"THE HANGING JUDGE."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 5 December 1907, Page 4

"THE HANGING JUDGE."

STORIES OF THE LATE LOUD BRAMPTON. By the death of Lord Brampton, Groat Britain has lost one of the most remarkable personalities of the nineteenth century. Here are some stories of his life culled from the of some who knew him:— "Sir Henry Hawkins," writes one contemporary, "was fond of wearing lus hair very short, and this fact once led to a droll episode. When on circuit he and a brother judge went for a walk. Becoming thirsty, the twin entered a wayside inn, in the rear of which two labourers were playing (skittles. The legal lights joined in the. game, each taking on? of the players as a partner. tJetting hot, Mr. Justice Hawkins took off his coat. Soon, however, the heat forced him to remove his hat also, at which his partner at once stopped playing.

"Go on. my friend," said he of the law; "why do yon stop!" "I don't mind being neighbourly, 1 ' said the man. with his eyes fixed "on the judge's closely-cropped head, '-but 'anged if I be agoin' to play skittles with a ticket-of-leave man!" The ease Iwfore the court on one occasion had something to do with a game Of cards, and the prosecuting counsel had cause to mention specially the ace of spades. "Ace of spades?" said Mr. Justice Hawkins inquiringly. "Ace of spades! What's that*' ' Counsel gasped, he was so taken aback. "It's—it's— it's a face-card, m'lud," he stammered. "It's a playing-card—it's one of the pack.' The judge was keeping the straightest of judicial faces all the time. "Perhaps so," he said, "but I'm afraid I must ask you to put it in, Mr. X." Mr. X sat down and fanned himself with his brief, amid the titters of his brethren of the wig and gown, and a solicitor's clerk was despatched post haste across the Strand to make a purchase. He - returned breathless, and counsel, detaching the ace of spades from the brand new pack, solemnly passed it to the attendant, who ceremoniously handed it up to the judge. Sir Henry examined it carefully before he filed it away with his notes. "Very well," he said calmly, "go on," and having trumped his brethren's trick of affected ignorance about common thing*, he let the case proceed. He once had a most amusing dialogue with a prisoner, after the latter had been on his trial for horse stealing.

"Why did you steal this horse?" asked the judge. ?To earn my livin'," replied the occupant of the dock sullenly.

"Rather a bad way of earning your livelihood, is it not!"

"Must do something," the prisoner remarked, off hand. "So you must," said the judge. 'Try six months' hard labour!" COLLAPSE OF THE CASE.

Sir Henry Hawkins, as he will be known to posterity, had once to crossexamine an expert in handwriting. In those days judges and juries regarded these experts with more respect than is the case now. When Sir Henry arose he handed to the expert six slips of paper, each of which was written in a different kind of handwriting. Mr. Nethercliffe, the expert, took his magnifiers, and remarked: "I see, Mr. Hawkins, what you are going to try to do. You want to put me in a hole." I do, Mr. Nethercliffe, and if you are ready for the whole, tell me, were those six pieces of paper written by one hand and about the same time!" The expert examined the paper carefully, and after a considerable time answered, "No, they were written at different times and by different hands." "By different persons, do you say?" "Yes, certainly." "Now, Mr. Nethercliffe, you are in a hole. I wrote them myself this morning at this deek." On one occasion a prisoner pleaded guilty, and then withdrew the plea, and declared himself to be innocent. The cas« was tried, and the jury acquitted him. Then said Sir Henry Hawkins: "Prisoner, a few minutes ago you said you were a thief; now the jury say you are a liar. Consequently you arc discharged." In addressing the jury, runs yet an-

other story, Mr. Hawkins, in referring to a brougham, pronounced the word with two syllables—bro'ain. "Excuse me," said his lordship blandly, "but i. think that if instead of saying 'brough am,' you were to say 'broom,' you would be more intelligible fo the jury, and moreover you would save a syllable." "I am much obliged to your iordship," quietly replied Mr. Hawkins, and proceeded to bring his address to a close. Presently the judge, in sum-ming-up, made use of the word "omnibus." Instantly up rose Mr. Hawkins, and exclaimed, "Pardon me, m'lud, but I would take the liberty of suggesting that instead of saying 'omnibus,' your lordship should say "bus,' and you would then be more intelligible to the jury, and, besides, you would save two syllables."