Omaha World-Herald, Tom Allen, 3-11-1959: If police court here had a bailiff, protocol would dictate that he would open court with: "This court is now in session with the Honorable Loron Chandler presiding." Folks here would gasp: "Who?"
With both affection and respect, they know His Honor here as Highpockets. At 77 he is as colorful as his name. Name one other public official in Nebraska who has a sixth-grade class voluntarily spreading his fame with letters to the press. If the class of Mrs. Leslie Brehm has its way, His Honor Highpockets will be the state's best-known police magistrate. The kid's affection for him does not stem alone from his work on the bench of justice. They are more intrigued by the products of the workbench in his small shack. There he has made 74 violins and carved many knobby diamond willow canes and lamps. An old hunting knife is his only tool. The children are also awed by the sight of the six-foot-four-inch magistrate pedaling a bicycle. They are delighted with his visits to the classrooms. Tuesday the old bachelor, "Just never had time to get around to this marriage business", scoffed at publicity but delight was evident in his face.
"I'm just a whittler and fiddler," he said. Of his hand-made violins, he said, "I give most of them away. You know, I found that no matter how well they are made, they are no good unless you give them a soul." How about that nickname? "Oh that. A lot of them cut it down to just "Hi" now. Guess I got it because I was so tall. Old age and hard work has got me bent over a little now. Did too much work as a shovel expert. I've been a grave-digger, policeman, night watchman, and now a whittler. Never had much formal education but I can speak three languages: English, a little German, and profanity. I got another bad habit. I smoke vile tobacco, that long green stuff from Tennessee. I've been a police magistrate going on 12 years. They must like me. I temper justice with mercy and there are no gripes - say, come to think of it, I haven't had a case in a couple of months. I got to look into that."
With both affection and respect, they know His Honor here as Highpockets. At 77 he is as colorful as his name. Name one other public official in Nebraska who has a sixth-grade class voluntarily spreading his fame with letters to the press. If the class of Mrs. Leslie Brehm has its way, His Honor Highpockets will be the state's best-known police magistrate. The kid's affection for him does not stem alone from his work on the bench of justice. They are more intrigued by the products of the workbench in his small shack. There he has made 74 violins and carved many knobby diamond willow canes and lamps. An old hunting knife is his only tool. The children are also awed by the sight of the six-foot-four-inch magistrate pedaling a bicycle. They are delighted with his visits to the classrooms. Tuesday the old bachelor, "Just never had time to get around to this marriage business", scoffed at publicity but delight was evident in his face.
"I'm just a whittler and fiddler," he said. Of his hand-made violins, he said, "I give most of them away. You know, I found that no matter how well they are made, they are no good unless you give them a soul." How about that nickname? "Oh that. A lot of them cut it down to just "Hi" now. Guess I got it because I was so tall. Old age and hard work has got me bent over a little now. Did too much work as a shovel expert. I've been a grave-digger, policeman, night watchman, and now a whittler. Never had much formal education but I can speak three languages: English, a little German, and profanity. I got another bad habit. I smoke vile tobacco, that long green stuff from Tennessee. I've been a police magistrate going on 12 years. They must like me. I temper justice with mercy and there are no gripes - say, come to think of it, I haven't had a case in a couple of months. I got to look into that."
Omaha World-Herald, Tom Allen, 3-11-1959: If police court here had a bailiff, protocol would dictate that he would open court with: "This court is now in session with the Honorable Loron Chandler presiding." Folks here would gasp: "Who?"
With both affection and respect, they know His Honor here as Highpockets. At 77 he is as colorful as his name. Name one other public official in Nebraska who has a sixth-grade class voluntarily spreading his fame with letters to the press. If the class of Mrs. Leslie Brehm has its way, His Honor Highpockets will be the state's best-known police magistrate. The kid's affection for him does not stem alone from his work on the bench of justice. They are more intrigued by the products of the workbench in his small shack. There he has made 74 violins and carved many knobby diamond willow canes and lamps. An old hunting knife is his only tool. The children are also awed by the sight of the six-foot-four-inch magistrate pedaling a bicycle. They are delighted with his visits to the classrooms. Tuesday the old bachelor, "Just never had time to get around to this marriage business", scoffed at publicity but delight was evident in his face.
"I'm just a whittler and fiddler," he said. Of his hand-made violins, he said, "I give most of them away. You know, I found that no matter how well they are made, they are no good unless you give them a soul." How about that nickname? "Oh that. A lot of them cut it down to just "Hi" now. Guess I got it because I was so tall. Old age and hard work has got me bent over a little now. Did too much work as a shovel expert. I've been a grave-digger, policeman, night watchman, and now a whittler. Never had much formal education but I can speak three languages: English, a little German, and profanity. I got another bad habit. I smoke vile tobacco, that long green stuff from Tennessee. I've been a police magistrate going on 12 years. They must like me. I temper justice with mercy and there are no gripes - say, come to think of it, I haven't had a case in a couple of months. I got to look into that."
With both affection and respect, they know His Honor here as Highpockets. At 77 he is as colorful as his name. Name one other public official in Nebraska who has a sixth-grade class voluntarily spreading his fame with letters to the press. If the class of Mrs. Leslie Brehm has its way, His Honor Highpockets will be the state's best-known police magistrate. The kid's affection for him does not stem alone from his work on the bench of justice. They are more intrigued by the products of the workbench in his small shack. There he has made 74 violins and carved many knobby diamond willow canes and lamps. An old hunting knife is his only tool. The children are also awed by the sight of the six-foot-four-inch magistrate pedaling a bicycle. They are delighted with his visits to the classrooms. Tuesday the old bachelor, "Just never had time to get around to this marriage business", scoffed at publicity but delight was evident in his face.
"I'm just a whittler and fiddler," he said. Of his hand-made violins, he said, "I give most of them away. You know, I found that no matter how well they are made, they are no good unless you give them a soul." How about that nickname? "Oh that. A lot of them cut it down to just "Hi" now. Guess I got it because I was so tall. Old age and hard work has got me bent over a little now. Did too much work as a shovel expert. I've been a grave-digger, policeman, night watchman, and now a whittler. Never had much formal education but I can speak three languages: English, a little German, and profanity. I got another bad habit. I smoke vile tobacco, that long green stuff from Tennessee. I've been a police magistrate going on 12 years. They must like me. I temper justice with mercy and there are no gripes - say, come to think of it, I haven't had a case in a couple of months. I got to look into that."
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