The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-03-13

my time came, the court should ascer.
tain who it was that he had been so un-
mercifully snuhbing.
| For the first time since had entered
the room the court appeared to recog-
nize the fact that / was present, and
turning toward me with most decided
Shoo-hy, don't bodder me-" sort OF
manner, IN delivered this saqelcher:
Is it a jury ye're afther akin for
court will inform the gintilman once't
for all, that this coort knoos itsilf suffi-
ciently will to thry inny case that may
arize before it, widout the aid Ov Jury
Pris'ner, are yez riddy for thrial ~
For moment | was astounded, ut
terly speeehless; then recovering my
self / Indignantly demanded that a
jury be at once impaneled, enforcing
my demand by the remark that the
right of trial by jury was one of the
constitutional guarantees to every per-
son, and that the statute made it the
imperative duty of the court to
was interrupted by a tremendous
blow upon the stand, and by the courts
exclaiming in loud voice:
" What the divil's the constitution
got to do wild Jimmy SlOan's coort ?
This coOrt knows how to thry inny case
that may arise before it widout in
sthruetions from inny little pittifoging
lawyer that comes from the Tirritories
into the States and attimpts to in
sthruct the cOOrt in Its duties, an yer
foined tin dollars for yer contimpt ov
the coort. The clark'll jist inter that
f0ine."
But, your Honor"
You're in contempt, al the cOort'll
not hear another word from yez till the
f0ine is paid. Ye understand that noo."
In vain did attempt an explanation,
in vain protest that | had intended no
contempt; not one word would the
court hear until had paid my fine.
Fortunately my friend Ford had
money enough in his pocket to pay the
fine for me, and when it had been paid
once again intimated most modestly
my desire for jury.
YOU'RE fOined $5 for contimpt agin,
and ye'll pay $5 additional for livery
tonne ye .spake the word jury. Mister
CLARK CLARK, yell inter that order ov the
What was / to do? Never before
had heard of such proceeding;
never before was so completely at
loss for something to say; how could
extricate myself from the unfortunate
position in which SO unexpectedly
found myself? I? I looked from one
member of the bar to another for help,
but the smiles and knowing looks that
met my eyes on every side afforded me
no relief.
In vain did l rack my brain for re-
ported case similar to the one presented,
but l could recall no precedent re-
corded"
Not knowing what to do, and scarcely
aware of what did, realizing only the
fact that had not money enough with
me to pay the fine, and extremely
doubtful If [ should be able to borrow
it, hurriedly started toward the judges
stand, as did SO, attempting to remove
my oyercoat, which I had found by this
time to have become uncomfoftably
warm. In doing this was utterly OBJ
liViOps to the fact that in my confusion
had also removed my inside coat, un-
til L heard the judge say, in tone of
alarm. t'4"f -. .s..-
Are yees about to whop the coort ?n
In a second my way was clear my
senses had fully returned, and | an,
sWered in a careless but determined
tone of voice, as | carefully laid the
coats upon q bench: II am about to
have jury called in this case, even if I
resort to unpleasant means to procure
it," '..s
This remark brought the order that |
had anticipated.
Mister Clark, ye'H call q jury. The
cOOrt wishes no unplisintness here
Imagine 1t you can the relief with
which ! heard this order given. I felt
that / had conquered; that I had won
. victory that would be worth years of
hard labor to me, and it was with no
little feeling OF pride that | took a seat
by the side of my client, congratulating
myself that my difficulties were at an
end, and that had only to walk over
the course to enable me to win.
Mistaken mortal my troubles had
but just begun, Jimmy Sloan was on
the bench, and when Jimmy Sloan once
made up his mind that was the end
Of it.
By the time the jury were impaneled |
was ready to proceed with. the de- |
tense, but before was permitted to 60 |
IN with that, encountered another |
obstacle In the shape of the fine which |
was still unpaid. Nothing that ] could |
,ay, no apology that / could offer, |
walled me, Jimmy ruled that 'fany |
,00rt was the sole Judge Of It's own con- |
proceedings, and that the fine |
must be paid" finally succeeded in |
borrowing the money to pay the fine, |
.or was convinced that no exceptions |
,ould be taken to the ruling of the court |
lpQp that point, .s.-,. ...,'-S ... ''.'''
But have no intention of giving you |
! description of the trial, or to narTate |
he many amusing incidents that oc- |
luTFed during it's progress; neither do |
intend to give, you the Iowee lar, as /
aid down by the judge in the case.
suffice it to say that the day was far
pent, and the courtroom had been
lit up" CD by some half dozen tallow
lips, long ere the case went to the Jury,
when we were obliged to vacate the |
Dom and retire to u neighboring
;rOceFy, (keptby Jimmy's n-in-law),
o allow the jury to deliberate unon the
,erdict. - - ~
In about an hour the Sheriff called
or us to tcome oyer,n and we once
more assembled in the hall of justice to
listen to the verdict. ..s.
Jimmy seemed to take a conviction
or granted, for pushing his iron bowed
pectacles far up upon the top of his
lead, and carefully laying his freshly
lied pipe upon the stand before him,
70 earelessly remarked; Ay eoorse
eve found the defindint guilty, Mister
Foreman 2"
To Jimmy's great surprise, the fore
lan 19plied, in terms that admitted of
Q misunderstanding: we find the
efenGant not guilty. +
For an instant the stiffness of death
eigHed throughout the room it was
rst broken by that peculiar smacking
Ound that is sometimes heard to nro-
eed from IN Irishman's mouth while
to procure O little comfort