Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-21
HOW A JUDGE con Els TITLE.

Where the Spirit of the Republican In
ktitutiOn Was Sustained With Six
shooters.
Judge Cation, Indian trader at Fort
Bennett Chey' me Agency, says the
Chicago Inter- Ocean, is one OF the best
and most enter tanning authorities on the
affairs, character, history and traditions
OF the Sioux Indians to be met with in the
Northwest, and there is no better compa-
ny for the leisure hour. But Wbere ana
how Cat0n came to get that title has been
a mystery to me. knowing. as did, that
he could have hardly obtained it from the
savage DacOtahs, among whom he had re-
sided Tor "a number of years.
asked him the other day, meeting nm
on the train:
"Wnere did you get your title from,
JudgeW
WELL" he said, with a smile and a
twinkle of the eye, ''lll tell you. l have
been judge Tor some eighteen years,
and although the period OF my holding Of
fee was of short duration, expect 10 hold
my title for lite.
ut was that time when was youth OF
! 20 that my father sent me out West IN
| company with an old friend of the family,
| a gentleman arer my fathers age than
NINE; visited Colorado, where things were
] LDen IN pretty wiz sJdIes
The day we arrived at Falrplay an cleo
ton was held for tue office of Register OF
| Deeds Capt. Coates and Col. Jenny were
| the opposing candidates, and the election
had been carried on with a good deal OF
| feeling on both sides.
sEThe returns gave Coates a majority of
200 votes out OF a total poll of over 1000,
iu county whose entire population fell
far short OF the vote in every bOdy's Opin-
ion.
Col. Jenny contested the election. The
office was worth $4,000 a year, and worth
ii hting for. Eacn candidate had his at
tOrneVS, whose ices on either side exceed
ed $1,000.
Every PREPARATION had been made for
hearing the contest except the selection of
referee.
"a barrel OF whisky and a barrel of
water were placed at the princi-
pal street corner, with Tin cup for every
bOdy's tree use. All carried firearms,
save my friend and myself, and TO me
the scene was, to say the least, novel
one
1.-The choice of a referee was the point
over which dispute seemed imminent.
when Capt. Coates, espying me in the
crowd, exclaimed:
"YOnder's a tenderfoOt with an honest
face. What do you say TO having him for
j
'"He'll do for me- responded Col. Jen-
ny, and Judge Cation l became at and
from that hour.
Witnesses were called on both sides,
and the taking Of testimony began for the
contestant.
"A great, strapping 'siX-fOOter and six
shooter swOre that in 'Buckskin joe pre-
cinct, There over 200 votes were pOlled,
there were not that many souls living,
men, women and children.
''TestimnOy of this sort soon showed me
that the election had been VIGOROUSLY I'M
fair on both sides, and that there was no
way to ascertain whO had been honestly
elected.
cit had been agreed that my decision
should be final, with the sole right re-
served to the defeated party OF fOrcible
resistance when the other should take the
office.
MY position was a ticklish one. For
tunately, however, L was perfectly free to
act as | liked. My court had no prece-
dents to follow. Deciding, after day of
wTangling by counsel and clients over the
evidence presented, that l would try a
bold stroke tor justice, l called the court
to silence and announced: Gentlemen,
it appears to this court that no fair and
legal election has been held in this coun-
tY, and | shall rule as follOws-that there
be a new election, the ballots to be depOs-
tied IN my keeping, in the presence Of both
candidates and their COUNSEL
This decision took them all by sur
prise, but proved to be acceptable at
once. 1t was arranged to have the vOt-
ing done at each precinct separately, aud
on separate day in few instances where
it was necessary, so as TO comply with
the conditions prescribed.
"a large crowd went with Judge, can
6Idato and counsel from DOII 70 11OtI aO6
the result finally reached was a majority
of II votes for Capt. Coates out OF a total
of 326 votes, instead Of the former poll of
, 00O3