The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-26
HOW A JUDGE GOT HIS TITLE
Where the Spirit Of the Republican Instt-
tutions was Sustained With six-shoos-

Where the Spirit OF the Republican 1nst1.
buttons was Sustained With six-shoot-
era. ...
: Judge" Cation, Indian trader at Fort
Bennett Cheyenne agency, is IN of
the best and most entertaining authori-
ties on the affairs, character, history,
and traditions of the Sioux Indians to
be met with in the Northwest, and there
IS no better company for the leisure
hour. But where and how Cation came
to get that title, has been q mystery to
me, knowing, as l did, that he could
have hardly obtained it from the saw
age Dacotahs, among whom he has re
sided for a number of years.
I asked him the other day, meeting
him on the train: where did you get
your title from, Judge?"
''Well" he said, with q smile and a
twinkle of the eye, "Ill tell you. I
have been a Judge for some eighteen
years, and although the period of my
holding office was of short duration, I
expect to hold my title for life.
ut was that time when I was q youth
of 20 that my father sent me out West
in company with an old friend of the
family, a gentleman nearer my fathers
age than mine: visited Colorado, where
things were then in q pretty wild
state.
1.-The day we arrived ct Fairplay al
election was held for the Office of Reg
lister of Deeds. Capt. Coates and Col.
Jenny were the opposing candidates,
and the election had been carried on
with q good deal of feeling on both
sides.
"The returns gave Coates o majority
of 200 votes out of a total poll of over
1000, in q county whose entire popula-
ton fell far short of the vote in every
body's opinion.
"Col. Jenny contested the election.
The Office was worth 500 q year,
and worth fighting for; Each candi-
date had his attorneys, whose fees on
either side exceeded 81 900.
every preparation had been made
for hearing the contest except the Sc
lection of q referee.
A barrel of whisky and q barrel OF
water were placed at the principal
street corner, with q tin cup for every
body's free use. All carried firearms,
save my friend and myself, and to me
the scene was, to say the least, a novel
one.
"The choice of q referee was the
point over which q dispute seemed i'm.
minent, when Captain Coates, espylne
me in the crowd, exclaimed:
""Yonder's q tenderfoot with an hon
est face. What do you say to having hin
for the Judge OF this here business? Z"
"He'l do for me- responded Col
Jenny, and Judge Cation I became Of
and from hat hour.
witnesses were called on both sides
and the taking of testimony began fol
the contestant.
"a great, strapping '%six-footer ant
six-shooter' swore that in 'Buckskin Joe
precinct, where over 200 votes wer4
polled, there we're not that many soul!
living, men, women and children.
Testimony of this sort soon showed
me that the election had been notorious
ly unfair on both sides, and there wa
no way to ascertain who had beel
honestly elected.
ut had been agreed that my decision
should be final, with the sole right re
served to the defeated party of forcibl,
resistance when the other should tax,
the office.
"My position was aticklish one. For
tunately, however, I vas perfectly fre
to act as I liked. My court had n
precedents to follow. Deciding
after a day of wrangling b
counsel and clients over the evidenc
presented, hat I would try a bolt
stroke for justice, I called the court t.
silence and announced: Gentlemen,
appears to this court that no fair an,
legal election has been held in thi
county, and 1 shall rule as follows
that there be q new election, the bal
lots to be deposited in my keeping, i
! the presence Of both candidates an
!, their counsel.
"This decision took them all by SUI
prise, but proved to be acceptable q
! once. It was arranged to have the vol
ing done at each precinct separately
and on a separate day in a few instance
} where it was necessary, 80 rs to compl
with the conditions prescribed
"a large crowd went with judge
candidate and counsel from poll to pol
: and the result finally reached was
majority of twelve votes for Cap
Coates out of a total of 326 votes, in
stead Of the former poll Of 2,000.-Ch
cago Inter Ocean.
Charles Bradlaugh, who appealed again
the verdict of the jury which found him gull
, of misdemeanor in voting IN the house of cor
mons as . member for Northampton, AFT,