Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-20
HELD COURT UNDER 4 1hee..
! Primitive Method Of Administering J n
tIce La Rural MisaourL

Primitive Method of Administering J MS
tiee la Rural Missouri
For its unique features and original legal
methods, George Miller's trial is probably
without an equal in the court history oil
Missouri It seems that Miller, who Is .
young man Of good character. had been EN-
ployed in Main street restaurant until
illness compelled him to abandon his posi-
ton, though he was almost penniless. In
his dilemma he found friend in the per
son Of Edward J. Froisey, who offered to
support him until his recovery If he would
take cart Of Froisey's little farm, on the
south side Of the Blue river. near Troosi
avenue.
This proposition Miller gratefully ae
copied and the next day was installed in
the Froisey household, where also lived
Froisey's aged mother
All went well with Miller until one Sat
urday morning, when, as he stepped from
the back door, he observed an individual
unknown to him, just leaving the hen
house with fat pullet under each arm
He had been particularly cautioned by Mr.
Froisey to keep a lockout for chicken
thieves, and he thought this an opportu
nifty to display his vaior and earn his pa
irons everlasting gratitude.
Hold on, there. young Teller" he shout
ed. Where you goin with them chickensp
The stranger looked tough as he replied
Say. is dat any Of your funeralf"
If you don't drop them chickens, II
blow the roof Of your head off, yelled
Miller, making dash for the kitchen
where loaded revolver was lying
But when he reappeared the stranger wa.
making rapid tracks for the gate, and he
did not fire on him. Half an hour later hs
was considerably astouished when con
stable hove in sight and arrested him on 9
charge OF assault with intent to kill. Hav
ing no choice in the matter, he went with
the constable.
Now the thinly settled and purely agr
cultural region lying south of the Blue
boasts the presence of a duly elected justice
of the peace, a well TO do farmer, by nam,
d. P. Antony, and as legal proceedings IN
"Jedge" Antony's court are by no means "a
plentiful as the bullfrogs in his meadow
that official prepared TO make the most oil
the case
He had no courtroom handy, but tbs
spreading branches of giant apple tree in
the orchard near by served the purpose ad
mirably and here the court was established
with the soft side Of n log for a bench and
seats enough on the grass for the thousands
OF spectators who might or might not
choose to attend. :~
Bring in the prisonerl" Numbered the
judge. And straightway the constable ap
peared. dragging his victim unwillingly te
a seat at the other end of the log. The com
plant was read in the constables mos,
Iol. no i,,I, CT Oh r.
whiskers and meditated. "Aha" quoth he
this, l see, is a serious case. We must
have jury" 1t was the prisoners prerog
alive to ask for n jury if he wanted it, but
that made no difference. The constable
sailed forth and speedily returned with
six good men and true"-five farmers and
workhouse guard, recruited from a road
near by. where gang Of county prisoner
were at work. The six solemnly ranged
themselves In a semicircle on the grass be
fore the judge, and the trial u began
Miller briefly told his story, and then til.
stranger, whom he believed guilty of steal
ing Froisey's chickens, appeared on tbs
scene and told his story. He claimed that
he owned the chickens. they having wan
dered into Froisey's yard, and he was sim
ply recovering his property. That ended
the trial. ana the jury thereupon hled int
the jury room-the cleared space beneath
an adjoining apple tree-where they were
speedily joined by the judge and constable
and together they arranged the verdict
When they returned to the courtroom. Mil
Ter WAS informed that he had been convict
ed of threatening to kill' and that he had
been fined s25 and costs, amounting in all
to $3.50 He could not pay, and SO Judge
Antony tore a leaf out of notebook loaned
him 10y one of the jurors and made out his
commitment, ordering Marshal Stewart to
confine Miller in the county Jail until the
fine and costs were paid.
And then court was adjourned. the farm
ers returning to their wheatfields, the guard
to his prisoners, and Miller was taken away
by the constable, and within an hour the
doors of the county Jail opened to receive
him.-kansas City Journal.