The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-11-02
A BAREFoOTED CUSTOMER.

4 L
mounted his seat of Justice, and drop
ping his bland and pleasing manner OF
private life, became the severe and dig
Observation-Disclosures Justice. Glanc,
ing his eyes over the row of prisoners
which had been brought in, they rested
upon the form of one whose appear
ance indicated that he had seen great
deal of the rough side Of this world
He was of rotund physique, rather in
clined to obesity; his hair was sandy
color originally, but SO dirty-begrimmed
that it was difficult to determine its
color now; his clothes had been per-
mitted to run to seed, while his boots
or shoes had entirely disappeared and
he stood before the court bare-footed
victim to the municipalities of Portland.
He caught the eye Of His Honor and
rose from his seat; with a swinging
gesture of his right arm he raised his
right hand to his left breast, bowed
his head and said, in slightly I'M
steady voice:
Your HONOR wish to call the
attention of the Court to the fact that
an officer of this Court has been gross
ly outraged and that, too, by merce-
nary hireling. ], sir, have been arrest
ed and incarcerated in a common pris-
on, herded with thieves and vile char
acters; and call upon the Court to in
flict merited punishment upon those
who have been instrumental in bring
ing disgrace upon me and causing me
to hang my head in shame"
Il do not understand that any officer
of the Court has been offended. You
are under arrest for being drunk and
disordcrly"
Il drunk and disorderly? | beg
your pardon, your Honor; | desire first
to correct an error you labor under In
the first place, | possess a certificate
from the Supreme Court of the United
States which makes me ipS0 jure a
member of all Courts in the United
States. Now, this point being settled
to your satisfaction, | desire TO say a
few words rcfutatory of the vile SLAM
der that | was drunk and disorderly.
1t is true, your Honor, that had drank
a few glasses of lager beer but you
will find, by reference TO the Pennsyl-
vania Reports, vol. Ga, PIP. 2ST, in the
case Of The City Of Philadelphia VS..
Rauf Hantner; also in the Missouri
Reports, vol. AZ, PIP. l23, in the case of
the City of St Louis vs.. Anzcigbe, that
it has been decided that lager does not
intoxicate Therefore, if dranl, moth
ing but lager could not have been
drunk, and if not drunk, not disorderly,
because the complaint combines the
two oficnses in one, and unless you
convict me on both the case falls TO the
ground. :"
"You can pay fine Of ten dollars,
or go to Jail for five days" was the sen
tence of the Court
Your Honor surely cannot mean to
commit such an outrage upon a mem
Der of the Bar. Why, sir, was arrest
ed in my own house, and by common
law mans house is his castle, and
there he is free from molcstation.'
you had better sit down and be-
have yourself The officer says you
were in lager beer saloon making a
great noise"
"That is very true, your honor, but
the lager beer saloon was public
house, and by purchasing a glass of
lager there | secured tenants right
to that portion of the saloon | occupied
If the Court will give sufficient time |
will bring you authorities in which the
proposition | have just enunciated is
maintained, by the Supreme Courts of
Massachusetts, New York and Indiana"
I" Sit down and remain quiet | want
to hear no more from YOU said the
Judge as the next case was called.
=" shall pay this fine under protest
and then carry the case to the Supreme
Court of the United States, where my
friend, Judge Field, will listen to me,
Here's your $40. Good bye. go to
seek my boots. Shame on a Court
that does not respect the decisions of
Missouri and Pennsylvania"