Before these country tribunals these young fellows at the bar were not miserly of their eccentricities by any means. The justice courts in olden times were held under the oaks in summer and in blacksmith shops and grist mills in colder weather, and here when law was not made, the politics and gossip of the day were often discussed. The justice was always a leader in his community, and he led in many ways. The story frequently went "as goes the justice so goes the township." The voter placed faith in the judgment of the justice and he ruled the community sometimes with an iron hand. However, the dictatorial justice soon lost caste and some one else would be chosen at the next election. Much good work was done by the frontier justice as peace maker, for often where quarrels arose involving a whole neighborhood he would fix it up in some way, asserting with all the powers at his command that "it was a dirty suit" which must be settled. They were as a rule men of character and of influence, and fearless when it came to dealing out justice to offenders and those who openly violated the law. Of course they were backed by the sturdy farming population who could be depended upon to stand up for the rules as laid down by the justice. Many stories may be told at the expense of the country justice. It is related of an old New Englander in Monroe township that when a case came before him as to certain offenses and the attorney for the defendant saw that the feelings of the justice were against him he made a motion that the guilt or innocence of the victim be put to a vote of the house. While he thought this was a little strange, still his sense of justice and his New England training asserted itself and the crowd voted that the party should go free, against the protest of the attorney for the state. Dr. J. H. Camburn was an able justice. The way he would take things in hand and decide matters were worth going a distance to see and hear. Dr. Camburn was decidedly practical and had good sense. It is said that John Weare made a better justice than Dave King, for King had friends at times whom he wanted to help while Weare had no friends. Justice Snyder, of Putnam township, sentenced a poor fellow at one time to the penitentiary for stealing a bee tree when a tree of that kind and a whole acre of land on which it grew would not be worth more than $5.00. The constable marched the poor fellow across the country to the sheriff's office, awaiting further instructions. The sheriff sent the constable home and told the prisoner to go home, as the justice had exceeded his authority. The scare at least made the poor fellow forever afterwards an ideal citizen and the justice always thought that he had done a good job after all even though he had exceeded his authority.