The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1880-06-03

The rYay They Do It in Georgia.

Georgia has q stringent pistol law.
The penalty is forfeiture Of the pistol,
a fine Of fifty dollars and, at the discre-
ton Of the court, imprisonment for
thirty days. A short time after this law
went into effect, Judge Lester was hold
ing court in one of the mountain counties
of North Georgia; right in the midst Of
a cause, he asked the attorneys to sus-
pend 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 a firm, de-
Cided way: Gentlemen, I saw q pistol
on a man in this room a few moments
ago, and I cannot reconcile it to my
sense of duty as a peace officer to let
such a violation Of the law pass unnO-
tlced. 1t may be that it is my duty to
go before the grand Jury and indict him,
but If that man will walk I'D to this
stand and lay his pistol and a fine of one
dollar down here, I will let him off this
time, otherwise 1 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 a neat ivOry-handled
CllALL " W GG1D4 6AA ILlDDsCAH anu 4aAAA ~
and a dollar down before the judge.
'This is aH right," ," remarked the Judge,
''but you are not the man that saw
with the pistol" At this, another attOr-
ney, sitting Immediately in front Of the
Judge, got up, and drawing out a small
Colts revolver, laid it and a dollar bill
upon the stand.
''This is all right again, ,Dsaid the Judge,
''but you are not the man speak Of
ThereUpOn, large man, just outside
Of the bar, walked around, ran his
hand in his bosom, and drawing out a
huge army pistol, laid it and a dollar on
the stand.
81 declare" exclaimed the Judge, "if
this don't beat all You have done
right, my friend; but you ara not the
man that saw with the pistol"
This process went on until nineteen
pistols and nineteen dollars were lying
on the Judges stand. Then there was a
pause, and it appeared as if the crowd
was 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,
here are nineteen persons who have
acted like men in this business; but the
man that 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, Il will
give him one minute to accept my propO-
sition, ard if he does not do it in that
| time, I viii point him out to the sheriff
and order him taken into custody"
Immediately two men from the back
part Of the house began to move towards
the Judges stand. Once they stopped
and looked at each other, and then,
coming slowly forward, laid down their
pistols and theirdOllars. As they turned
to leave, the Judge said ''This man with
| the black whiskers is the one that I saw
with the pistol"
Then Judge Lester gave a short lee
ture upon the coWaTdIy, 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 carrying
pistols was broken up.