Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-02-03

Science vs.. Luck in Kentucky.

Mr.. Knott. NJ. CD tho law was very strict
against WHAT'S formed "gamcs of chance"
| About dozen of the boys were detected
playing "scvcu,up' or cold slcdge," for mon.
ey, and the grand jury found true bill
against them. Jim Sturgis waas retained to
defend them y hen the case came up, of course.
The more ho studied over the matter and
looked into the evidence, the palmer it was
hc must lose case at last-,there was no get.
ting around that painful fact.
Those boys had certainly been betting
money on game Of chance. Even public
sympathy was reused in behalf of Sturgis.
People said it was a pity to sec him mar his
successful career with big prominent
case like this, which must go against him
But after several restless mig IS, an in.
spred idea flushed upon Sturyis, and he
sprang out Of bed delighted. He thought he
s'w his way through. The next day, he
whispered around little among his clients
AMI a few friends and when the case came
up in court he acknowledged the seven up
and tho betting, and, as his sole defence, had
the astounding cfrontcry to put in the plea
that old sleds" vas not game of chance.
There was the broadcst sort of smile all
over the faces Of that sophisticated audience
The Judge SAILED with the rest. But Stur-
gls maintained Il countcnancc whose earnest
ness WIS even severe. The opposite counsel
tried to ridiculc him out of his position, and
did not succeed. The Judge jestcd in pom
dcrous judicial way about the thing, but did
not move him, The matter becoming
grave. The Judge lost little of his pa
tlcnoc, and said the joke had gone far en-.
ough.
Jim Stureis said he know of no joke in
the matter; his clients could not be punished
for indulging in what some people chose to
consider gape Of chance, until it was proved
'":t j Judgs d 'gas ana "a 4s2e ss2ee Of chance.
easy matter, aud forthwith called beaacons
Job, Peters, Burke and johnson, and Do.
minics Writ aud Migglcs to testify; and they
unanimously and with strong feeling put
down the legal quibble of Sturgis, by pro-
nouncing od-sedge was game of chance.
"What do you call it now ?" said the
Judge.
II call it a game of science p rctortcd
Sturgis, "and III prove it, tool
They saw this little game.
lie brought in crowd of witnesses, and
produced an overwhelming mass of testimony
to show that old slcdge was not game of sci
cncc
Instead of being the simplest case in the
world, it had somehow turned out to be an
excessively knotty one The Judge scratch
cd his head over it awhile, and said there was
no way of coming to determination, because
just as many men could be brought in court
who would testify on one side as could be
found to testify on tho other But he said
ho was willing to do the fair thing by all
parties, and would act upon any suggestion
Mr.. Sturgis would make for tho solution of
the difficulty.
Mr.. Sturgs was on his feet in second !:
"Impannel jury of six Of each, Luck vs..
Science-give them candles and couple
Of decks of cards, send them into the jury
70 ,m, and just abide by the results ~
There WINS no disputing the fairness Of the
proposition The four deacons and the two
domInios were sworn in as tho "chance jury.
men, and six neveteratc old seven up profes
sors were chosen to represent the "scence"
side Of the issue They retired to the jury
room.
In about two hours, Deacon Peters sent
into court ts borrow three dollars from friend
(Sensationl In about two hours more, Do
mimic Miggles sent into court to borrow a
'stake" from friend. (Seusation) Du.
ring the next three or four hours, the other
dominies and the othcr dcacons sapt into
court for small loans. And still tho packed
audience waited, for it was prodigious occa.
sion in Bulls Corner, and one in which eve.
ry father of family was necessarily inter.
cstcd.
The rest of the story can be told briefly.
About daylight the jury came in, and Deacon
job, the foreman, read the following verdict
We, the jury, in the case of the Common
wealth Of Kentucky vs.. John Wheeler, ct.
al having carefully considered tho point of
the case, and tested the merits Of the several
theories advanced, do'hereby unanimously de-
eide that the gamo commonly known as old
slcdge, or seven up, is eminontly gamo
- = - .tnooo T., JorooccI.-