The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-11-17
RUNNING JIM OUT OF TOWN.
An I'm cident of California Life Thirty
Years Ago.

An Incident of California Life Thirty
Years Ago.
San Francisco Bulletin.
"Speaking of old bums," remarked
Charley Blackburn, "did ever tell you
how we run Cocktail Jim out of Marys-
vile, Cal, in 1922" Cocktail Jim was the
hardest case [ ever saw. During all the
time [ was in Marysville I never knew
him TO eat a meal or do a minutes work.
He just Ioafed around Boston Harry s
monte saloon and drank, and drank, and
drank-aiways cocktails. After loafng
around the town for a year he got to be a
great nuisance, and the boys tried various
ways to freeze him out. But he never
lost control of himself, no matter how
much he drank, and there appeared to be
no method of making him tired of Boston
Harry's saloon.
"Well, one day arrived in town, hav-
ing been down to Sacramento for load OF
supplies, when | saw from distance
big crowd Of men in the middle of the
street, with Cocktail Jim in charge. Just
of the peace. AS drove up one of them
said: ''Ah, here comes the judge; we can
try him at once ...s-
Il asked what was the trouble. 1t
didn't take more than two minutes to find
out. 1t seems that Cocktail Jim had been
fired out of Boston Harry's early the night
before and slept in the open lot. Early in
the morning he got up farnishing for a
drink; the first man he met was Pete
Warner. PETE says he, I aint had a
bite to eat for three hull days. Let me
have dollar.' Pete didn't like to do it.
After talking some time, Pete took out a
counterfeit Mexican dollar and gave it to
him. There, he says, get something to
eat, but no whisky Jim promised,
thanked him, and they parted. Pete at
once rushed up to Boston Harry's, know
ing jim would walk around little and
then step in and get cocktail, and told
Harry that when Jim attempted to pass
the dollar to arrest him for showing coun-
terfet coin.
''In about ten minutes, sure enough,
Jim came in, ordered cocktail, and un-
concerned like, tipped the dollar up and
let it fall OH the counter. The cocktail
was made in the best Of style, and Jim
drank it down. But said the barkeeper,
give me some other money. / heard
from the sound of this that it is not good.
Jim confessed at once that the dollar was
all the coin that he had. A lot of the boys
gathered around and the sheriff was sent
for and he was placed under arrest.
"When arrived Jim was about scared
to death. The boys had been talking of
hanging him right there. "Well, Well
try him." said |. The jury found him
guilty without leaving their seats.
~ then addressed the prisoner, telling
him how clearly he had been caught pas
sing bad money, something against the
peace and dignity of the State; but presu-
ming that he had mother living who had
thought something of him sometime, or a
loving sister, or law-abiding brother, [
would be merciful and give him the light
est penalty the law allowed. then SEN
fenced him to twenty-one years in the |
State prison.
"When he heard this he fairly howled,
his red, swelled eyes just oozed with tears.
BUTT was no use; the sheriff snatched
him and began to move through the
crowd. | got down from the dry-goods
box and edged up to him. sCan you run p
Whispered Rum he whispered back,
4 can run like quarter-horse.' well,
said /, there is some doubt, but ! couldn't
helpit, you know. The law says so and
50, and we judges have to follow the law.
Now, III tell you what III do,' still
whispering, Til call the sheriff off as If
to speak to him, and when the coast is
clear you run to the river as though the
devil was after you. The boys will shoot
some probably, but don't mind that--just
climb
SO called the sheriff to one side, and
Jim gave jump. | swear, gentleman,
that man went like he had wings. The
ROAD was knee-deep with dust, and the