American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-03-15
Ouickened COnsciences.

A correspondent of the Nashville
american repeats the following story
which was told him by Georgian who
witnessed the scene described:
Georgia has a stringent pistol law.
The penalty is forfeiture of the pistol
and fine of $50, and. at the discretion
of the Court, Imprisonment for 80 days
A short time after this law went into eff
feet, Judge Lester was holding court in
one of the mountain counties of North
Georgia, and, right in the midst of the
trial of a case, he asked the attorneys to
suspend 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, decided way: Gentlemen, 1
saw pistol on man in this room a
few moments ago, and can not recon-
Gle it to my sense of duty as a peace
officer to let such violation of the law
60 unnoticed. 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 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 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.
ssThis is all right" remarked the
Judge, "but you are not the man that
I saw with the pistol.''
At this another attorney, sitting imme-
diately in front of the Judge, got up
and, drawing out small Colts revolv.
er, laid it and 81 bill upon the stand.
"This is right again." said the Judge,
"but you are not the man I speak Of"
Thereupon large man just outside
of the bar walked around, ran his hand
into his bosom and, drawing out huge
old army pistol, laid it 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 saw with the pistol.''
This process went on until 10 pistols
and $40 were lying on the Judges stand.
Then there was a pause, and it appear
ed as if the crowd we're pretty well dis.
armed; 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,
8 here are 10 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 toward the
far side of the Courthouse, l." [ will
give him one minute to accept my prop
osition, and if he does not do it in that
time, will point him out to the Sheriff
and order him to take him into Gus
tody."
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, COM
ing slowly forward, laid down their pis-
tolls and their dollars. AS they turned
to leave, the Judge said: "This man
with the black whiskers is the one 1 saw
with the pistol.''
Then Judge Lester gave short lee
ture upon the cowardly, foolish and
wicked habit of carrying concealed
weapons, and assured his audience that
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.