Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-03
APRIL FOOL.
The Biters Bit-AJOke that was Turaea
UPon the lockers.

The present grand jury of this county
IL notably one Of the most efficient we
ever had. 1t iA composed ofmen of large
experience In the affairs of life, who, 80
far as We can gather, have been actuated
by 9 rigid sense of justice In all the deci-
sions they have rendered. While anxious
that the ends Of justice should be sub
served, they have beer careful that the
poor and the unfortunate should be pro-
tected from the harpies who too frequent.
ly succeed in "sIzlng their little pile" and
gobbling their ali In order to keep
them out Of the clutches of the law,
which generally looms before the eye
of ignorance and vice as an enc
my and prosecutor. This grand
Jury is presided over by Msjor Busby,
whose digniied presence and command
ing form has had much to do in adyer-
tising lawyers as well as witnesses and
criminals Of an austerity that deded all
their Establishments and assaults to pepe.
trste or break down. The Major, like
most of his fellows, imbued with right
notions in regard to duty, would not per-
nit OF levity or any attempt by any Of
the usual ''tricks Of trade" to which law
yers some time resort, to either prevent or
thwsrt the ever TOW of Justice. Our
readers can therefore judge with what
surprise and indignation he received an
attempt by some young men to make him
and the grand inquest of the county the
butt III ridicule OF the community
through what lie known as an April-fool
joke. These young men,as we are credibiy
informed, thinking the higher the
persons joked or fooled, the more glory TO
the %foolers, drew up, pro foTgsa, an invita-.
ton to lunch at Gaston'e On the LIST instant
at two O'Clock, and addressed 1t to the
grand Jury of the criminal court, signing
the name John K. Lee, secretary Men,
phis Law Association" This invitation,
very handsomely written and worded in
terms most isttering to the official vanity
of the'reclpients, was handed to Major
Busby by q deputy sheriff in attendance
upon the grand jury. The Major read
and passed 1t around. 1t became the sub
jsct of discussion, and many opinions
were expressed pro snd con as to its genu-
ineness, At last some member suggested
that 1t might be an April fool. This was
taken up and an investigation at ones
commenced. The deputy sheriff was
compelled to divulge the name Of the
person who handed him the note.
He was summoned, and under threats
of Jail he was compelled to divulge the
names of his companions, who we're ali,
In. like manner, summoned before the
Jury, who kept up the serious business so
well that they were shortly besieged and
begged and implored by leading bankers
and insurance men on Madison street not
to deal harshly but leniently with the
jokers, who, after being scared out of q
years growth, and aPologiEing to the Jury,
were released from duress on promise to
give the proposed luncheon at Gas
TOMS, and to include the judge and at
tornsy general in the invitation. This
they sgreed to gladly, and left the pres
ence of those they would have fooled
crest fallen and feeling foolish enough.
The crowd that gathered in Court
Square to witness the march Of the
STOOLS" to GRston's were soon notified of
the turn the Joke had taken, and. fearful
of fallinginto the hands of the grand Jury,
they, too, retired in good order, thankful
that their names do not appear with those
who are the "biters bit" the jokers on
the wrong side Of the fence.