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MEMBERS OF THE CALHOUN AND KALAMAZOO
COUNTY BARS BY A. D. P. VAN BUREN
His large sympathetic nature may have often moved him to temper the severity of the law to the condition of the criminal at the bar. Ezra Beck-with, of Galesburg, who has often served as juror when Littlejohn was on the bench at Kalamazoo, says: "I have seen the tears fall down Judge Littlejohn's cheeks while giving sentence to a criminal. A young man, probably demented, had obtained some property by false pretenses. The jury, trying him, brought in a verdict against the young man. Littlejohn,
in addressing him. said: '"Your sentence should have been non compos mentis, but as the jury have brought you in guilty, I will make it as light as possible. It will lie twenty dollars, or twenty days in jail. Which would you prefer?" The father of the boy urged the twenty days in jail as best. It was enforced. "The case following this, " says Mr. Beckwith, "was that of a bigamist. A man married when his first wife was alive, and pleaded in court that he did not know that she was living. " The judge replied, "we have just had a case where we have been lenient to an unfortunate young man. And we think justly so. But there is no leniency to be given such a man as you. A man ought to know where his wife is. We sentence you to five years in the penitentiary. "
Judge Littlejohn was never diverted from the facts and the law in the case by the special pleading, sophistry or eloquence of the lawyers, but could unravel from the intricate web of the case its true history, and thus reach the most just and correct conclusions.
There is a peculiar feature in the circuit court system. It is this: There are certain cases tried before the judge on the basis of law and testimony, justice and equity not being considered in trying them.
Michigan Bar
Page 10
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