Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/69

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
50
The Green Bag.

I

my room and I will help you." And with as a popular figure by those who have had that he would go on to the more congenial no experience of him as litigants or law part of his day's list, leaving the unhappy yers. It may be, as one enthusiastic leaderparties in Jones v. Smith to make the best writer in a prominent morning paper stated, sort of a settlement possible under circum that after " fifty-five solid years of contin stances where neither is willing to incur the uous legal labors registered to his unbroken ire of the judge by insisting on trial, and credit, all of them marked by courageous both have expended large sums of money toil, by commanding ability, by professional in making their case and brief1ng counsel probity, by acuteness and perspicacity, Mr. for their " day in court." Justice Hawkins retires at the summit of It was, however, in the criminal court that his fame and with the admiration and abso Mr Justice Hawkins was most at home. lute confidence of his fellow-countrymen." Nearlyr all the eauses eelebres in the past fif But to the bar his retirement has come as a teen years have been tried by him, and in relief and as the realization of a wish that so many of the capital cases has he ap as years rolled on seemed to be incapable peared that he has been known as the of fulfilment; for he was physically one of "hanging judge." If by this there is meant the most enduring of men and never seemed an imputation that he was actuated by to know fatigue or feel increasing years. Only the week before his resignation was cruelty or lacked mercy, the word is a mis nomer, for, on the contrary, he was full of placed in the hands of the lord chancellor he sat at Maidstone for several successive days compassion to a prisoner who was not prop erly defended or whom the judge thought far beyond the hours customary in court, might be innocent. He never apparently and on the last night until eleven o'clock, or lost sight of the responsibility that is im a little more than twelve hours. He may posed upon a judge in England, where there be congratulated upon this show of capacity is no appeal court, and where an error of for judicial work in one who has passed judgment may be attended by the most his fourscore of years, but those who were awful consequences. He had, however, obliged to appear before him, and who had what might be vulgarly called a nose for other cases to prepare for trial the next day crime, and could stalk it however far the in a distant court, were not gratified by the distance or clever the rogue. The latter exhibition. In fact, Mr. Justice Hawkins might be given a long run and a good run has not always been successful in sparing for his life, and particularly if he had a inconvenience, annoyance and expense to stupid or bungling counsel to defend him; barristers, and he has not always been cred but it was a run that was sure to end in ited with an overwhelming desire to do so. In the course of the protracted sittings at conviction. Maidstone, already alluded to, more than It is for these qualities, and more partic ularly his humor and wit on the bench, his one incident occurred to increase the fric love for sport, his gaiety as a raconteur, his tion between the bench and the bar, until youthfulness in old age, and the quaintness it reached the point where it was agreed of his figure as he rode and still rides a between the barristers present that they well set-up cob for his daily exercise, that should rise and leave the court in protest. he will be long remembered, and which Cooler heads, however, exhorted to patience, make his retirement so much of a public and the sittings were concluded; but had event; but to say that it causes t1nmitigated the resignation of the judge not taken place, regret in the legal profession would scarcely a repetition of the Maidstone experience be accurate, however much he may be missed would undoubtedly have led to a revolt such