The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-07-07
AN ACCOMMODATING JUDGE.

TIE following story, only the conclud-
ing portion of which we give, is told Of
Judge i, of Jackson, Texas, and
John Rolfo, n backwoodsmun. Rolfo--
tall hunter, dressed in deerskin, and
armed with revolver, rifle, and bowie
knife-visits Jackson, calls ON the Judge
at his residence with the narrator), and
thus relieves his mind:
"You see, Judge, early day before
| yesterday morning ! started for this
place, and as ] wouldn't chisel, I went
without eating the whole day. / slept
in the woods, and yesterday morning | !
got UP rs hungry as panther and as l
walked ale NJ, thinks |, what am | to
do? | never see game so scarce there
wasn't so much as squirrel to he found.
Pm above cheating any man out of his
dinner; but felt that dinner / must
have. Just then fellow comes riding
along the road. l talked to him, and
tried to borrow, swearing to pay at any
place he might name, in week; but
the crittcr told me had paid his way
out of his pocket, and he'd too little to
divide.
"How much have you got?" says I.
"Two fifty" says he.
"Now, thinks l, that is too little to
divide. SO, while he is looking another
way, | shoots him through the head,
and gin him Us decent burial as /
could under an old log, and took the
two dollars and a half. But it won't do
my conscience misgiveS me. Pm sorry
for it, and wish the fellcr had his money
back, if he could be alive. Between you
and me, as it is too late for that, l think
that | ought to be hung"
The Judge called his little black boy,
ordered three papers of tobacco, and we
smoked in silence.
"Then you really think you ought to
be hung"' he said, with compassion, as
he Whitfield Il cloud of smoke toward the
ceiling.
81 do, in fact" answered Role, emit
ting Il similar volume of vapor.
The Judge smoked and considered
again.
"Well, we'll try to hang you," he
added.
,, There was an expression of gratitude
in Rolfc's eye, as he replied:
"Thank you. That will ease my con-
science"
The Judge again knocked the ashes
from his pipe, and spoke:
"Well, come here in half an hour.
I'll try to get a jury"
Rolic and myself, laying our pipes on
, the table, were about leaving, when the
Judge asked us to take drink, which
having dOncw we babe him good-morning.
At the expiration of half an hour we
returned, when we found some twelve
= men drinking and smoking with the
magistrate, awaiting us. We We're po-
litcly requested to sit down.
, "Now," said the Judge, addressing
. himself to Rolfe, tell these gentlemen
what you have already told me-"
Whereupon Rolie repeated the state
mcnt he had before made.
"Now, gentlemen, continued the first
speaker, " wish to say, if this gentle
man-AIr. Rolie, your name is, eh ?
=. well, there's some fine old brandy ;
make cyOurselfperfectly at thome-wheth-
cr, gentlemen, you find John ltolfe gull
: ty or not guilty of murder. In addi-
! tiOn to what he said, | will observe, for
your information, that | have sent out
and found the body just where he stated
it to be-"
The jury smoked, rose up, took lit
tie brandy and water, and then sat down
again, and smoked in silence for some
time. At last one of them, who appear
cd to be the foreman, said:
: "Thc case is tolcrably clear, and we
rather think he's guilty"
"There's more tobacco on the table,"
said the Judge to Rolfe, "the best you
can find anywhere. You have heard
= what these gentlemen have said. Well,'
he continued little uncasily, l don't
like to tell you in my own house, but
"Lct there be no hindrance," saiG
Rolfe, filing and lighting his pipe"
Well, then, continued the Judge
"comc here at ten O'Clock tomorrow
morning, ana III nave you nunS.'
, Rolfc looked disconnected, and appear
cd mortified at the idea Ofaskinga Il favor
! "You-you have been so kind to me,
Il he said, hesitatingly, "that | hardl.
i like to ask you for anything more"
Il "Not at ali, "replied the Judge. sou
: with it; you are welcome to it befor
. you ask"
l. "Well," )" said Rolfc, 81 wish-to-mor
II row is my ague day, and the shake
y come on ut ten-icOuid y0u be SO Kind q
= 10 hdNg me at Rine."
Z "With the greatest of pleasure" an
> swered the good-hearted Judge, shaking
Rolfe by the hand. "Nine it shall be.
v Accordingly John Rolfe went to tn
u inn, paid his bill, and the next morning
G was hung as the clock struck nine"