Barton County KS Archives History - Books .....His First Fee And Other Reminiscences 1912
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Book Title: Biographical History Of Barton County

HIS FIRST FEE AND OTHER REMINISCENCES
By James W. Clark

THE writer hereof located in Great Bend November 6, 1884. During that mouth
Judge Strang held his last term of court in this county, the same being the last
court here as a part of the 16th judicial district. The sixteenth judicial
district when it was created in 1881 consisted of the counties of Barton,
Stafford, Pratt, Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Pawnee, Rush, Ness, Hodgeman, Ford,
Clark Meade, Foote, Buffalo, Lane, Scott, Sequoyah, Arapahoe, Seward, Stevens,
Grant, Kearney, Wichita Greeley, Hamilton and Stanton.

   In February, 1885, the 20th judicial district was created, and consisted of
the counties of Barton, Rice, Stafford and Pratt. Hon. George W. Nimocks of the
local bar was appointed as judge of this new district until the following
election when Judge Clark was elected. The members of the Barton county bar at
this time consisted of S. J. Day, W. H. Dodge, Joshua Clayton, James Clayton,
Theo. C. Cole, E. C. Cole, Samuel Maher, William Osmond, C. F. Diffenbacher,
Judge D. A. Banta, L. R. Nimocks, B. F. Ogle and the writer. The court docket
was large, and most every little case was fought out to the finish with but few
compromises or friendly settlements. The policy of the bar seems to have changed
in this regard during more recent years. Now the attorneys and clients look upon
lawsuits move as matters of business and seek just and fair settlements rather
than unnecessary and expensive trials tinged with spite and vengence.

   The first case the writer tried after locating here was rather comical. The
lot where the Odd Fellows' Hall now stands was owned by Mrs. I. T. Flint. Her
husband had placed this property with A. J. Buckland, a real estate agent, for
sale, and D. R. Jones who tried to buy the property from Buckland and failing
concluded he would go to Eureka township where the Flints lived and make the
deal with them, and Buckland learning of this started out, procured a conveyance
and he and Jones had a horse race to see who could reach the Flints first. Jones
won the race and bought the property, and then Buckland brought suit before C.
J. McIntosh, a justice of the peace in South Bend township, for his commission
for the sale of this property. Your writer represented Mr. Flint, who was very
pugnacious, and James Clayton represented Mr. Buckland, who was rather schrewd
and cunning in his ways, and doubtless had a purpose in the selection of his
court to try the case. A jury was demanded, the case hotly contested, and even
the parties themselves insisted on making arguments to the jury. Flint spoke
first with much feeling, noise and abuse, and on finishing left his memorandum
book on the little school house table. Then Mr. Buckland commenced his argument
by referring to Flint as a sneak thief, whereupon Flint rose to his feet and
made a break towards Buckland for revenge and everyone kept out of his way as he
rushed up the isle towards Buckland, but he simply picked up his memorandum
book, walked back and took his seat amidst an uproar of laughter. No one was
hurt. Flint won his case on the ground that his wife, the holder of the title,
had not authorized the placing of the property for sale. The writer received for
his services a bright new ten dollar bill his first fee in Kansas.

   The oldest contractor in the county in point of service is still engaged in
the business and apparently as young as ever. He is Frank Kramer of this city.
He came here from Pennsylnia in the early '70s and was noted for years as one of
the finest band men and ball players in the state. And Prank says that it has
always been a wonder to him how he ever managed to hold on to his trade, support
a family and follow these two professions when either one is enough of a
detriment to a man in a small community where neither pays salary. Chas.
Morrison is the next oldest contractor in the city.

   The first bank in Barton County was established in 1873 by Samuel Maher and
others. It ran for a year then got into difficulties over a check for $17,000 in
which cattle buyers and the Santa Fe were involved and went out of business. The
J. V. Brinkman Company Bank organized in 1874, which is now one of the big banks
of the state, was really a continuation of this bank.

   The Barton County court house was built by the Santa Fe railroad. The company
owned most of the taxable land in the county in the year 1872 and the few
citizens of the county managed to get a special election call through and had
the court house built, the taxes paid by the Santa Fe paying the most of the
expense.


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