It was a coincidence that on the very day when these interesting juficial changes were announced, the most famous of our ex-judges,—famous as an Alpine—climber—Sir Alfred Wills, passed away. The papers this morning are full of interesting anecdotes of the career of this great lawyer, among the most interesting trials which he conducted being that of Oscar Wilde. He, too, was a non-political judge. Indeed, he had a contempt for party polities and has himself told the story of the only time in his life when he. engaged in them. That was when his friend the Into Mr. Justice Mellor was a candidate for Coventry as long ago as 1857, and his duties compelled him to "pass several miserable days sitting in a three-pair back room of a public-house" keeping canvass-books, ete.
One day a deputation of out-voters came to inquire whether Mr. Wi candidate meant to give them their "ancient rights." The reply was that of course his man was all for "ancient rights." The deputation said they meant business, and having always had a guinea a head for their votes, they did not intend to vote without such coin coming to each of them. Mr. Wills flourished a Corrupt Practices Act at—the deputation, but the men coolly replied that as far as they themselves were concerned they would chance the county gaol, and as far as he (ME, Wills) was personally concern:
they did not caro.a straw if he pusoud the whole remainder of his Leutuial in prison, "That, gentle-tiny" added arned judge, when, toiling the star, troduction to active polities, and it was also my Inst experience ther
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.