Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 23: First District Court, 1905

Chapter 23: First District Court

FIRST DISTRICT COURT. As hereinbefore intimated, the first term of the district eonrt for this county was held at Wilton, commencing October 12, 1857. On the day that court opened, Hon. Charles E. Flandreau, then a young lawyer of St. Peter, not long since deceased, presided. The grand jury was impaneled, sworn, and charged in the afternoon, and the court then ad.journed until Wednesday morning, the 14th, to give the jurors the privilege of voting on the 13th. When the court convened on the morning of the 14th, the sad news of the murder of Hagadorn at Empire on the 13th, had reached Wilton, and the grand jury at once commenced an investigation of the matter which lasted several days. There was little or no other business to be transacted in court, and the judge adjourned from day to day until the grand jury finished its work. At this term of court, John Bradish, Esq., was duly admitted to practice law in the courts of the Territory, he being the first resident lawyer of the county admitted to the bar. He is, at the present writing, a resident of Janesville, engaged in the real estate and insurance business.

County Finances

The financial crash of 1857 had paralyzed the whole country. The state banking system (another name for robbery) had collapsed everywhere throughout the land, and the only persons that were in luck were those who had gold or silver coin. Such persons were very few in number. Not only were the masses of the people destitute of money, but all departments of government were without funds to pay ordinary expenses. Waseca county was especial- ly unfortunate at that time. It had not only no money but no credit worth mentioning, as was shown by the records made at that time ; and yet it had on hand an expensive murder case growing out of the liquor traffic. This case had to be carried forAvard at public expense. Hence we find the following entry in the records of the ninth meeting of the board of county commissioners, which was held immediately after the adjournment of the first term of the district court :

"At a special meeting, held October 20th, 1857, the board borrowed of Byron Claric the sum of $100 for which a joint note, signed by E. B. Stearns and L. C. AVood, was given, payable one year from date thereof, with interest at the rate of six per cent, per month."

But that was only a drop in the bucket. The debts of the county already aggregated more than $1,200, and men were clamorous for their pay. When money was bringing from sixty to seventytwo per cent per annum, every man wanted his money to use ; and so another special meeting of the county board was held November 11th, 1857, to devise ways and means to meet the pressing demands of creditors. At this meeting George Snyder, living near our covmty line, in Freeborn county, condescended to loan $200 of his good, hard gold to the count}- upon a promissory note duly executed and signed by E. B. Stearns and L. C. Wood, who were county commissioners at the time. This note bore interest at the rate of Ave per cent per month - sixty per centum per annum - and was due and payable fifteen months after date. The record also shows the folloAving peculiar transaction: "The treasurer, being absent, the funds in the hands of the commissioners were appropriated by them to pay the most urgent bills against the county." The bills paid were as follows: L. C. Lowell, $5; E. A. Rice, $51.85; N. Garland, $120.70; J. W. Crawford, $29.

From the financial statement made at the close of the year 1S57. by Messrs. E. B. Stearns, L. C. Wood and John Bailey, county commissioners, we learn that the outstanding indebtedness of the county was $1,258.52, while the assets, if there were any, received no mention.