Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-25
SHERIFF JOHN.
MTcIGTEs OF A wELL-KyowH GE0R-
GIA CHARACTER.
d FurGle Of notwithstanding the
Law Into His Own
Hands.

'"oh CutIlH JODU Tue peopio VI "Vhu
county have never found il out.
THAT is Sheriff john" said friend
to IRE one day as he pointed out tall.
broad-shouldcred giant, with a face in
which good humor and determination
were about equally mixed.
" Sheriff john" ! said, "John
who"
Cant think Of his other name"
was the reply. "I'll tell you when 1t
comes into my mind. We always call
him Sheriff John"
IL did not take me long to find ont
that the sheriff was about the queerest
character that ever dvelt in a civilized
community. | was newcomer,
stranger in the place, but aftcr John
given me one sweeping look with his
searching gray eyes he shook my hand
with a cordial grip, and we were friends
from that moment.
Sheriff John was bundle Of contra
| dictiors. At every election his Office
was forced upon him by the people.
| There was no money in it. lie never
collected his fees. He never made
levy and never arrested man unless
the defendant was guilty Of some fla
grant meanness. had never seen such
an official, and at first the secret of his
popularity bafiled me. When | knew
bin better / understood it all. The
mans big heart, his courage, and his
fierce hatred of everything cruel and
mean drew men to him and made them
his friends. Then, too. his moral in.
fuence was power. a profane man
himself, TO one dared to attack religion
or speak sightingly Of churches and
preachers in his presence. AS a tenn
perance worker be was unriyalled, and
the fact that he was always filled Up
with peach and honey did not seem to
weaken the force of his words in the
least.
4 sheriff is, Of course, a conservstor
of the peace, but nothing delighted
Sheriff John more than a good, square
fst-and-skull fight. He frequently ar
ranged @ little bout between parties
who we're threatening damage suits,
Islander suits, and other legal proceed
ings growing out Of bad state Of feel
ing, and in this way he kept much yexa-
tious litigation out of the courts. One
day when tramp vas caught stealing
a box of sardinos from store Sheriff
John was called in to take him ia
charge.
.'Mebbe he's hungry" said John
dOubtfully.
mot bit of it," answered the
merchant, 81 gave him good dinner,
and quarter and plug Of tobacco.
Now, will you arrest him."
4" No, III be burned if | do" eY-
claimed the sheriff. 1.-The Law is too
good for the like of him. I'll just kick
the lOw-down, good for nothing cuss
out Of town
lie was as good as his word. lie
booted the fellow out of the store, and
followed him until the fugitive crossed
the town limits.
When a man sued bis neighbor in this
old-hshioned little county it was a rare
thing for him to go SO far as to sell out
his debtors property. He generally
held on to his judgment and gave the
defendant time TO pay mp, little by lit
tie. In one instance, however, Gre
ditor made Sheriff John levy on farm,
the wagons, mules, hoes, plOws, furni.
ture, and kitchen utensils. When sale
day arrived John took the creditor
back of the courthouse and said {:
"Do you want me to sell that pro-
perty?"
"Yes, and mighty quick, too. I'm
bound to have the money"
"Well, you are in a ID mean
business" said John, drawing himself
up to his full height and looking down
at the other with eyes that fairly
blazed.
~ only want my own" was the re-
ply. cant man have his own?"
" Look here" snapped the sheriff;
- that's al rot, AM you know 1t. You
know that the man who is always
bowling about getting his own don't
care if ne gets slice that don't belong
to him. Now, look at this case. No
claim filed, no affidavit Of illogality, no
homestead. What does that show;
Don't it show that the man is honest?
Such a man won't trick you. He's as
good IS gold. You know what has kept
him behind, sick family and bad
crops. If you sell him out you ruin
him. Ii you wait you'll get your
money. My advice is to wait"
"YOu can jist let up, SheriE John,
and mind your oTn business, respond
cd the irritated plaintiff. ." | amt 60
ing to be cheated out of my just dues
by lazy, trllIlng rascal"
lie said 10 mOIe. Sheriff Johns iron
hand was on his throat.
III knock your fool head off your
shoulders if you don't take that back"
said John in his grim, cool way !
"You sban't speak of an honest and |
unfortunate man in that style"
The bewildered man spologized and !
retracted.
Now" continued the sheriff, with
the very devil in his eye, "you know |
me, and you know what I think about !
this. Is this matter to be pressed any |
further? | simply ask you, with your
know ledge Of me and the way feel
about it, DO you order me to make the
salo?"
Sale Why, no, | don't care about
forcing sale. All wanted was a
judgment. Just wanted to scare him
up little, you know. I'm willing to
let it run on and let him pay me when
he can"
~ thought you would listen to rea-
son, " said John, 81 knew there wouldn'.
be any sale"
And the two walked back to the
crowd with serene faces, and With
nothing to indicate that there had been
any unpleasantness between them.
The greatest trial that Sheriff John
ever had to undergo was when young
man was convicted OF murder and SEN
fenced to death. It looked very much
like q case u self-dsfence, and John
took that view of it. After the court
adjourned he tried TO ease his mind by