The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-09-30
Anecdotes of Justice.

Anecdotes of Justice.
The justice of tho peace is somewhat
q popularity, and if some one does not
watch him he will exceed his jurisdic-
ton: 1t took n constable, prosecuting
attorney and a club to convince a Wyo-
ming justice Of the peace that he had
no right to send a man to the penitcni-
Tertiary for life. Another justice in
Utah sentenced a man to be hung on the
following Friday between IL and 1
O'Clock of said day, but he couldn't en-
force the sentence. A Wisconsin JUS
tice of the peace granted a divorce, and
in two weeks married the couple over
again-tcn dollars for the divorce and
two dollars for the relapse.
Another one, when his first case came
up, jcrked a candle box around behind
the dining room table, put his hat on the
back of his head, borrowed u chew of
tobacco from the prisoner and said
"Now, boys, the courts open. The first
Teller that says a word unless I speak to
him will get paralyzed. Now, tell your
story" Theu each witness and the de-
PENDANT reelcd off his yarn without be-
ing sworn. The justice fined the de-
PENDANT $40, and made the complaining
witness pay half.tbc costs. The justice
then took the fine and put it in his pocket
and adjourned tho court, and in an hour
was so full that it took six men to hold
his house still long enough for him to
get into the door,.
A North Park Justice of the peace
and under-sheriff formed a partnership
years ago for the purpose Of supplying
people with justice at New York prices;
and by doing a strictly cash business
they dispensed a good deal Of justice,
such rs it wss.
It was q misdemeanor to kill game
and ship it out of tho State, and as
there was a good deal killed there
consisting of elk, antelope, and black
tailed deer especially-and Us it could
not be hauled out of the Park at that
season without going across the Wyo-
ming line and back again into the State
of Colorado, the under-sherif would
load himself down with warrants, signed,
in blank, and station himself at the foot Of
the pass to the North. He would the mar
rest everybody indiscriminatcly who
had any fraction Of a deer, antelope or
elk on his wagon, try the case then and
there, put n fine Of $25 to $75, which,
if paid, never reached the treasury, and
then he would wait for another victim.
The average man would rather pay tho
fine than go back 100 miles through the
mountains to stand trial, SO the under
sheriff and justice thrived for some time.
But n day the under-sheriff served hie
patent automatic warrant on ayoung man
vi refused to come down. The officer
ftkenadeS en- b. thoss, large baritone
issseuessAestkStGs eesaiiy hsssesw.sd
atasnaasnd neSof15sat4hA efkts.
Hepointed fhis spAp Ssd n
sessed q fine of fifty dollars ana $780,
Instead Of paying this i3ne the youth,
who was quite nimble, but unarmed
knocked the bogus officer down with the
butt end of his whip, took his self-cock-
ing credentials away and lit out. In less
than q week the justice and his copper
were in the refrigerator.
was once q justice of the peace, and
. good many funny little incidents
occurred while held thst
Office. Edo not aliude to my Off sisl life
here 10 order to call attention 70 my,
glowing career, for thousands OF Others
no doubt could have administered the az
Ifsirs 3 fSSthe Office i, welt asI did. but
rssbsf 10 speak Of one incident which
itsok place while 4 wasa u. ].