River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-19
Some Quiclened Conscieaces ga q Georgia
En.ttf Fgaats,

COstrt Room.
A correspondent in the Nashville 5R8ff-
can repeats the following story, which was
told him by a Georgian, who Witnessed the
scene described:
Georgia has stringent pistol law. !Fhe
penalty is forfeiture of the pistol and a fine
of fifty dollars, and, at the discretion of the
court, imprisonment for thirty days. A
short time after this law went into effect,
Judge Lester was holding court in one of the
mountain counties of North Georgia, and
right in the midst of the trial of a
cause, he asked the attorneys to su S
pend few moments, and told the sheriff to
lock the court house door and let no man
pass out without permission from him. Then
said the judge, in his firm, decided way:
''Gentlemen, saw a pistol on man in this
room a few moments ago, and l cannot
reconcile it to my sense of duty as peace
| officer to let such violotion of the law pass
unnoticed. 1t ma, be that il is my duty to
90 before the grand jury and indict him, but
if that man will walk up to I his stand and
| lay his pistol and fine of one dollar down
here will let him off this time, otherwise l
will go before the grand jury and testify
against him.
| The judge paused, and an attorney who
was sitting down just before the stand, got
up, slipped his hand in his hip pocket, drew
ont neat, ivory handled Smith & Wesson
six=shooter, and laid 81 down before the
| judge.
| This is all right remarked the Judge;
shut you are not the man | saw with the
pistol"
At this another attorney, sitting immedi-
ately in front of the judge, got up, and,
drawing out a small Colts revolver, laid il
and 81 bill upon the stand.
''This is right again" said the Judge; sbut
you are not the man | speak Of"
Thereupon a large man just outside Of the
bar walked around, ran his hand into his
bosom, and, drawing out huge old army
pistol laid it and one dollar on the stand.'
''Ideclare,' exclaimed the Judge, "if this
don't beat ALL you have done right, my
friend: but you are not the man / saw witt
the pistol"
This process went on until nineteen pistol,
and nineteen dollars were lying on the
judges stand. Then there was pause, anc
it appeared as if the crowd we're pretty vel
iisarmed; at least if there were any mori
pist Dis in the house their owners did mo-
seem disposed to give them up
Gentlemen resumed the Judge, "her,
are nineteen persons who have acted Xix,
men in tins business, but the man that
saw with the pistol has not come up yet
and now" continued he, pulling ont his
watch and looking toward the far side of th,
court house, 81 will give him one minute Il
accept my proposition, and if he does not d.
it in that time, | will point him out TO th'
sheriff and order him 70 take him int
custody"
Immediately two men from the back par
of the house began to move toward tn
judges stand. Once they stopped ant
looked at each other, and then, com
ing slowly forward, laid dow
their pistols and their dollars. AS they turn
ed to leave the judge said; This nan viii
the black whiskers is the one that | saw
with the pistol"
Then Judge Lester gave a short lectur
upon the cowardly, foolish and wicked habi
of carrying concealed weapons, and assures
his audience that in the future the law woult
be strictly enforced. The courG proceeded
with its regular business, and it is needles
to add that in that county the habit of car
rying pistols was broken UP.