The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-11-03
aAYss OF ADvERT1sINa.

For announcing candidates, Five Dollars in each
case, invariably in advance.
Science VS.. Luck in Kentucky.
At that time. in Kentucky, (said the Hon.
Mr.. Knott. M. C.,l the law was very strict
against what is termed games of chance"
About dozen Of boys were detected playing
nseven up' or "old sledge," for money, and the
grand jury found a true bill against them. Jim
Stureis was retained to defend them when the
case came up, of course. The more he studied
over the matter and looked into the evidence,
the palmer it was he must lose case at last
there was no getting around that painful fact.
Those boys had certainly been betting mon
ey on game of chance. Even public SYM
pathy was reused in behalf of Sturgis. People
said it was 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 he sprang out of
bed delighted. He thought he saw his way
through. The next day, he whispered around
little among his clients and few friends,
and when the case came up IN court ne ac-
knowledged the seven up and the betting, and,
as his sole defence, had the astounding efron-
tery to put in the plea that old sledge was not
agame of chance.
There was the broadest sort of smile all
over the faces of that sophisticated audience.
The Judge smiled with the rest. But Sturgis
maintained q countenance whose earnestness
was even severe The opposite counsel tried
to ridicule him out of his position, and did not
succeed. The Judge iested in Ponderous Ju-
dicial way about the thing, but did not move nov
him. The matter was becoming grave. The
Judge lost little of his patience, and said the
joke had gone far enough.
Jim Sturgis said he knew of no joke in his
matter his clients could not be punished for
indulging in what some people chose to con-
slider game of chance, until it was proven
that it was game of chance.
q Judge and counsel said that would be an
easy matter, and forthwith called Deacons Job,
Peters. Burke and Johnson, and Dominies Writ
and Miggles to testify and they unanimously
and with strong feeling put down the legal
bubble, Of Sturgis. by pronouncing that old
sledge was a. game OF chance.
"What do you call it now?" said the Judge
81 call it a game of science" retorted Stur-
eis, "and I'll prove it, too|
They saw this little game.
He brought in crowd of witnesses, and pro-
dhced 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 in the
world, it had somehow turned out to be an e1-
cessiYely knotty one. The Judge scratched his
head over it awhile, and said that there was no
way of coming to determination, because just
as MANY men could be brought in court who
would testify on the other side. But he said
he was willing to do the fair thing by all par
ties, and would act upon any suggestion MI.
Sturgis would make for the solution OF the dif-
fculty.
Mr. Sturgis was on his feet in second !:
"Impannei a jury of six of each, Luck u.s. Sci
ence-give them candles and couple OF decks
of cards, send them into the jury-room, and
Just abide by the RESULT"
There was no disputing the fairness OF the
proposition. The four Deacons and the TWO
doniinies were sworn in as the chance" jury
men. and six inyeterate 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 to borrow three dollars from friend.
(Sensation.) In about two hours more, Dom
inie Mipeles sent into court to borrow stake"
from friend. (Sensatien.) During the next
three or four hours, the other dominies and the
other deacons sent into court for small loans
And still the packed audience waited, for it
was q prodigious occasion in Bulls Corners,
and one in which every father Of g. 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 verdict: eve, the
iury, in the case of the Commonwealth of Ken
lucky us John Wheeler, et al, having carefully
considered the points of the case, and tested
the merits of the several theories advanced, do
hereby unanimously decide that the game COM
monty known as old sledge, or seven up, is en-
inently game of science and not of chance.
In demonstration thereof, it is hereby and here
in stated, iterated, reiterated, set forth and
made manifest, that during the entire night
the "chance" men never won game or turned
jack, although both feats were common and
frequent to the opposition. And furthermore,
in support of this our verdict, we call attention
to the significant fact that the "chance" men
are ell bursted, and the science" men have got
ihe money. It is the deliberate opinion of this
jury that the ''chance' theory concerning seven
up is pernicious doctrine, and calculated to
ihlict untold suffering and pecuniary loss upon
any community that takes stock in it,
"That is the way that seven up came to be
set apart and particnlarized in the statute
books of Kentucky as being game not of
chance, but of science, and therefore not pun
ishable under the law" said Mr.. Knott "That
verdict is of record, and holds good to this day."
Fun IN INDIANA.-An number of young men,