The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-09-09
PEI PE1:1Ls Il OF DRINKING BAD WHISKY.

,,oM Many, years ago, when the State of
Georgia was III its infancy, one of the
Circuit Judges was Bella Brown, an
ancestor of the recent 'secesh' Cover.
nor of that name. lie was a man of
ability and integrity, but like a good
many distinguished. persons of that
day, he loved a social glass; and
Whenever the members Of the bar
would turn in and help, he sometimes
drank to excess and became glorious
ly fuddled. On one occasion, while
travelling on the circuit, he reached
the village of Dayton, Dooly county,
.where the courtfWas to be opened next
day, and took quarters with a relative
Of his wife, that lady accompanying
him. After supper, Judge Brown
strolled over to the only tavern in the
place, kept by one Sterritt, where he
met a number of his legal friends. A
-convivial evening was passed; drinks
freely went 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 a judge" When he was
leaving for home, one of the young
lawyers, in a spirit of mischief, silly
passed some spoons from the tumblers
ainto the. Judges, pocket. w .ala baa
ION dressing himself the next morn
ing, the eccentric official, putting his
hand into his pocket, was greatly per-
picked in discovering three or four
silver spoons Jlu Iaau' i.fav i-g,
g My God Pollyi = said he to his
wife; s'just look here; believe I've
stolen some of Sterritt's spoons T5A
,nN Let's see them," says the wife,
g Yes, sure enough--here,s his verita-
BILE initials!J Pray, how did you hap
pen to have them in your pocket?".
~ | think L must have been drunk
when came home, wasn'tI p inquir-
edjythe Judge n5a- 81 % aiEal3. u
eyes," replied the devoted Polly,
/" you know your habit when you get
among those lawyers" ."Jis.iHjL g9ato .
&C Certainly; / can understand easy
enough how it all came about. That
fellow Sterritt keepszgthe meanest
liquor in the State but I never sup
posed that to drink it would make a
9lnah steal!" baH ae=.l8 -ges u
e The spoons were duly returned to
the landlord, and the Judge went and
opened his court, thinking no more
about the matter. Several days elaps-
ed, and the business of the court was
drawing to q close, when one morn
ing rough looking customer was
arTaigned before his Honor for larce-
Lny.ri He pleaded guilty, but said in
mitigation that he was drunk at the
time of committing the otfense.
vat What is the nature of the charge
against the MANI" inquired Judge
H. g Stealing money from the till at
Sterritt's, tavern" replied the clerk.
|. o,'isY oung man." said the Judge, SOL
einnly, I" are you sure you were intox-
-icated when you took this money!"
eyes, your Honor, = I3was so jolly
drunk. that things looked like they
were dancing double-shuffles, . and
when / went out doors the. ground
kept coming up and hitting me in the
head. .pie.ti h9imsh f-la .5t5o9 es.t u re
!'fiThat will do,'' replied the Judge.
| g But, tell. me- did you get all the
liquor you drank at Sterritt's ?"'sa-s G.
Every drop of it, yer Honor
Sand so you got tipsy OH his liqnor
and then. stole his money!. 55s.as.as
"Shat's' it, exactly; L didn't know
whatlI WAS doing" ~ lHwavu5
| a3 Turning to the prosecuting attor-
ney,j the worthy magistrate said -
""sThisi is a most extraordinary case,
Mr.. Attorney, and one, L think, de-
manding, the clemency of the court
You will therefore, do me the favor
of entering q Rolle prOsequi. That
liquor of Sterritt's, l have reason to
know, is mean enough to do anything
dirty. 1 got drunk on it myself the
other night and stole all his spoons
If Sterritt will sell such miserable
stuff, he ought not to have the protec-
ton of this court. You may release
the prisoner, Mr.. Sheriff." - .'l'''