Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-08
QUICKENED CONSEQUENCES.

4 Scene In a Georgia Court Room.
A correspondent of the Nashville Ameri-
can repeats the following story, which was
told him by a Georgian, who Witnessed the
scene described: =
Georgia has stringent pistol law. The
penalty is forfeiture of the pistol and fife
of $3.50, and, at the discretion of the court,
imprisonment 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 cause, be asked tho
attorneys to suspend few moments, and
told the sheriff to lock the court house door
and lot no man pass out without permission
from him. Then said the judge, in his firm,
decided way: "Gentlemen, I saw pistol on
man in this room few moments ago, and
| cannot reconcile it to my sense of duty as
peace officer to let such violation OF the
law pass unnoticed. It may be that it is
my duty to go before grand jury and in
dict him, but if that man will walk up to
this stand and lay his pistol and fine of 81
down here, I will let him off this time,
otherwise will 60 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 neat ivory-handled Smith & Wesson
slx-shooter, and laid 81 down beside the
judge.
"This is all right remarked the judge,
but you are not the man saw with the pis-
tol.''
At this another attorney, sitting imne
diately in front of the Judge, got up and
drawing out a small Colts revolver. laid it
and ISL bill upon the stand.
"This is right again. said the Judge,
''but you are not the man speak of.
Thereupon large man just outside of the
bar walked around, ran his hand into his
bosom and, drawing out a huge old army
pistol, laid it and 81 on tho stand.
6! Declare exclaimed the judge, ssif this
don't beat all; you have done right, nv
friend, but you are not the man that saw
with the pistol.''
This process went on..until nineteen pistols
and Sl9 were lying on the judges stand.
linen there was pause, and it appeared az
It the crowd were pretty well disarmed; at
least, if there were any more pistols in the
house their owners did not seem disposed to
give them up.
Gentlemen resumed the judge, tshere
are nineteen persons who have acted like
men IN this business, but the man that
saw witt the pistol has not come up vet, and
now, continued he, pulling out his watch
and looking toward the far side of the court
house, 81 will give him one 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 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 for
ward slowly, 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 pis-
tol.''
Then Judge Lester gave 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 it's regular business, and it is needless
to add that in that county the habit of carry
ing pistols was broken up.