The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-08-24
TRE GRAVEL On THE PANE.
Interesting "reminiscences OF Big Mln-
ing SnAsa-H0w Jurors Balanced
ahe Scales OF Justice In
EARLY Days.

carson Appeal.l
Last night number of men were sitting
in front Of the Ormsby House discussing the
big mining suit in Eureka between the Rich,
mond and Albion. Gen. Kittrel, w. w.
Bishop, Sine. Barnes, Johnny Moore and
others were interesting the crowd with recit-
ais Of the various suits they had seen. Bish-
op and Kittrell insisted that of late years the
atmosphere Of the Courts had been purer
than in the early days.
''That is," said Barnes, ''thinner and weak
er in other words, jurors cost less than in
early days"
Both the lawyers agreed that coin had a
potent influence When the law was all on
their side and the jury on the other, they
could only explain it on the coin hypothesis.
THE OLD PRosPEoToR.
At this point an old grizzly bearded man
who had been listening slid up to the group
and remarked:
Mining suits amt what they used to be !;
there's been no real live litigation to speak
Of since the Raymond & Ely suit with the
Hermes in Pioche.'
s'Were you in town 2"
''We1l, rather; travelled 400 miles on a
mule to the jury box. I struck the town
about clock at night, and walking into
the leading bar-room inquired if the suit had
begun. Inside Of half an hour man came
up and asked me what my name was He
wrote it down on his shirt cuff, and then he
said, 'Pard, if you want to stay and see the
suit let me see you through on your expen-
ses, and he handed me $500, remarking that
he thought the R. & E. had the bulge On the
law. said that thought that myself. and
then I sauntered off. In about an hour q
man came to me and told me I was drawn
On the jury. I said didn't mind and agreed
to stand in. About o'clock man handed
me $780, remarking that the Hermes had
about all the law and facts on their side that
was necessary. He thought might need a
little money for expenses. Of course took
the money, he seemed SO anxious to get rid
of it, and then slipped into back room,
put on a pair Of false side whiskers, thin
silk duster I had been carrying under my
coat, and / was q changed man. BY 10
o'clock / was on good horse that paid
$500 for and had started off on prospecting
trip. Icouldn't bear the idea of holding the
scales of justice in a case like that. I was
fearful OF further corruption, you see. But
at the trial was represented by proxy.
On the road met old Bill Damen, dead
broke and discouraged. put him on the
lay and he started double quick for Phoebe
He struck the ledge rich. guess. for when /
next heard Of him ne was drivin' a spankin
double team and enjoying life.''
ON THE JURY.
All hands were buried in deep thought for
q few moments, when q little man in seedy
clothes who had been an attentive listener
cleared his throat and said that reminded him
Of a similar experience.
s'It was Virginia City case good many
years ago. Several hundred feet were in
volyed, and was one Of the jury I was
handed $500 by one side and $7OO by the
other, and saw another juror pretty well
heeled. We talked the matter over, and
told him guessed we wouldn't see any more
money. .Oh, you will, he said this is on
II the pattering drops Of the rain that fore
tells of the coming storm. It'll be drench-
er, and well al get wet through" had to
laugh at the big lawyers tearing themselves
in two making speeches that didn't have any
more effect on Us than so much wind, and
when the evidence was all in and the speech
es concluded couldn't recollect point il
the case. In fact, ] was busy wondering