AMERICAN LAW AND EQUITY.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 456, 23 January 1869, Page 3

AMERICAN LAW AND EQUITY.

In the judges of the Western States we often find the notion of law not very defined, though (which is more important) that of equity is strong. A most notorious "rowdy" from New England, who had escaped the law several times, was at last captured in the act of smashing the interior of a Chinese house of ill-fane, in the little village of Eureka, in North Carolina. Evidence against him was rather weak, and it was feared he would again escape. But when the prisoner was brought into court, his Honor burst upon him with a tirade of abuse: •' E-e-h ! Ye long, leathernj lanternjawed, Yankee cuss, we've ketched you, e-e-h, at last? I'll commit him at once!" "But, judge," whispered the clerk, "you'll have to hear the evidence." " Evidence be blowed !" was the rejoinder. " Wasn't I thar, and see'd it all myself!" At the Cariboo gold mines in British Columbia lives a well-known Irish gold commissioner, whose commonsense decisions have gained great reputation throughout that section of country. On one occasion two mining companies came before him with some dispute. One swore one way, a*nd the other swore exactly the opposite way. The "judge" was nonplussed. "Look here, boys," at last was his sage decision, " there's no use your going to law about it. There's some hard swearing somewhere ; where I won't pretend to say. You say this, and they say that; aye, and produce witnesses, too. What am Itodo P Of course, if you insist, I'll come to a decision; but I honestly confess it will be only a toss up. 1 tell you what's the best thing to do. You know my shanty down the creek?" All shouted in the affirmative. " Well, in that shanty there's a bottle of prime whiskey, in which I will be happy to drink luck to both of you. Now," the first man there gets the suit. Co!" Out of the court they rushed, down the creek, over logs, and over mining flumes, tumbling and rolling and running, with half the population after them, until they reached the cabin in question. When the judge arrived shortly afterwards he found a stalwart miner firmly grasping the handle of the door. The whiskey was produced, luck drunk, and everybody went away perfectly satisfied with the decision.