Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-16
stsficE IN A 0UANDAlY
How The Changes Oh Slang Puzzled
the Jefferson Market Magistrate.
New York Herald. lstb.l

New York Herald, i3th.l
The envoy that came from Patsy
Burns saloon yesterday to get a war
rant for its proprietor was hoarse,
squat and bullnecked. He leaned
across the bar of the Jefferson Market
Court and whispered, confdentially :
Bay, jedge, Patsy Burns wants to
shut down on a kid that's bin skinning
him"
"A kid! skinning him? Impossi-
Bile, said his honor. Where is the
animal p
lie is a young rooster the appli-
cant went on, what dishes out the
booze in Patsy's drum"
His honor looked perplexed. "0h,
its poultry you're complaining about,
he remarked. Il thought you said it
was a kid Just now. Well, what of
the rooster p
The applicant took a good long look
at his honor and fumbled his hat lining
n%eryously. Then he began again with
an air submissive, but r~eproachful.
Say. jedge, don't you play me.
I'm givin' it to you straight honor
bright. Patsy feels dead sore yer the
thing and wants the young terrier
hauled up before you
The judge dropped his eyeglasses
~helplessly. Look here, my friend,
he blurted out, If you come here TO
complain about whole menagerie. say
so; but this parade of flesh and fowl
is distraeting, Let us understand each
other. Kid, rooster or dog-is Patsy's
trouble with one or all?"
The applicant looked about him
hopelessly. Then he said
"Jedge, this looks like a dead open
and shut. You don't seem to tumble
to me at all. Here's the scheme.
There's a jigger behind Patsy's bar
that's crooked and he wants him
taken in. See?"
"Oh, Patsy has a saloon. 1t is the
person who d~ispenses the beverages
he has trouble with"
That's the racket, jedge," and
the applicant stamped with delight.
You've got it dead to rights. You
see, Patsy sets this bloke in his She
bang a sending along the old stuff, and
everything goes hunkee-doree till he
sees his nibs sporting a super and
logged out to the queen taste. Well,
Patsy's pOoty fly, he is, and he dropped
to the caper. So he spotted the fell
Ter, and to-day he catched him work
ing the damper.'
Working the damper ?"
Yes, ~collaring the DOODLE"
"Collaring the. My friend, for
heavens sake be explicit" his honor
moaned. What do you mean?"
The applicant turned the quid in
his mouth over and over again de-
spOndently, but made no reply. At
last he blurted out in despair
Hang it, jedge. It's clear enough.
He was tapping the till"
Tapping the till2" and his honor
paused to reflect. Then his face
frightened up. "Ah, l see" he said.
He vas appropriating the receipts to
his own use in the proprietor's abb
sence."
That's the talk" reared the appli-
cant. "Appropriatin' the receipts is
the go. You've got it down fine, jedge.
That's what the codger did-appro-
priated Patsy Burns receipts. So
Patsy sent me round to see as if you
wouldn't give him the collar and make
him produce. He's a bad lot, he is,
and you ought to give him a stretch. y
WHAT cried his honor, would
you be so barbarous as to have me
hang the man?'
Who's talkiu' of hangin'." asked
the other. what | said is he ought
to get a nip"
Get a nip?'
Yes go up the river"
| see, | see" groaned the Justice.
Go to Sing Sing. My friend, we will
try to accommodate you. But this
conversation is trying to a man of my
constitution. Go to Patsy Burns, |
beg you. Tell him to bring his griev-
ance here in person, and for heavens
sake let him bring a little of the YER
nacular along
The applicant bowed his head sui
lenly.
Maybe you're right, jedge,' said
he, an maybe you amt, but it does
seem rough on a citizen and taxpayer
if he can't get justice unless he's
swallowed a lore dictionary and cram
med down iawbreakers fit to bust him.
SO long and he stalked gloomily
away in quest Of Patsy Burns.