Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-26
THE WAY THEY DO IT IN GEORGIA.

Georgia has a stringent pistol law.
The penalty is forfeiture of the pistol,
a fine of fifty dollars aud, at the dis
erection of the court, Imprisonment
for thirty days. A short time after
this law went into effect, Judge Les
ter was holding court in one of the
mountain counties of North Georgia
right i'll the midst of q cause, he asked
the attorneys to suspend a few mo-
ments, aud told the sheriff to lock
the courthouse door and let no man
pass out without permission from
him. Then said the judge in a firm,
decided way: "Gentiemen, l saw q
pistol Oh a man III this room a few
moments ago, and l cannot reconcile
it to my sense of duty as a peace Of
fcer to let such q 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
pistol and a fine of Il dollar down
here, l will let him off. this time,
otherwise 1 will go before the grand
jury and testify against him."
The judge paused, and all attorney
who was sitting down just before the
stand got up, slipped his hand in his
pocket, drew out a neat ivory-handled
Smith s. Wesson six shooter, and
laid it and a dollar down before the
judge.
"This is all right remarked the
judge, "but you are not the man that
[ saw with the pistol" At this, an
other attorney, sitting Immediately
in front of the judge. got up. and
drawing out a small Colts revolver,
laid it and q dollar bill upon the
stand.
"This is all right again." said the
judge, "but you are not the man |
speak o."
Thereupon, a large man, just out
side of the bar, walked around, ran
his hand in his bosom, and drawing
out q huge army pistol, laid 1t and a
dollar on the stand.
81 DECLARE" exclaimed the judge,I
elf this don't beat all! You have
done right, my friend but you are|
not the man that 1 saw with thd|
pistol"
This process went on until nine
teen pistols and nineteen dollars wer
lying on the judges. stand. The,
there was q pause, and it appeared |
as If the crowd. was pretty we'll di-
armed; at least, if there we're am
more pistols in the house, their owt.
ers did not seem disposed to gIe
them up. !
"Gentlemen," resumed the juds,
:shere are nineteen pcrsons WIZ IaS
acted like men in this business !; BIT
the man that l saw with the pisN
has not come up yet /; aud uow," CO.
tinued he, pulling out his watch all
looking toward the far side of IT,
courthouse, 81 will give him on
minute to accept my proposition and
if he does not do it in that time, |
will point him out to the sheriff and
order him taken into custody"
Immediately two men from the back
part of the house began to move to-
ward the judges stand. Once they
stopped and looked at each other,
and then, coming slowly forward,
laid down their pistols and their dol
lars. AS they turned to leave, the
judge said "This man with tho
| black whiskers is the II that l saw
with the pistol"
Then Judge Lester gave a short
lecture upon the cowardly, foolish
and wicked habit of CARRYING con.
cealed weapons, and assured his au'
dience that in the future the law
would be strictly enforced. The
court proceeded with its regular
business, and it Is needless to add
that in that county the habit of u
rying pistols was broken up.