Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-08-09
A Judicial Comedy.

In certain parts of the United States,
and especially at the West and the South
West, the Judges have always had hard
time OF it. But it is in the Stokes SUI
perior Court, in North Carolina, that a
person has, with inexpressible hardihood,
threatened actually to pull the Judges
nose! IT'S short story, and not without
interest. At the Fall Term of the Court,
facetiously called Superior, held for
Stokes, 1872, one McGill, being insulted
by negro, followed him into the Court
house, and chastised him in the presence
of the Court. This was what Mr.. Justice
Cloud, who was presiding, could by no
means put up with; and accordingly he
fined the irascible and irreverent McGil
500 for a contempt. Moreover, he was
indicted for assault, and was fined $50
more, which appears to have broken the
back of his patience, and with this melted
whatever small respect he may have felt
for law as administered in North Caro-
lima. So he walked courageously into
Court, and instead of humbly and
blandly saying, "May it please your
Honor" he vigorously remarked ~ Mr..
Justice Cloud, s'If you were not an old
man, / would pull your nose, you old
scoundrel," an observation in which per-
sonal indignation and respect for age were
strangely blended. His Honor could not
believe his own ears. He asked Mr.. Nc
Gill to repeat his words, and Mr.. McGill
did repeat them without the least mollify-
ing qualification. Then did the insulted
Judge loudly call for his Sheriff. 1t was
time, indeed, when this aggravating per-
son had spoken thus recklessly of pulling
the Courts nose. The Sheriff came and was
ordered to lock up McGill for sixty days,
in order that he might cool of at his leis-
ure. The immediate effect was to raise
his temperature some twenty or thirty de-
grees, and to cause him to say to the ven
cradle magistrate: "Pll get even with
you yet, you old scoundrel." Upon this
the Judge, with singular presence of
mind, changed the sentence to thirty days
in jail and fine of $3.50, with bonds to
keep the peace toward all persons, and
specially towards Judge Cloud, in the
sum Of 81 900, with surety. Then fol-
lowed the humiliating catastrophe. The
Sheriff started with his prisoner for the
gloomy dungeon. But when they ar
rived at a hotel by the way, where a ne
gro was holding the captive's horse, he
pulled out pistol, said that he did not
intend to 60 to Jail, jumped upon the steed
and rode out of town, leaving the State
of North Carolina Tin the person of the
Sheriff. completely conquered and dis
comfited.
How the Honorable Judge Cloud felt
when he heard of this lame conclusion,
we dare not attempt to describe. What
he did, however, was but natural. He
instructed the Grand Jury to indict the
unfortunate Sheriff for allowing an
escape, and having had enough of that 10
cality, ne ordered the wretched officer to
be tried in another county. Meanwhile
the great McGill, greater indeed than
Judge or Jury or Sheriff, wanders at his
own sweet will and as free as the noun
tain breezes. Whether any attempt will
be made to catch, to try and to punish
him remains to be seen. At present he
may be regarded as the Young Lochinvar
of the Law. He has made off with The
mis- at his saddle-bow.-N. Y. Tribune.