National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-23
glatiuuaI gepnblieaan1
BOB gTBRONg, mBLEyD. y

Judge Service, the Associate Justice of the
First District Territorial Court of Montana,
is justly celebrated for legal learning, and is
greatly beloved by his friends. He is stern,
upright and honest. But with all his legal at
tainments he is not the greatest man at cards
in the Territory. 1t has been said that he did
not know the jack of hearts from the ace Of
diamonds.
In the Radersburg mining camp three per
sons were sitting around table in one of those
log-csbin saloons, with a billiard table at
tached," which are so common in mining
camps, playing a small game of three-hand
poker. A quarrel ensued, which resulted in
an aggravated case of assault aud battery.
This did not end the affair, for at the next term
of the court, at the head of the docket, stood
the Territory of Montana vs.. A. L. Parks, for
an assault and battery with intent to kill On
the body of Andy Anderson.
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 d.
rected to tell the court and the jury every
thing he knew about the affair. After clear-
ing his throat, he commenced by stating that
s'me and Parks and Anderson were over at
tiun, 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 games
did rot know that there was any hard feeling
between Parks and Anderson, or 1 would not
have played, but heard Afterwards"
Here Bob was interrupted by the court, who
directed him to keep all hearsays to himself,
and conine himself strictly 70 the facts of the
case.
The witness continued: ''Well, we sat down
to the table. Anderson sat there, Parks here
and there, (making diagram on the clerks
tablet Parks dealt the cards; went blind;
Anderson went blind over me, and Parks would
not see him."
The judge, who is a little deaf, was in the
habit of making an ear-trumpet of his hand,
and throwing his head little forward and
sideways. Having gone through this panto-
mime, he interrupted the witness by asking
him.
"What was the reason that Parks did not
see Anderson"
The witness replied: 81 don't know, but he
would not see him."
proceed" said the Judge.
''Wen, saw him, he saw, and just at that
minute"
"stop, sir" said the judge, throwing him
self into hearing attitude. "Did 1 under
stand you to say that you went blindP'
''Yes, sir, went blind, and Anderson he
went blind, and Parks would not see him, but
saw Anderson, and then he saw
"Witness," exclaimed the Judge, striking
the bench with his clenched fist, ''do I hear
10 H. hat
blind, and then you saWP'
ayes sir" replied the witness. 81 saw
Anderson, and Anderson saw, and just at
that"
'Stop, SIR" said the Judge. "Mr. Clerk,
fine the witness fifty dollars 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 condition until the
sheriff laid his hands on him, when he eE-
claimed:
''Good gracious, Mr.. Judge, what have 1
done that l must go to jail9''
The Judge, who was purple with rage, did
not deign to reply to poor Gibbons, but reiter-
ated the order with increasing Vehemence, and
the members of the bar, who had been antici-
pating the fix that Bob would eventually be
placed in, were eonyulsed with laughter, which
increased the rage of the Judge to the highest
pitch. The prosecuting attorney endeaVored
to enlighten the Judge, and eventually sue
eeeded, but not until he had produced a pack
of cards, and after dealing out three hands,
made the blind as clear as day to the Judge.
The fine and imprisonment were RENTED,
order was restored in the court, and Gibbons
n11n-..ni "a r,rnnnna ---itl, IL, tnntirnnnh