Judge Johnson As A Solomon

JUDGE JOHNSON AS SOLOMON

He Decides a Cock Fight in Philippines

250 CASES IN 23 DAYS

The Manila American Filled With Accounts of the Judge's Doings and Movements

From a copy of the Manila American of October 2, received in this city, it is seen that Judge E. Finley Johnson, formerly of this City, is busy making a reputation for himself in our colonial possessions. There are three long articles about him. The first, after referring to his well-known dispatch in clearing up dockets, says he has been sent to Vigan to clean up the docket there, which is way behind.

Editorial the paper says:

"Judge E. Finley Johnson, of the Third Judicial District, is rapidly earning an enviable reputation for a rapid dispatch of business. In twenty-three days in San Fernando de Union he disposed of over two hundred and fifty cases. The nature and importance of these cases were shown in yesterday's issue of the American. He accomplished his work by opening his courts at eight o'clock in the morning and closing them at five o'clock in afternoon, without recess. He has won a reputation for another admirable trait. Woe be unto the crooked presidente or corrupt cabeza de barrio who is brought before him! He makes it a specialty to give this class of offenders the full penalty provided by the statutes - everything that is coming to them. Nor does he permit much quibbling over technicalities. When he gets the facts he has obtained what he wants and he then applies the law."

The American also contains the following somewhat amusing account in flaming headlines of a cock fight suit. The heading of the article is "A Notable Law Suit, Over a Cockfight that has Come Down as a Troublesome Legacy from Old Spanish Times. An American Judge's Novel Solution. The Money, at His Suggestion, is Made the Nucleus of a Fund for the Poor Blind People of the Province of La Union. The Suggestion Worked." The article is as follows:

When the treaty of Paris was signed there was a little difficulty up in La Union province which the commissioners in Paris overlooked and which fortunately was Ieft to Judge Johnson to decide. This was done not so much to the satisfaction of the parties interested as they expected but the decision reflects credit on the court and proves that a Daniel came to judgement about the right time, when Judge Johnson presided over the recent court held in San Fernando. The case dated back to 1898 and several Judges had a chance at its solution but it was passed up to Judge Johnson who proved he was able to handle the most severely technical points presented in the provinces.

In the winter of 1898, if we have winters here, Juan Flores and Benito Garcia met in a cockpit. That was before Dewey ever dreamed he would be famous. Garcia had a white cock and Garcia's bird was a dark red. Two hundred pesos were the pot. The strife was a bitter one. Reddy was slashed in the neck and turned over on his back. He recovered. Then he slashed the white boy and the latter turned over. Then Reddy decided to die, and as near as can be determined the two birds died about the same moment. The umpire, who by the way is now a deputy treasurer named Vicente Carbonel, decided in favor of the red bird and the owner of the white soldier appealed to the court of First Instance.

A Spanish judge had the matter under consideration for some months. Then the insurrection broke out and he was relieved from the arduous task of deciding which bird died first. Then it was taken before one of Aggie's judges, but the boys in blue shirts and Khakis interrupted his deliberations. Next comes Judge Parades, who saw in the weighty question the destruction of much gray matter and he managed to keep it at the bottom of the calendar.

When Judge Johnson ran against this snag he felt like demanding the corpus delicti of the deceased birds and asking for expert testimony, but it happened that there had been no siestas in S. Fernando for some time and the mind of the court was free from incumbrance. He ordered the interested parties into court and the two men waited expectantly for an order turning over the  sum in dispute.

The judge, however, stated that owing to the fact that he was not well up on cock fight rulings and that he never won any large sum at the ringside, he did not believe he could do the gentlemen justice but he had a proposition which he believed the liberal minded litigants would be delighted to entertain. He advised the sum in dispute be turned over to the treasurer of the province and left at the disposal of the governor for the establishing of a home for the blind.

Flores looked embarrased and after some hesitation acquiesced, but Garcia still believed that his bird was a winner. Not to be outdone by his opponent, however, he at last reluctantly consented to support the blind of the province. Both were a little hot under the collar for each had been banking on having a fiesta when the sum in dispute had been added to his bank account.

In the meantime the people look upon Judge Johnson as Solomon and even the natives of La Union consider it the best joke of the rainy season.