The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-16
OH Daily Atsns.
Bob Gibbons's Blind"

|
Judge Servis, the Associate Justice o
the First District Territorial Court, o
Montana, is justly celebrated for his lega
learning, and is greatly beloved by his
friends. He is stern, upright and honest
but with all his legal attainments he is
not the greatest man at cards in the ter
ritory 1t has been said that he did not
know the Jack of Hearts from the Ace of
Diamonds.
In the Radersburgh Mining Camp three
persons were sitting around Il table in one
of those log cabin saloons, with billlarC
table attached which are so common il
mining camps, playing game ofthree-hand
poker A quarrel ensued, which resulted
in an aggravated case of assault anc
battery. This did not end the affair, for
at the next term of the court, at the heaC
of the docket, stood the Territory Of Mon.
ana VS.. A. L. Park, for an assault with
! intent to kill, on the body of Andy -Ander-
| son.
The trial came on. and the only witness
to the affray was Bob Gibbons, who was
| the third in the game. Having been
sworn he was directed to tell the court
and the jury everything he knew about
the affair After clearing his throat, he
commenced by stating that me and Park
and Anderson were over at Hallbeck $
saloon. the second day after election,
when Parks proposed that we should have
a game of poker All agreed to it,and we
went in the back room and sat down to the
game did not know that there was any
hard feelings between Parks and Ander-
so, or | would not have played, but
heard afterwards"
Here Bob was interrupted by the court;
who directed him to keep all hearsays to
himself, and confine himself strictly to the
facts of the case
The witness continued: 'Well, we sat
down to the table, Anderson sat there,
Parks here, and there, (making dia-
mond on the clerks table,, Parks dealt
the cards; went blind Anderson went
blind over me, and Parks would not see
him"
The Judge, who is little deaf, was in
the habit of making an ear-trnmpet of his
hand, throwing his head little for
ward and sideways. Having gone through
his pantomime, he interrupted the wit
ness by asking him:
what was the reason that Parks did
not see Anderson p
The witness replied; 81 don't know,
but he would not see him,
Proceed" said the Judge.
"Well, | saw him, he saw, and just at
that minute"
Stop sir" said the Judge, throwing
himself into hearing attitude. Did
understand yen to say that you went
blind p
Yes sir, l went blind, and Anderson
he went blind, and Parks would not see
him, but saw Anderson and then he saw ?"
Witness" exclaimed the Judge, stri- |
king the bench with his clenched fist, do
| hear you right, sir? Do you say that you
went blind, and then you saw?'
"Yes, sir" replied the witness. ~ saw |
Anderson, and Anderson saw, and just at
that
Stop, sir" said the Judge. ''Mr. |
Clerk, fine the witness $50 for contempt
of court, and direct the Sheriff to take |
him to Jail, and there to keep him until
he receives further orders from the court. |
Call up the next case Mr.. Clerk"
Bob Gibbons was dumbfounded, and |
did not awake to the reality of his condi-
ton until the Sheriff laid his hands on
him, when he exclaimed
Good gracious, Mr.. Judge, what have
l done that must 60 to jail?" }
The Judge who was purple with rage,
did not design to reply to poor Gibbons,
but reiterated the order with increased
vehemence, when the members of the
bar, who had been anticipating the fix
that Bob would eventually be placed in,
were convulsed with laughter, which in.
creased the rage of the Judge to the high
est pitch. The prosecuting attorney en-
deavored to enlighten the Judge, and event
ually succeeded, but not until he had pro
duced pack of cards, and after dealing
out three hands, made the blind as clear
as day to the Judge.
The fine and Imprisonment were remit
ted, order was restored in the court. and |
Gibbons was allowed to proceed with his