The herald., 1895-05-12
UNCONVENTIONAL JUDGES
Laws as Administered by
Arizona Justices
EFFECTIVE If NOT REGULAR
Some Amusing Instances of Rough bit
Ready Justice
Ve"y Little LawIes5ness in the Territory.
The Courts OF the First
Instance
effective IF NOT REGULAR
Ely AN ARI2ONIAN1

Away up on the summit of the Colo
RADIO plateau. almost 1000 feet above the
level of the sea, is located the uicturesoue
little lumber town of Flagstaff Arizona.
Il novelist dream to location, and the
gateway to some OF the most marvellous
turns OF nature in the whole world. Yet
despite its romantic situation among the
hills ANA pines, the little community of
settlers live on in their dull passive way,
all unmindful of the poetic suggestive
ness of their environment. They have to
II great extent, however. outlived the
practices of the palmy days, when bad
men, tiourished and the reckless spirits
of the range were in the habit of "shoot-
ing up the town. whenever the moo ard
the application of hot and iebellious tan
glefoot inspired them. Still the lasso or
Justice has to occasionally be thrown
around Il festive COW puncher who comes
to town to resume acquaintance with the
cup after having stored away in his sys-
TEN Wholesale quantities of climatic
vigor. Usually he comes to grief before
he has succeeded in boring more than one
mole in the atmosphere. his gun is con-
iiscated and he goes back on the range IN
il subdueI and melancholy frame of min l.
A man can t tamper with A rizona it's
ticc. The quality tnat is sometimes au-
ministerod is like a shyster lawyers az
gument-strained and illogical. A whole
chapter of typical court room scenes tina,
have come under the writer's immediate
observation could be related
Not many months ago Il tinhorn gam
bier was arrested at Flagstaff for bes ting
his wife, and brought before local ius-
tce of the peace. His honor after hear.
ing the testimony. commanded the trem.
bling offender to stand up.
How tall are your he asked.
Just seven feet, your honor" an.
swered the gambler.
"WeL. my man, said the Judge, pom
foot; and leave your wife alone hereafter,
or I'll make it 81 foot next time
a tender hearted old fellow who had
been recently elected u justice of the
peace at Flagstaff, made his debut in a
warfare among neighbors' children re-
suited in one mother-who was possessed
OF Il viragos temper and the hair pulling
prowess OF n lioness-assaulting Il very es-
timable lady, the wife of an hotel man.
The two upper tens of Flagstaff's 400
were in attendance at the trial, and the
possession of a hairpin was regarded as
damaging evidence. The woman was
found guilty of grievous bodily assault,
and as the gray-haiied old justice arose
to pronounce sentence he stammered and
blubbered like a child, while great. brjnv
tears streamed down his grizzlcd cheeks.
Everyone waited to hear him pronounce
the sentence of death. and there was an
ominous silence in the little courtroom.
Finally he said:
sentence you to pay fi-fi-fine of $40
and, oh Lord-you don't know how pain
full my duty is. Boo hoop
And his honor sank sobbing into his
three legged chair of justice.
But the most fragrant example of legal
itt,rv ~
couple of weeks ago. Three young men.
including sheepherder. were arrested
sor being drunk and disorderly. The
trial" was really IA comical exposition of
the WAY they do those things in Arizona.
The old Judge sat crosswise on the table
with Il weather beaten slouch hat tipped
well back on his head and a black clay
pipe OF the vintage of 40 between his lips.
while a motley crowd of spectators, all
with their hats on and some of them
smoking, lolled about to hear the pro-
ceedings.
II fine you boys $40 apiece" said his
honor, very suddenly.
But. your honor. | want to plead not
guilty and offer some testimony pro-
tested one of the culprits, an into; .ent
young fellow with considerable kn, u dge
of the law.
Cant plead in this court" answered
his iudgeship. what say goes, so there s
no use in your pleading"
further protests were unavalllng, and
before court had adjourned an officer ap-
peared at the door to inform the sheep
herder that job was waiting for him out
on the range.
''YIp! Yip!" yelled that individual,
81 IN the best -- sheepherder in Ari-
zona! ledge. won't ye give me stand,
off for that fine on the strength of me
new job?'
And after considerable persuasion the
Judge agreed to take a stand-off. This
Judge is very severe on the bench, but
beneath the dignity of his Office there
beats warm. sympathetic heart, and his
reputation for stand OFFS is good.
There's police Judge in another Ari7
zona town who presides over palatial
saloon bar at night and in the morning
you will find him on the bench. frowning
outraged justice over his gold-rimmed
spectacles at petty offenders, some of
whom may have mbibed their desire to
fracture the statutes at his honor's bar.
He administers justice with an impartial
hand however, and because man patron
lied his saloon is no reason that he should
expect leniency at his legal bar.
Pedestrianating Pat (reading novel)-T
wsht had the eyes of this gal wot I'm
readin' about.
l,,,la I'D.