Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-08-02
Running Jim Out of Town.

Running Jim Out of Town.
Speaking of old buns. remarked
Charley Blackburn, did ever tell you
how we ran Cocktail Jim ont of MaryS-
vile, Cal, in 80? Cocktail Jim was
the hardest case | ever saw During all
the time was in Marysville | never
knew him to eat meal or do minutes
work. He just loafed around Boston
Harry's monte saloon and drank. and
drank, and drank-alwavS cocktails
After loafin@ around the town for 3
year. he Got to be Il 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 sa-
loon.
''Well, one day arrived in town,
having been down to Sacramento for a
load of supplies. when | SAW from the
distance big crowd of men in the mid
die of the street, with Cocktail jim in
charge. Just week before they had
elected me justice of the peace. AS
drove up one of the boys says: 'Ah, here
comes the Judge. Now we can try him
at once
81 asked what was the trouble. 1t
didn't take more than two minutes to
find out. 1t seems Cocktail jim had
been fired out of Boston Harrv's early
the night before, and slept in the open
lot. Early in the morning he got up,
furnishing for drink; the first man he
met was Pete Warner Pete says he,
i hain't had bite to eat for three hull
I or al
didn't like to do it. After talking some
time, Pete took out u counterfeit MeXi-
can dollar and handed it to Jim.
There, he says, get something to eat,
but no whisky Jim promised, thank
ed him, and they parted. Pete ut once
rushed up to Boston Harry's, knowing
Jim would merely walk around little,
and then stop in there TO get cocktail,
and told Harry that when Jim attempt
ed to pass the dollar to arrest him for
showing counterfeit coin.
I'm about ten minutes, sure enough,
Jim came in, ordered a cocktail, and.
unconcerned like, tipped the dollar up
and let it fall on the counter. The cock
tail was made in the best style. and Jim
drank it down. But said the barkeep-
er, give me some other money. | hear
from the sound of this that it no good
Jim confessed at once that the dollar
was all the coin he had, Il lot of the BOYS
gathered around, 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, we'll try him, said I. The jury
found him guilty without leaving their
seats.
Il then addressed the prisoner, tell
ing him clearly he had been caught
passing bad dollar, something against
the peace and dignity of the State; but,
presuming he had a mother living who
had thought something Of him some
time, or a loving sister, or a law-abid-
inc brother, / would be merciful and
give the lightest penalty the law allow
ed. / then sentenced him to twenty-One
years in the State prison.
when he heard this Jim fairly howl
ed. His red, swelled eyes just oozed
the tears. But it was no use; the sher-
if snatched him and began to move
through the crowd. | got down from
the dry goods box and edged up to Jim.
Can you run?' | whispered. Run, he
Wills po1 GU OtlCh, 4 CtLIl Ntll IihC " iIL-
ter horse We'll, says |, there is
some doubt about this, but [ couldn't
help it, you know. The law says so
and so, and we judges have to follow
the law. Now, I'll tell you what I'll
do says I, still whispering. I'll call
the sheriff off. as if to speak to him, and
when the coast is clear you run for the
river as though the devil was after you.
The boys will shoot some, probably, but
dom mind that just climb.
$50 called the sheriff to one side,
and Jim gave jump. | swear, gentle
men, that man went like he had wings.
The road was knee-deep with dust and
the Yuba 800 yards away, but he clear
ed the whole distance, with hundred
men yelling, hollering, and shooting
in the air, and in five seconds, when
the dust cleared off. he was nowhere ia
sight. We never saw him afterward."
When the laugh had subsidized, some
one asked what became of the counter
felt dollar. ''Oh," added Charley,
''that was paid into the court. The
foreman of the jury, the sheriff, the dis
trict attorney and me went down the
street and passed it off on the first bar
keeper we met.-Sa1e Francisco BuIIe-
tin.