Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-03-22
on.ckcned cnn.clence..'

A correspondent Of the Nashville
American repeats tine following
story which was told him by a
Georgian who witnessed the scene
described:
Georgia has a stringent pistol law.
The penalty is forfeiture of the pis-
toll and fine of $50, and. at the
discretion of the Court, impFisOn-
ment for 80 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 case, he asked the
attorneys to suspend a few mo-
ments, and told the Sheriff 60 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,
i saw q pistol on a man In this room
q few moments ago, and 1 cannot
reconcile tito my sense of duty as a
peace officer to let such violation
OF the law 60 unnOticed. 1t may be
that il Is my duty to go before the
Grand Jury and indict him, but II
that man will walk mp to this stand
and lay his pistol and a fine of 81
down here, 1 will let him off this
time, otherwise will go before the
Grand Jury and testify against him.
The Judge paused, and an attor-
ney who was sitting down just be-
fore the stand got up, slipped his
hand in his hip pocket, drew out a
neat ivOry-handIed Smith d IVES
son six-shOOter, and laid 81 down
before 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 a small
Colts revolver, laid il and 81 bill
upon the stand.
"This is right again." said. the
Judge, "but you arc not the man ]
speak OF"
ThereupOn a large man Just out
side of the bar wOlked around, ran
his hand into his bosom and, draw
ing out a huge old army pistol, laid
II and 81 ON the stand.
81 declare" exclaimed the Judge,
''if this don't beat all; you have
done right, my friend, but you are
not the man that I saw with the
pistol"
This process went on until Is pis-
tolls and SO were lying on the
Judges stand. Then there was a
pause, and il appeared as if the
crowd we've pretty well disarmed !
at least, If there were any more pis-
tolls in the house their owners did
not seem disposed to give them up.
Gentlemen" resumed the Judge,
"here are nineteen persons who
have acted like men in this business,
but the man I saw with the pistol
has not come up yet, and now, +"
continued he, pulling out his watch
and looking to the far side of the
Court House, 81 will give him one
minute to accept my proposition,
and if he does not do il in that time
/ will point him out to the Sheriff
and order him to take him into GUS
toby"
Immediately two men from the
back part of the house began to
move toward 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
saw with the pistol"
Then Judge Lester gave q short
lecture upon the cowardly, foolish
and wicked habit of carrying con-
cealed weapons, and assured his
audience 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 car
rying pistols was broken up.