The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-03-13
CARRYING PISTOLS.
A Georgia Judges Way Of Enforcing
the Law.

the Law.
Our reform Legis' AZURE, among the
many good things that it proposes to
do for the people, is trying, l believe
to a mend the law in reference to car
rying pistols. A prominent Georgian
told me an incident the other day that
may be of some interest, and which he
assures me actually occurred;
Georgia has a stringent pistol law
The penalty is forfeiture of the pistol,
fine of fifty dollars and, at the dis
erection 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 noun
tain counties Of North Georgia, and,
right in the midst of the trial of a
cause, he asked the attorneys to sus-
pend a few moments, and told the
Sheriff to lock the courthouse door and
let no man pass out without permission
from him. Then said the Judge in his
firm, decided way: Gentleman, I
saw pistol on man in this room a
few moments ago, and [ cannot recon
Gle it to my sense Of duty as a peace
officer to let such violation of the law
pass unnoticed. 1t may be that it is
my duty to go before the grand jury
and indict him, but if that man will
walk up to this stand and lay his pis-
tol and fine of one dollar down here,
| will let him off this time, otherwise l
will go before the grand jury and testi-
fly 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 out a neat ivory-han-
died Smith d Weston six shooter, and
laid it and dollar down Lefore the
Judge.
This is all right" remarked the
Judge "but you are not the man that
| saw with the pistol"
AT this another attorney, sitting
Immediately in front of the Judge, got
up and, drawing out small Colts re-
volver, laid it and a dollar bill upon
the stand.
''This is right again" said the Judge,
''but you are not the nan, [ speak of. y
Thereupon, large man, just outside
of the bar, walked around, ran his
hand in his bosom, and drawing out a
huge old army pistol, laid it and dol
lar on the stand.
| 81 declare" exclaimed the Judge,
eff this don't beat all; you have done
right my friend, but you are not the
man that l saw with the pistol"
This process went on until nineteen
pistols and nineteen dollars were lying
on the Judges stand.
Then there was a pause, and it ap-
peared as if the crowd was pretty wei
disarmed; at least, if there were any
more pistols in the on g their owners
did not seem disposed to give them ur.
Gentlemen" resumed the Judge,
'here are nineteen persons who have
acted like men in this business, but
the man that / saw with the pistol has
not come up yet, and now" continued
he, pulling out his watch and looking
toward the far side of the courthouse,
81 will give him one minute to accept
my proposition, and if he does not dc
it in that time, l will point him out to
the Sheriff and order him to take him
into custody"
Immediately two men from the
back part Of the house began to move
E towards the Judges stand. Once
they stopped and looked at each other,
and then, coming slowly forward, laid
down their pistols and their dollars.
As they turned to leave, the Judge
said: "This man with the black
whiskers is the one that saw with the
pistol"
Then Judge Lester gave a short
lecture upon the cowardly, foolish and
wicked habit of carrying concealed
weapons, and assured his audience
that in the future the law would be
strictly enforced. The Court proceed
ed Wild its regular business, and it i
needless to add that in that county
the habit Of carrying pistols was bro
ken up. JAN.