The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1869-09-16
How Judge Brown Stole the
SPOONS.

How Judge Brown Stole the
Spoons
Many years ago, when the State Of
Georgia was in It's infancy, one OF the
Circuit Judges was Bella Brown, an
ancestor of the recent "scccsh" Gov.
ernor of that name. He was man Of
ability and integrity, but like Il good
many distinguished persons of that
day, he loved social glass; and,
whenever the members Of the bar
would turn in and help, he sometimes
drank TO excess, and became .loriously
fudllcd. On one occasion, while
travelling on a circuit, he reached the
village Of Dayton, in Dooly county,
where the court was to he opened next
day, and took quarters with Il relative
Of his wife, that lady accompanying
him. After supper, Judge Brown
strolled over to the on y tavern in the
place, kept by one Stcrritt, where he
met a number Of his legal friends. A
convivial evening was passed; drinks
frequently 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 Il Judgc.' When he was
leaving for home, one of the young
lawyers, in q spirit of mischief, slyly
passed some spoons from the tunblcls
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! Poll" said he to his
wife; "just look here; believe I've
stolen some of Sterritt's spoons
Let's see them" says the wife
YES, sure cnough--hcrr's his verita
bile initial! Pray, how did you hap
pen to have them in yourpockct"
Il think | must have been drunk
when came home, wasn't ~ in
quircd the Judge
"Ycs," replied the devoted Polly;
"you know your old habit when you
get among those lawyers"
"Cerlainly; can understand easy
enough how it all came about. That
fellow, Stcrritt, keeps the mrancst
liquor in the State; but ! never sup
posed that to drink it would make n
man steal
The spoons were duly returned to
the landlord, and the Judge went and
opened his CONT, thinking no more of
the matter Several days elapsed, and
the business of the court WAS drawing
to a close, when one morning a rough
looking customer was arraigncd before
his Honor for larceny. lie pleaded
guilty, but said in smi,igation that he
was drunk at the time he committed
the oilensc.
"Wha, is the nature of the charge
against this man." inquired Judge
Brown.
STEALING money from the till at
Sterrtt's tavern" replied the clerk.
Young man, said the Judge, sol
EMMY, "are you sure you was intoXl-
Gated when you took this money
"Ycs. your Honor, ] was so jolly
drunk that things looked like they
were dancing double shuflles, and,
when / went out doors, the ground
kept coming up and hitting me in the
head"
"That will do replied the Judge.
"But tell me, did you get all the liquor
you drank ut Sterrtt's So
Every drop of it, your Honor
"And so you got tipsy on his liquor,
and then stole his money
CHATS it. exactly; didn't know
what | was doing
Turning to the prosecuting atLor-
ney. the worthy magistrate said:
This is Il most extraordinary case,
Mr.. Attorney, and one, think, de
handing the clemcncy Of the court
You will therefore do me the favor to
enter nolle PROSE-. That liquor OF
Sterritts, have reason to know, is
mean enough to make man do any.
thing dirty. | got drunk on it myself
the other night, and stole all OF his
spoons. Ii Sterritt will sell such abOm
Unable stuff, he ought not to have the
protection of this court You may re
lease the prisoner, Mr.. Sheriff"
The St. LOnis Democrat cOunsels
the Southern people to turn theil
thoughts from Chinese importation
and seek to make the best use of til,
labor they now haze. 1t argues thai
the Northern mines, railroads and fac
tories will outbid them, and urges thai
that the South will be wise if not bull
ding its hopes upon Chinese labor fol
agricultural purposes, it looks instead