Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-03-29
A GOOD PISTOL STORY.
QUICKENED CONSEQUENCES IN A GEORGIA
COURTROOM.

A correspondent in the Nashville Anne
lean repeats the following story, which
was told him by Georgian who wit
messed the scene described:
Georgia has a stringent pistol law.
The penalty is the forfeiture of the pis-
tol aud a fine of fifty dollars, and, at the
discretion 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 mountain
counties of North Georgia, and right in
the midst of the trial of q case. he asked
the attorneys to suspend few moments,
and told the sheriff to lock the court
house door and let noman pass ont with
out permission from him. Then said the
judge, in his firm, decided way:
Gentlemen, saw pistol on a man
in this room few minutes ago, and |
cannot reconcile it to my sense of duty
as a peace officer, to let such violation
of the law pass unnoticcd. 1t may be
that it is my duty to 60 before the grand
jury and indict him, but if that man
will walk up to this stand and lay his
pistol and fine of one dollar down
here, l will let him go off this time, 9th
erwise | 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
pocket, drew out neat ivory-handle
Smith Il Wesson six-shooter, and laid
one dollar down before the Judge.
"This is all right" remarked the judge,
"but you are not the man | saw with
the pistol"
At this another attorney, sitting i'm
mediately in front of the judge, got up
and drawing out small Colts revolver,
laid it and dollar bill on the judges
stand.
"rhis is right again." said the judge,
"but you are not the man."
ThereupOn large man ust outside
of the bar walked around, ran his hand
into his bosom, and drawing out huge
old army pistol, laid it and one dollar
on the stand
81 declare" said the judge, 'if this
don't beat all; you have done right, my
friend, but you arc not the man saw
with the pistol"
This process went on until nineteen
pistols and as many dollars were lying
on the judges stand. There was pause,
as if the crowd were pretty well disarm-
ed; at least, if there were any more 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 saw with the pistol has not come
up yet; and now continued he, pulling
out his watch and looking toward the
far end of the court house, 81 will give
him one minute to accept my PROPOSE
ton, and if he does not do it in that
time will point him out to the sheriff
and have him arrested"
Immediately two men from the back
of the house began to approach the 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 a short lee
ture upon the cowardly, foolish and
wicked habit of carrying concealed wea-
pons, and assured his audience that in
future the law would be strictly enforc-
ed. 1t is needless to add that in that
county the habit of carrying concealed
weapons was almost entirely broken up