On this subject of amendments, there is a case that distinguishes very nicely between something to amend by and fatal defects, reported in Milburn's "Curious Cases," p. 31. This is a one-volume collection worth having. (The Michie Company, Charlottesville, Va.) If one of the cases happens to cover your point, and they are all good law, it will drive your argument so deep into the head of a court that it cannot be extracted with a corkscrew. And they are often amusing reading.

By a handsome majority, Julien Gunn, of Richmond, Virginia, who served in the Council from the St. Louis to the Columbus convention, has been elected commonwealth's attorney of Henrico county. Combining suavity in modo with force in re in a marked degree, he should be a credit to the politics of his state into which he has entered on an anti-machine ticket.

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT IN ILLINOIS.

In the jail at Edwardsville, Illinois, Earnesto and Jeck Zamponi, late of the Empire of Austria, on August I began to pass a summer vacation as guests of their judgment creditor, Baptiste Zuac, who was paying their board. The price was 35 cents a day apiece, at the jailer's regular rates, $21.70 a month for August and October, with 70 cents off in September and November.

During a tumultous argument in March last the brothers bit off Zuac's left ear and departed carrying it with them as a souvenir.

Zuac brought suit in the Circuit Court for $2,000; a discriminating Illinois jury awarded $135 as the measure of compensation. The defendants failed to pay, and Zuac proceeded to make the most of the situation.

And it was at this point that the laws of Illinois came into play. The Illinois Constitution, instead of abolishing imprisonment for debt with most states, makes an exception against debtors who refuse to deliver up their estate as provided by law and those against whom arises a strong presumption of fraud (Art. 2, sec. 12). The statute (Ch. 77, sec. 62, Hurd's R. S. 1899) provides that when an execution is returned unsatisfied, the creditor or his attorney may make an affidavit upon information and belief, charging fraud, concealment, etc., whereupon an execution shall issue against the body of

the judgment debtor. Other sections limit the imprisonment to six months, and make the creditor liable to the jailer for board, which, however is taxed up as additional costs. The jailer's board bill must be paid weekly in advance (ch. 72, sec. 31) by the creditor.

DELTA CHI.

We have just received a copy of the Delta Chi directory, in pocket form, neatly bound and convenient. Speaking for ourselves, we shall send business to the men therein mentioned, wherever we find none of our own in the particular locality. And again speaking for ourselves, but we believe expressing the sentiment of President Buntain and several other officers, we should like to see a good and active chapter of Delta Chi in every law school where Phi Delta Phi has a chapter.

We can't take in all the good men; fraternity life is good and helpful to them; and there is room for Delta Chi and in many of the larger schools for other fraternities too. A chapter of more than, say, twenty-five is unwieldy, and perhaps twenty is the ideal number for close association.

What are law fraternities for? To provide the alumni with reliable associates in all part of the country when business scatters; to help the student by providing congenial associates in study and scholastic life; and to raise the standard of ethics both in school and in practise.

All

In the long run, the last is the more important purpose. the legal fraternities have high ideals and are doing a good work. Already Phi Delta Phi pretty well covers the country with its alumni; but wherever it is not represented, an honorable associate obtainable through the directories of other fraternities is beneficial to us. And the rival chapter in the law school does more in stimulating competition and high endeavor than it can ever hurt any of our chapters by diverting available candidates. However you look at it, the ex

istence of other fraternities is helpful to us.

So let us wish them well. Rival them strenuously, unremittingly in school; it will do you both good. But help them toward their ideals and ours, and if they are on the wrong track and doing harm to school and profession, lend a helpful hand. And in the after life, when our school partisanship is soon forgotten, we can be glad of the greater number of fraternity men who have been made better lawyers for us to come in contact with.

CHAPTER LETTERS.

NOTE.-Five dollars will be paid for the best Chapter letter in each number of THE BRIEF. Do something more than report names and praise Fraternity life generally. Contribute, from your experience, to the benefit of other Chapters. The Minor letter is adjudged the best below.

BENJAMIN.

At the beginning of the year 1906, the present members of the Phi Delta Phi began work toward their petition to the Fraternity, and on April 9, 1907, the Council granted a new charter to the petitioners, reviving the Chapter. Benjamin Chapter was organized in 1878 but become dormant in 1888, at which time it had an alumnus membership of eighty-one. The Chapter had been named after the Hon. Judge Ruben M. Benjamin, who was at that time Dean of the Law School and who is the author of "Benjamin's Principles of Sales" and "Benjamin's Principles of Contracts," and is still professor in the University of Constitutional Law and Real Property.

The present Chapter at Illinois Wesleyan was installed on April 27, 1907, by President C. M. Clay Buntain. The charter members of the present Benjamin Chapter are: Frank Ray Anderson, Clyde R. Birkett, George F. Dick, Hiram Eaton, Charles J. Geltbach, Clarence W. Heyl, Alfred M. Kershaw, Abraham J. Messig, George W. Leopold, Kay Murray, Joseph A. Jenkins, and Professor Wm. B. Leach of the Law Faculty as honorary member. At the first meeting, the following were elected as officers: A. J. Messing, consul; C. W. Heyl, pro-consul; J. A. Jenkins, scriptor; Hiram Eaton, tribune; Clyde R. Birkett, gladiator; G. W. Leopold, historian.

With the number of men we expect to initiate during the coming year the prospects of the Chapter are very bright. The freshman law class at the University promises to be a large one, and we expect to replace in the Chapter by strong new men the loss of five men by graduation.

Benjamin Chapter will be quartered in its new home at the opening of the school year, a suite of rooms now being fitted up for that purpose, and promises to be one of the most progressive of the Greek fraternities at the University. Professor Wm. B. Leach, Judge Ruben M. Benjamin, Hal M. Stone, Jacob P. Lindley are Fratres in Facultate, and with the support of the Alumni among the lawyers of Bloomington, the Chapter will become one of the strongest in this State.

All the seniors of the law class of 1907 have passed the Illinois State Bar examination which was held in Chicago in June, 1907. Kershaw, a junior, did the same, but he will go to the University of Michigan to complete his studies before practicing.

We have only eight active men in the Chapter at present, but we will multiply. The first year class is unusually large and is made up of some good material. The rushing of desirable men has made life strenuous for us. We will have an elaborate stag party next Thursday which will make them sit up