American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-10-16
The Perils Of Drinking Bad Whisky.

Many years ago, when the State
of Georgia was in its infancy, one of
the Circuit Judges was Bella Brown,
an ancestor of the recent seeeshn
Governor of that name. He was
man of ability and integrity, but
like good many distinguished per.
sons of that day, he loved a social
glasa, and whenever the members of
the bar would turn in and help, he
sometimes drank to excess and be-
came glofiousiy fud6ied. On one
occasion, while travelling the circuit,
he reached the village Of Dayton, III
D0oiy county, where the court was
to opened next day, and took quar-
ters with relative of his wife, that
lady accompan. ing him. After sup
per Judge Brown strolled over to
the only tavern in the place, kept
by one Sterritt, where he met num-
Der of his legal friends. A convivial
evening was passed, drinks went
frequently round, and, somewhere
about midnight, the Honorable Bella
was in state of mind quite the re-
verse of that implied by the old saw,
:" Sober as Judge When he was
leaving for home, Of the young law
years, in a spirit one of mischief, slyly
passed some spoons from the tum-
bIers into the Judges pocket.
On dressing himself next morning
the eccentric official, putting his
hand into his pocket, was greatly
perpleXed in discovering three or
four silver spoons.
"My God! Polly" said he to his
wife, just look here believe I've
stolen some of Sterritts spoons -
"Let's see them," says the wife.
'Yes, sure enough-here's his verit-
able initials Pray how did you
happen o have them in your pocketf"
:. [ think | must have been drunk
when | came home, wasn't I" i'll
quired the Judge.
:" Yes" replied the devoted Polly,
g you know your old habit when you
get among those lawyers"
.sCertainiy can understand easy
enough how it all came about. That
fellow, Sterritt, keeps the meanest
| liquor in the State /; but l never sup
posed that to drink it would make y
man steal J"
Tie spoons were duly returned to
the landlord, and the Judge opeued
his court, thinking no more about
the matter. Several days elapsed,
and the court was drawing to close,
when one morning. rough-looking
customer was arrsligned before his
Honor for larceny. He pleaded
guilty, but said i'll mitigation that
he was drunk at the time OF commit
ting the offence.
:. What is the nature Of the charge
against the mani" inquired Judge
Brown.
Stealing money from the till at
SterIitt's tavern" replied the clerk.
8 Young man, said the Judge
solemnly, "are you snre You was III
toxicated when You took this money! 2
Yes, your Honor, was So jolly
drank that things looked like they
were dancing double shuttle, aud
when | went out doors the ground
kept coming UP and hitting ME OF
the head"
THAT will do" replied the Judge
But tell ne, did you get all the
liquor you drank at Sterritt's J"
Every drop of it, your Honor"
And so you got tipsy on his
liquor, and then stole his money 7
''That's it exactly; l didn't know
what / was doing"
Turning to the prosecuting attor
ney, tho worthy magistrate said
This is most extraordinary case
Mr.. Attorney, and one, | think, de
manding the clemency of the Court
You will, therefore, do me the favo
of entering nolle PROSE-. Tha
liquor of Sterritt's, l have reason t.
know, is mean enough to make ;
{ man do anything dirty. l got drunl
OH it myself, tue other night, ant
stole all his spoons. If SteIritt viii
sell such abominable stuff, he ough
not to have the protection Of thi
Court. You may release the prison
er. Mr.. Sheriff" Georgia COnstitu
tiondliot.