A WITTY SCOTCH JUDGE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8868, 19 July 1907, Page 4

A WITTY SCOTCH JUDGE.

ANECDOTES OP LORD YOUNG. A largo number of anecdotes are told of the late Lord Young, the Scottish Judge -whose death took place recently. 'The Scotsman recalls some examples of his lordship's ready wit, a few of which we reproduce. A DECENT FREE CHURCHMAN. Mr Guthrie, K. 0., appeared in the Second Division, and in opening a case on appeal began thus;— My Lords, my client is a Free Olinrcb Minister.” Before he got any further he was interrupted by horn Young -with the remark— Well, he may be a very decent man for all that. THE TWO CYPHERS. At the time of a Parliamentary election in Edinburgh, Lord Young was staying at a country house, ihe result of£the election duly came to hand, but the majority was wrongly given at, say, 19. A later message corrected the figure to 1900, and added the information that a couple of Lord Young’s collegues had recorded their votes. “Ahl” observed his lordship, “that accounts for |the two cyphers.” COUNSEL AT SEA. The pages of the prints in cases brought before the Court are marked at intervals down the margin with letters of the alphabet, the purpose of this being to enable the Court to I pick up quickly a reference to any particular part of the page. A counsel was one day, in the Second Division, reading from a print. “Where are yon reading from now?” asked Lord Young. “lam at O,” was the reply. “I thought so,” was the rejoinder of his lordship.

DEFINITION OF AN “ACT OF GOD.”

Bills of lading usually stipulate for the relief of shipowners from liability for loss or damage occasioned by causes over which they have no control, such as “the Act of God,” ‘‘the King’s enemies, pirates, robbers,” etc. In the course of a hearing of a case before Lord Young, the question arose as to what the precise meaning of the phrase ‘ ‘ the Act of God ’ ’ was. His lordship gave it as his opinion, “the Act of God’ simply meant “something which no reasonable man could ever expect. ’ ’ IMPROPRIETIES NOT ALLOWED. While Lord Young was fond of a joke and appreciated the laughter it caused, yet lie never allowed improprieties of manner in Court. For instance, he electrified a languorous counsel who had thoughtlessly answered some question without rising to his feet. “It is usual to address the Court standing,” just as ho astounded Lord Sliand, whom ho had himself appointed at the o arly a<m of forty-three, and who took part of his exercise on the Bench, by informing him that lie was not accustomed to address a moving object. ASKED FOR HIS NEXT WITNESS. It was Lord Young’s activity of mind and his aptitude on seizing upon the crux of cases that made him impatient of slowness and discursiveness in counsel. He was in the habit of taking the examination of witnesses out of the hands of counsel. This was illustrated one dav in an action of damages for assault. As miner after miner entered the box the Judge would say; “Never mind whore he lives—he’s a miuor, aud was there. ’ ’ Having asked a witness if he saw the one man hit out at the other, ills lordship inquired of counsel what more ho wnted. Then he told the witnessjhe might go. There was a long pause. The learned counsel stood at the bar dangling his watchgnard aud seals the while, and at last he broke the silence with these words; “WRI your lordship call your next witness”

INTERRUPTERS SILENCED

A writer who knew the late judge when lie was Lord Advocate described his personal appearance and his manner of addressing a public meeting. “But,” the writer wont on, “woe betide the man who thought he could interrupt the speaker with impunity. _ Two illustrations remain in my mind. Young was expounding some grievance caused by the Irish Churchy when a loud note of dissent came from a gentleman wearing glasses, and Young, wheeling round, darted like an eagle on his prey at the interrupter, then .very solemnly and quietly said: “If my friend in tho spectacles will have patience, I shall gladly answer any questions at the end of my address.” “The Spectacles” took on, as wo would now say, and it was thought that the example made “would deter any other from the ; wrath of tho speaker and tho ridicule of the audience upon him. But no; a popular young probationer had to have ids say and be extinguished. He stood up in the body of the hall, and, not contenting himself with an expression of dissent, was about to add some remarks, when Young pounced upon him:'“lf my somewhat excitable and apparently intelligent”— but got no further, for the picture was so perfect that the audience rose as one man and cheered itself hoarse. ’ ’ ,