Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-06-28
Dion, Understand the came.

Old dndge P--s, who was for years
ee.cfeuit Jndge in Louisans, known as
Attakapas county. was Justly celebrated
for bus legal learning. and was greatly be-
loved ty bis neighbors and bis friends
He was stern, s5Fight. and honest, aud
the death 81 the good old man, which oc-
CURED SEINE years ego, was universally re.
GREETED throughout the State.
But with ell bis bookstore and legal at.
taInments, be was perhaps not the great
estman az cards 10 his entire circuit. II
has been said that be Did not know the
jack OF Trumps' from diamond. 10 the
village OF OpelOusas, three individuals were
sitting round table, in one of those dog.
geries, with billiard table attached
which are 90 common 10 the Creole parish.
es, playing small game Of three.handed
poker, when quarrel ensued, which re-
suited m az aggravated case of assault aud
baftefy. That did not end the affair. for
at theuexttermo Of The court; ~ head &c shea
docket, stood The State Of Luisiapa VS..
John. Allen, for an assault and battery,
with intent to kill, on the body Of EuOs
Griggs.'
The trial came on. and the only witness
to tie ARRAY was Captain johnson, who
ives the third in the game. johnson was
the skipper of one Of those crafts which
transport sugar from that section of the
country to New Orleans, and was a self
confident, go-shead fellow, and was as uu.
daunted before the judge and Jury as he
would have been before the crew of bis
OWE little craft. After being sworn, be
was directed to tell the court and iurv
everything be knew about the Affair."
After clearing his throat, he commenced
by stating that him and GrigRs, and John
Allen. were over at Boulstt's grocery. the
second day of election, when Allen pro-
posed that they should have q small game
Of poker; all agreed to it, and We went %
stairs and sat down to the game; did not
know that there was any harsh feeling
between Griggs and Allen, or wouldn't
played, but heard Afterwards
Here the witness was interrupted bv the
court, who directed him to keep all hear.
says to himself, and confne himself strict
ly to the facts of the case.
The witness continued:
We'll, We sat down to the tabie-Grieos
sat there, John Allen here, and / there
(making q diagram of the clerks table, in
order to elucidate the position of the pa,.
ties.) John Allen dealt the cards: l went
blind; Griggs be went blind, and John Al.
len he wouldn't see him.
The judge. who was q little deaf: was in
the habit Of making an ear-trumpet of his
hand. for the purpose CT sharpening bis
hearing, and, throwing his head q little
forward and sidewsys, INTERRUPTED the
witness. by asking him
What was the reason that John Allen
didn't zee Griggsf'
The witness replied:
i don't know, but he wouldn't look at
him.
Proceed, said the Judge.
Well, saw him and be saw, and inst
at that minute
Stop, SIR eaid the Judge. throwing
himself into q hearing attitude, did nm.
derstand you to say that you went blind p
Yes, sir; / went blind, and Griges he
was blind, and Allen wouldn't see. but /
saw Griggs, and then be saw
Witness exclaimed the Judge. striking
the bench with bis clenched fist, do hear
pu right sirf Do You say that you went
blind, and then you salcr
Yes. SIR replied the witness, Il saw
Griggs, and Griggs saw, and just at that
Stop, sir said the Judge, Mr.. Clerk
fine the witness Fifty dollars for coutemut
of court, and direct the sheriff to take him
to Jail. and there to keep him until be re-.
ceives further orders from the court. Call
up the next case, Mr.. Clerk
Captain johnson was dumbfounded, and
did not awake to the reality of his condi>
ton until the sheriff laid hands on him,
when be exclaimed:
Good gracious, Mr.. Judge, what have
/ done that must 60 to Jail?
The Judge, who was purple with
rage, did not deign to reply to poor John
son, but reiterated the order with increas-
ed vehemeDce, and the junior members of
the bar, who had been anticipatinp the
fix that the captain woulG eventually be
placed in, were convuIsed' with laughter,
which increased the rage of the old Judge
to the highest pitch. The prosecuting at
torney endeavored to enlighten the Judge,
and eventually succeeded, but not until be
had produced pack Of cards, and after
dealing out three hands, made the blind as
clear as day to the Judge.
The fine and imprisonment were re-
mitted, order was restored in the court,
and Captain johnson was allowed to pro-
eeed with bis testimony.