The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-10-13
TIFFIN TRIBUNE.
nm q rI---I.. ~ A. fafL faza
Science YerSus Luck.

At that time in KENTUCKY (said
the Hon. Mr.. Knot, NJ. c., the law
was very strict against what is term
ed games Of chance"
About a dozen Of the boys were de-
teeted playing t1seven-up," or "Old-
tledge.n for money, and the grand ju-
nv found a true bill against them
Jim Sturgis was retained 10 defend
them when the case came up, Of
course. The more he studied oyes the
matter and looked into the evidence
the palmer it was he must lose a case
at Iast-there was no getting around
that painful fact.
Those boys had certainly been bet
ting money on a game Of chance.
Even public sympathy was reused in
behalf Of Sturgis. People said il was
a pity to see him mar his successful
career with a big prominent case like
this, which must go against him.
But after several restless nights an
inspired idea flashed upon Sturgis,
and ne spnang out of bed delighted.
He thought he saw his way through.
The nzxt day he Whispered around a
little among his clients and a few
friends, and then when the case came
up in Court he acknowledged tie sew
en-up and the betting, and, as his sole
defense, had the astounding effrontery
80 put in the plea that old sledge was
not q game OF chance!
There was the broadest sort Of a
smile all over the faces Of that sOphis-
dicated audience. The Judge smiled
with the rest. But Sturgis maintain
ed Q eOuntenance whose ea7nestness
was even severe. The opposite coun-
sci tried to ridicule him out Of his pO-
sitiOn, and did not succeed. The
Judge jested in a pOnderous judicial
way about the thing, but did not
move him. The matter was becOm-
ing grave. The Judge lost a little Of
his patience and said the joke had
gone far enough.
Jim Sturgis said he knew Of no
joke i'm the matter: his clients could
not be punished for indulging in what
some people chose to consider a game
Of chance until IL was proven that it
was a game of chance.
Judge and counsel said that would
be an easy matter, and forthwith call
ed DeacOns Job, Peters, Burke and
johnson, and DOminies, Writ and
AAAEtAG1f " sIoNAAy anu AlACN AAAlAAA-
mOusly and with strong feeling put
down the legal guibbIc OF Sturgis, by
prOnOuncing that old sledge was q
game Of shance.
What do you call 1t nOw?' said the
Judge.
'I call it a game Ofscience P' retort-
ed Sturgis, land III prove it, toOw
They saw this little game.
He brought in a crowd Of witnesses
and produced an overwhelming mass
Of testimony to show that old sledge
was not game Of chance but game
Of science.
Instead Of being the simplest case
I'm the world, IL had somehow turned
out TO be an excessively knOtty one.
The Judge scratched his head over it
awhile, and said there was no way
OF coming TO a determination, because
just rs many men could be brought
in Court who would testify on one
side as could be found to testify on
the other. But he said he was will
ing 10 do the fair thing by all parties,
and would act upon any suggestion
Mr.. Sturgis would make for the sOlu-
ton Of the difficulty.
Mr.. Sturgis was ON his feet IN a
second:
.'ImpanneI jury Of six Of each,
Luck rs. Science,-give them candles
and a couple Of decks of cards, send
them into the juryrOOm, and just
abide by the result l'i
There was no disputing the fairness
OF the proposition. The four teacOns
and the two dominies were sworn in
as the "chancep jUrymen, and six in
veterate old seven-up professors were
chosen to represent the 'science" side
Of the issue. They retired to the jury
room.
In about two hours, Deacon Peters
sent into Court 10 borrow 50 from a
friend, -(SensatiOn. I'm about two
hours more, Dominic Miggles sent in
TO Court to borrow ''stake" from q
friend.-(SensatiOn.) )-Duriug the next
three or four hours, Che other dominic
and the other deacOns sent into Court
for small loans. And still the packed
audience waited, for it was e prOdi-
gious occasion in Bulbs Corners, and
one in which every father Of family
was necessarily interested.
The rest of the story can be told
briefly. About daylight the jury came
in, and Deacon job, the foreman,
read the following