The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-12-10
COLORADO JUSTICE.
Jim Barker's First Court-A Judge Who
Tempered Justice With Wonderful
Amount of Mercy.


Jim Barker's First Court-A Judge Who
Tempered Justice With "a Wonderful
Amount of Mercy.
jim Barker, a well-known character of
the mountains, whose latch-string hangs
out at the head OF Blue Lizard Gulch,
was duly elected Justice of the Peace,
for that section of Ell Paso county, at
tie September election, and Mike Irving,
a comrade of Jim's, was empowered to
ofliciate as the executive officer of his
court. Last week Jim convened his
first court, to hear the complaint of Ell
der Slater, travelling missionary, who
had caused the arrest of Zimri Bowles, a
resident of the foothills, upon charge
of stealing the Elders one-eyed mule.
Zimri had been arrested by Irving, the
Constable, while III the act of easing the
descent of the mule down Mad Gun
Mountain, with his lariat fastened to the
tail of the animal. The proof against
Zimr was conclusive. Accordingly, the
Justice, after much legal perplexity of
mind, proceeded TO sentence Zimri to
one years confinement in the Territorial
Penitentiary, which sentence he con-
cluded as follows An now, Zim,
seem as I'm about out of things to eat,
an MS you will have the costs to pay,
reckon you'd better take a turn among
the foot hills with your rifle, an see If
you can't pick up some meat before
night, as you can't start for the Big Can
yon before mornin'." Which marketing
duty was performed by Zim bringing in
one black-tail fawn and rabbit within
the time prescribed as n postscript to the
sentence. On the following morning the
Constable, mounted upon his broncho,
accompanied by the prisoner astride of
the mule which the elder had kindly
loaned him, started through the noun
tains for the penitentiary, where they ar
rived the second day out, their animals
loaded with deer, two antelope and n
small cinnamon bear, which they sold
to the Warden of the prison. After
dividing the money, the Constable pro.
ceeded to hand over Zimri on the follow
ing mittimus, which is carefully
preserved and may be seen in the pos
session OF the Warden
To the he'd man Of the Colorado,prison, down
at the foot of the Big Canyon on the Arkansas-
Take notice: Zimri Bouls, who come with this
here, stole Elder Slater's one-eyed mule, an it
was all the mule the Elder had, an i sentenced
Tim officially TO one year in the Colorado pris-
on and hated TO DO it. seen Zim once stood
by me like man when the Injuns had me IN a
tight place, an arter | sentenced Zim to one
year for stealth the Elders mule, my wife,
Lizzie, who is kind of tender hearted critter,
come and leaned her arm on my shoulder, All
SAYS she, Father, don't forget the time when
Jim, with his rifle, covered our cabin from
Granite Mountain, and saved us from the
Arapahoes an Father j have heard you tell
that after you was wounded at Sandy Creek, an
helpless it was Zimris rifle that halted the In
dian that was creeping il the grass to scalp
you. An then there was tear splash fell
upon the sentence an ] changed my mind sud-
IDENTIFY as follows Seeing Az the mule had but
one eve, and weren't more'n half mule at
that, you can let Xim go at about six months,
an sooner if the Iniuns shud get ugly; an. fur
thermore, if the Elder shud quiet down an
give in any times l will pardon Zim out in
stanter.
Witness my official hand SEAL
JAMES BARKER, j. =.
in Blue Lizard Gulch, FL Paso County, in
the Territory.
The Warden, after informing the Con-
stable that he could not receive the pris-
oner upon the commitment offered, pro-
ceeded to explain that he should have
given a bond in the sum of about $500
to appear at the District Court. Accord
ingly the Constable Withdrew with his
prisoner, when it was agreed between
them that Zimri should give the Consta-
bic his bond for the amount mentioned
by the Warden. This was accomplished
byTZimri subscribing his name to an old
replevin bond calling for $500, found
among the papers transmitted to the
Constable by his predecessor. Then, as
the Constable intended returning by way
of Pinon Mountain to examine bear
den where he had seen a couple of cubs
playing last spring, he gave the bond to
Zimri to take back TO the Justice. But
Zimri, while on his return, traded the
$500 bond to a mountain squatter, just
in from Missouri, for a horse, saddle
and bride, and the prisoner is believed
to be at this time dashing hunter on
the plains. s.-DenUer NeaOs.