Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-08-26
The Perils of Drinking Bad. WHISKY.
[From the Georgia Constitutionalist.l

l. FROM inc georgia COlistltutlOnailst. a.
Many years ago when the state of Geor
ola was in It's infancy, one Of the Circui
j Jmigeswas Bella, Brown, an ancestor of the
recent, ,..tsscesh" Governor OF, that name. -
lie was man OF ability and integrity, bu
like good many distinguished persons o
tEitt day, lie loved soclh glass; and wht n
] ever the members of the oar would turn
in and help, he, sometimes drank toex.
cess and became gloriously fuddled -
On one OCCASION while TRAVELLING con cir
cut; 10 reached the village oil Dayton, in
,Dooly county,. where The court was &c
be opened next day, and took quarters
with a relative of his wife that lady accom-
panying him. After supper Judge Brown
! strollcS over TO the oiiy tavern in the
place. kept 10y one Sterritt, where lie met a
number of hls legal friends 4 conviyial
evening was passed; drinks frequently
went round, and somewhere about Inid-
night, the Honorable Bella was in a state os
mind quite the reverse ofthat implied bv
the old saw, ''Sober as a Judge" %" When
he was leaving for home, one of lhe Young
lawyers, IN q spirit OF mischief, slyly passed
some spoons from the iumblers into the
Judges pocket - c's
~ On dressing himself next morning. the
eccentric official, putting his. hand into has
pocket, was greatly perplexed IN discover
ing three or four silver spoons. 100
My Godl Polly" said he to his wife.
lust look here, believe I've stolen some
OF Sterritts spoons p !. ,
''Let's see them" says the wife. eyes.
sure enough-here's his veriIable initials !,
Pray how ala you happen to have them in
Your pocket" .s....,. t-.-ll..
III think Imust have been drunk when
came home wasn't I?' inquireh the JUDGE
81 YES" replied the devoted Polly ssveu
know your old habit when you ges among
those lawyers. ~
Certainly; can understand easv enounh
how. 1t all caane about That fellow. Ster-
rltt, Keeps the meanest hquer in the State:
but never supposed that to drink il yould
make man steal %
TEASPOONS Were duly returned 10 the
landlord, and the Judge went and opened
his- court, thinking no more about the mat
ter. Several days elapsed, and the bnsi-
ness OF the court was drawing 10 a close
when one morning arough looking custom
er was arraigned before His HsnSr for lar
ceny. He, pleaded guilty, but said IN mil !
CATION that he was drunk at the time of !
the offence acg.l
''What is the nature of the charge AGAINST
the rnanr inquired Judge Brown.
Stealing money from the till at Ster- |
ritt,s tavern, replied the CLERK.
'sA Dung man, said the Judge, solenlntv. |
''are you sure you was intoxicated when
yol took this money r ur s....
Yes, your Honor, was so Jolly drunk |
that things looked like they were dancing
double shuffies, and when went out doors
the ground kept coming up and hitting me
in the head"
That will do, replied the Judge. "But
toll me, did you get all the liqnor Won
drank at Sterritt's ~ - -
Every drop OF it, yoIr Honor
And SO you got tipsy on his liquor, and
then stole his money!"
'1hats II eXaetiy;i didn't know what |
vas doing ~ go ,.,d r,i,-et s.1-
Turning to the prosecuting attorney, the
worthy magistrate said This Is a most
extlaordnary case, Mr.. Attorney, and one.
think, demanding the clemency Of the
Court. You will, Therefore, do me the
avor OF entering nORe prOsSe. That LIQUOR
of Sterritts, i have reason to Know. is
mean enough to make man do ANYTHING
ilrty. got drunk ON it myself the other
night, and stole all his spoons. If Steritt
will sell snch abominable stuff. he ought
not to have the protection of this court.
ou may release the prisoner, Mr. Sheriff"