Gf course, one feels when he is telling a lie. One can get at the bottom of things. I could get to the bottom if I took the trouble—if not interfered with." Once, when a flagrant criminal stood up after sentence and said, ‘My Lord, I have not received justice in thsi court,’ Sir Henry replied: ‘Well, you will get it on ■’ (naming the date fixer! for the execution). As a junior counsel Mr Justice Hawkins was once practicing before Lord Campbell, who was somewhat pedantic. In addressing the jury Mr Hawkins, in referring to a brougham, pronounced the word with t.wo syllables—bro'am. ‘Excuse me,' sa id iris Lordship, blandly, ‘but I think that if instead of saying 'brough-n.nl' you were to say ‘broom’ you would be more intelligible to the jury, and. moreover, you would save a syllable.’ ‘I am much obliged to your Lordship.’ quietly replied Mr Hawkins, anil proceeded to bring his address to a close. Presently the Judge, in summing up. made use of the word ‘omnibus.’ Instantly up rose Mr Hawkins, and exclaimed ‘Pardon me, m’liid, but 1 would take the liberty of suggesting that instead of saying ‘omnibus' your Lordship would say ‘bus,’ and you would then be more intelligible to the jury, and. besides, you would save two syllables.' Until his death, a few years ago. .lack, the fox-terrier, was Sir Henry's inseparable companion and friend. He was a. present, from the late lx>rd Falmouth. Many a good story is told of Jack and his master. Once, in a crowded assize court. Jack was sitting at the Judge’s feet, when a barrister commenced to cross-examine a witness in a loud ami angry tone of voice. Jack took offence and barked lustily. ‘Dear me. dear me. pray let us have quiet.' said Sir Henry. ‘I wish gentlemen wouldn't bring' dogs into court.'

One can imagine that the criminal classes had a deferential appreciation for ‘Ohl 'Orkins.' and it is quite eer tain tha.t they will be among tinfirst. to miss him. One of the many stories which clustered in a S| ie's of folk-lore about his name would seem to imply that he believed himself extremely well-known to them. It is said that once, when he himself in a. rough crowd at some sporting event which he was attending. he recognised one rough who was hustling him severely as a criminal who had Iteen up before him. Thinking that the man would perhaps be terrorized into civility if he learned whom he was hustling Mr Justice Hawkins raised his hat, disclosing his familiar elose-eropped ha-ir. and said: ‘Perhaps you know who I am. my man! The rough took one glance at. that biillet-sha|M'd bulldog fact- and head --‘S'welp me lsd>.' said he in an awi-d whisper, ‘a blooming prizefighter!'ami vanished. -Collected from the London Daily Press.