Biographies: Judge M. F. Machen, 1932, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************


 



From: June 24, 1932 Winn Parish Enterprise or Winnfield News-American

Passing In Review

This Week We Have Judge M. F. Machen

by R. W. Oglesby

When I came to Winnfield in 1903 this judicial district was composed of the
Parishes of Winn, Caldwell, and Jackson and M. F. Machen was judge.  I had
been admitted in Tennessee and the law was then that a lawyer from another
state might be admitted in Louisiana by passing an examination on the Civil
Law before two district judges or one supreme judge.  After studying on
the codes and the statutes of Louisiana, Judge Machen very kindly gave me a
perfunctory examination and passed me.  I then started to Bienville, the home
of Judge B. P. Edwards, the judge of the Fourth District.  I went on the
"Arkansas Sorry" to Ruston and then by the V. S. & P. to Gibsland.  When I got
to Gibsland I had fever 100 some odd from malaria which I had brought from
Tennessee.  I had never met Judge Edwards and in telling someone at Gibsland
that I was on my way to Bienville to see him he told me that the Judge was in
Gibsland then waiting for the doodle bug train to take him home.  I went to
the hotel and found him and told him where I had started and for what purpose
but that I was afraid that I would not live to get there and thought I had
better start back towards home.  He told me the train would run in a few hours
and would be glad for me to go home with him and he would not only give me an
examination on the law but would doctor me for fever, but that if nothing else
would do, he would be glad to take me to his room there and give me an
examination.  He did so and was human enough to know that I was in no
condition to tell what I did know about the Code of Napoleon and the writ of
sequestration, much less what I didn't know.  His examination was also
perfunctory, but he like Judge Machen, passed me.  I have always had a warm
place in my heart for both, two very fine old southern gentlemen.

Judge Machen passed away just before his term of office expired on January 1,
1905.  He was a good man and a good judge and numbered his friends by the
thousands.  He did not overlook the equities in a case and was quick to
condemn fraud and falsehood.  He was friendly and convivial on the outside,
but sober and strict when he was on the bench.  Once in a joking way he
invited his friend, Frank Lawly, a fine old gentleman who spent his leisure
hours in and about the courthouse and was full of fun, as he was going up to
open court, to come along and help him out.  Uncle Frank took him at his word
and during the proceedings, Uncle Frank having become tired of the court
business rose up and said, "Judge, I am going and you will have to run this
thing by yourself."  Judge Machen said, "Mr. Clerk, you will enter up a fine
of $10.00 against Mr. Lawly for contempt of court."  It is safe to say that
the fine was never paid and the clerk was instructed to purge it from the
minutes.

Jim Collins, a negro, was tried for killing a white man.  Although, from what
I have been able to gather from the facts surrounding the killing, Jim should
not have been convicted of anything, much less murder.  He was though, with a
verdict carrying the extreme penalty.  All of the preliminaries with the
reference to a motion for a new trial, signing the bills of exceptions having
been cared for, Jim was called up for sentence.  Judge Machen in a very
dignified way told him that the law made it his duty to pass sentence imposed
by the law and the verdict of the jury and wound up saying, "Jim Collins, I
now sentence you on a day to be fixed by the Governor to be hanged by the neck
until you are dead, dead, dead.  Jim, I hope this will be a lesson to you.:

The Supreme Court reversed the sentence and gave Jim a new trial.  The next
time he got life imprisonment, made a good prisoner, and by double good time
which he earned, was out in about fifteen years.

Judge Machen lived at Montgomery but when he was elected judge he moved to
Winnfield and built a home on the Atlanta road where the Ford swimming pool is
now located.  It was destroyed by fire pretty soon afterward and then built a
large 2-story house now owned by Mr. McAnally where he passed away.  He had a
big family of fine children, three boys, I think six girls, ______________
still living.  He was a kind and gentle father but his children respected him
even as did lawyers practicing before his court.