The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1871-03-17

At that time in Kentucky (said the
Hon. Mr.. Knott, NJ. C.) the law was =
very strict against what IL termed
..gaincs OF chance"
About dozen Of the boys were de- !:
tcctcdeplayinef'scven up Or "0ld slcdg, :
tor money, and the grand jury found u /.
true bill against them. Jim Sturgis was :
retained 10 defend them when the case
came up, of course. The more he stud
led over the matter and looked into the
evidence, the palmer it was lie must lose
a case ut last-there was no getting
around the painful fact. lno,
Those boys had certainly been betting
money on game of chance. Even
public sympathy was reused in behalf
OF Sturgis. People said it was pity
TO see him mar his success fulcarcer with
big prominent case like this, which
must go against him.
But after several restless nights oil in
spircd idea flashed upon Sturgis, and he
sprang out of bed delighted. lie thought
lie saw his way through. The next day
he whispered around little among his
clients and few friends aud then when
the case came up in court he acknowl.
edged the seven-up and the betting, and
as his sole defense, he had the astound-
ing c.frontcry to put in the plea that
old-sledge was not q game OF chance.
i There was the broadcst sort Of a smile
, all over the faces of the sophisticated
audience. The Judge smiled with the
rest. But Sturgis maintained coun-
, Itcnancc whose earncstncss was even
severe. The opposite counsel tried to
/ ridculc him out of his position, and did
not succeed. The Judge jcsted in a
, pondcrous judicial way about the thing,
l but did not move him. The Judge lost
D little Of his patience, and said the joke
l had gone far enough.
e jim Sturgis said lie knew of no joke
Il in the natter; his clients could not DC
c punished for indulging in what some
s people chose to consider game oi
,fI chance until it was proven that 1t was O
game Of chance.
Judge and counsel said that would be
an easy matter, and forthwith called
IS Dcacons Job, Peters, Burke and John.
son, and Dominies Writ and Migglcs to
y testify and they unanimously and will
:. strong feelings put down the legal quib.
= bles Of Sturgis by pronouncing ole
=. slclge game of chance.
= "What do you call it nOw!" said th'
!. Judge. -n
II call il q game of chancc!" rctortcd
Sturgis, "and I'll prove il too"
!! They saw his little game.
/ lie brought IN a crowd Of witnesses
:, and produced an overwhelming mass 0
}" Testimony to show that old slcdgc wa
:, not a game Of chance but a game o
y -,ie euoc. a
Instcad Of being the simplest case il
=. the W world, it had somehow turned 0u
l.. c...1oIs,,<rls. Enntfv lhl
= Judge scratched his head over II awhile
o' and said there was no way of coming t.
" a determination, because just as. man.
y men could bc brought into court wh'
~ would testify OH one side. as could u
p found 10 testify OH the other. But h
III said lie was willing to do the fair thin!
!: by all parties, and would act upon an.
!, suggestion Mr.. Sturgis would make ~
" the solution OF the difficulty.
:: Mr.. Sturgis was on his feet in see
he ond.
~ .Impanncl jury Of six Of each :
,,Imck W. Science give them candle
,.;- and a couple Of decks Of cards, SCI,
RI them into the jnry-room, and just abid
I,c by the result"
NJ There was no disputing the iaIrnes
"a of the proposition. Tho four dcaco!
80 and the two dominics were swornc !
+, as the "chancc' jurymcn, and SIX iI've
Z / crate sevcn-up professors were chosc
~ to represent iic .'scicncc' side Of IL
issue. They rciircdto the jury-room.
In about two hours Deacon Pctcl
he sent into court to borrow 50 from
8 a friend. (Scnsation.) In about two hou
Ihc more Dominic Migyles sent Into cou
AN 10 borrow stake from friend.
,hol oltScnsatiou.) During the next three
nd four hours the other dominic and u
ry. other scacons sent into tie court !.
10 o,small loans. And still the packed aud
fhe cucc waited, for il was prodlyious
nv cosion in Bulls Corner, and one
n which every father Of a family was ne
ate cssarily interested.
;ng Thc rest OF the story can be told brio
thcly. About daylight the jury came
ror- and Deacon Job, the foreman. read !
try. following
veil VERDICT:
',,r 80, VIC, the Jury i'm the case Of the Co
I, ,.r ,uonwealth VS. John wheeler, ct
!, ~ having carefully considered inc po'l
,nrs ! Of the case, and tested tie merits ot
,,ot several theories advanced, do Lere
|, r - = unanimously decide that the game 60
,,,an monty known as old slcdgc, or seven.
cat Is cnl"c"''! s". sI..,n,,s,ra,;nr ,hcrs
s"'' It is hereby and herein stated, herat
reiterated, set forth and made inanit
fol- thnt during the entire night "cliai
ting men never won GAM .o =, ] cor,,,
nk is jack, altho"gh DOM lca.s .;.,nr W.. 4
doesan frequent to tho opposi.oh. Z
II IL furthermore, in support Of this. our
will dict. We call attention 10 tho s'gnime
'''' - sSx.l. NIL ID
ours fact that the ctahcc ms" 80 80
Hons cd, and the ,'sc.r"eI ,.,a.," v" o o,,;,,;'
'-half money. IL Is t"e ucluo'.I .,"'. op ,
,icro- this jury 'hat tnc c"nnec ;..;,,,,: . !,
,uncc ccrning scvcn-up - a.. 49,,
then lrinc, ana cnlcui"tc, "