The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-09
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A GOOD PISTOL STORY.
same sluickened Consciences In "a Georgia
Court Room.

A correspondent i'm the Nashville American
repeats the following story. which was told
him by Georgian who witnessed the scene
described:
Georgia has q stringent pistol law. The
penalty Is forfeiture Of the pistol and fine
Of $50 and, at the discretion Of the court, inn
prisonment for. thirty days. 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 q cause, he asked the at
torneys to suspend q 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 deci-
ded way: "Gentlempn | saw a pistol on n
man in this room few moments ago, and /
cannot reconcile it to my sense Of duty as %
peace officer to let such q violation of the law
pass unnotteed. It may be that it Is my duty
TO 60 before the grand jury and indict hun,
but II that man will walk up to this stand
and lay his pistol and fine OF 81 down here,
| will let him off this time otherwise | 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 out a
neat ivory handled Smith & Wesson 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 mme-
diately In front of the Judge, got up and,
drawing out small Colts revolver, laid it
and a 81 bill upon the stand.
This Is right again, said the Judge, but
you are not the man | speak Of"
Thereupon a large man just outside of the
bar walked around, ran his hand into bis
bosom and, drawing out huge old army
pistol, laid 1t and 81 on the stand"
i declare exclaimed the judge, IF this
don't beat all; you have done right, my
friend. but you are not the man that | saw
with the pistol"
Thisproee went on until nineteen pistols
and SIS were lying on the judges stand.
Then there was pause, and 1t appeared as il
the crowd were pretty well disarmed; at
least, II there were any more pistols 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 that | saw with
the pistol has not come up yet, and now"
continued he, pulling out his watch and look
ing toward the far side Of the Courthouse, /
will give him one minute to accept my propo-
sition, and II he does not do 1t In that time, |
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 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 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 proceeded
with its regular business, and it is needless
to add that In that county the habit of carry
ing pistols was broken up.