The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-13
AN AoRERABLE DECISION.
Excitement Over an Attempt to Defeat
 Justice in Horaehead County,


 Excitement Over aa Attempt to Defeat
 Justice in Horaehead County,
 The people of Honehead county are very much exercised over A rccen, attempt to defeat justice in that part of the csun- try. A young fellow named Sparssshs vas arrested for stealing pair of home knit socks, and was arraigned before ustiee Swash, a iurist la whom the entire community imposes great faith. The blacksmith shop. where the court usually meets, was crowded with mules on the day set tor the trial; so, ,n order that the spanking hand of justice might 10. be kept from its work, Judge S~ash pro- posed that the trial should take place to an adjoining lot, The judge took his seat on the fence and Sparerbs climbed up on a stump
 Prisoner at the bar"
 " Prisoner on the stump, your honor," suggested a lawyer.
 "Tha,h fact. Prisoner on the stump, come up to the rack and plead"
 Tho prisoner "chawed his tobacco, bu, remained silent.
 "Dldnt you hear me. siFi
 The prisoner continued to "ehaw.n
 Look here, prisoner on the stump, n you dont pay attention to me, blamed if don't call the dog and set 'em on you. Are you guilty or not guiltyr'
 "I stole the socks. Jedge, if that's what you're drivin' at"
 "Tha,s wha, we are drivin' at. an that's wha: we wan, to fad out, bu. you are such q liar prisoner on the stump, tha, don't know whutheT CT no, to be- lieve you. We'll, never saw . man what couldn't tell the truth some times, and believe m take your word for i,."
 "Wall, judge, to tell the truth, didnt steal 'em."
 Prisoner on the stump, now know you did. The witness says ,ha, inms- diately aftef you wen, through the yard. the socks was missing of the line"
 "Wall, jedge, ypu passed along thar about the same ,ihe;1 an gentlemen of the jury" continued the prisoner, "i move sha, we satch the squire"
 "lm in for that" said one of tho jury men, for, although l know the judge to be homes, in community where every thing Is too heavy to If, but no longer ago than yesterday heard him say that he would Ike 10 have s pair of oid.fash- toned, home-knit socks. Suppose we sarch him, feliersl'
 The judge leaped from the fence snd attempted to run away, bu, aecs-iooted man who for years had been in the habit of running from the grand jury, caught him. The socks were found En his coat-,ail pocket.
 ~i didn't steal 'em," he declared when he had been brought back to the lot and arraigned against the fence. "SpaSeribs put 'em in my pocket"
 Then what made you run f' asked SpaIesibs.
 Because didnt know that had the socks ill you feilsrs began to talk about sarchin' me, then, ieelin' 'rouad found 'em. kEowed then that didn't have no time to lose"
 "pli be the jsdge," said Spareribs, seating himself on the tence. Put tss thief oD the stump, Mir. Constable. m shoA you how can administer justice"
 Boys" said the judge, when he had besn lifted up and jsmmed down en the stump, "i did steal them socks, but didn't mean to. They was hangin' 70 los that couldn', help t. Now, lss ms make . mo.ien."
 "Yoa made one juss now and come mighty nigh gittin' away said sparssibs.
 Hold on, Sparsy, iss me talk, said the jsstics. "I move that ws Aisg ihs shing ousen court 70 far e t relates to uf us, that we 6ns the owner of the socks ten dosIau for hangia' 'em @ iow thss good citizens be tempted, sirtsx which weTi aii 70 to my hosss an get . ssoH of fuss-eiass brandy. What do you ssy r Ths nsotiSa was unanimously eassisd. Several days Afterwards, ths ciscait jsdss, hearing of the affair, asss@ptsd to sss sside the verdict, hsscs fhs sxciaa@sst