The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03
JUSTICE IN THE UNAKAS.
q MURDER CASE IN COURT NEAR
SNAKE CREEK Gar.
The Encounter Between Mis' Nteeku ana the
Squire ana the Promptness and veracity
or tho nigh sheriff wac Prevented q
IynchinE-some M1eonshiae slide Lights.

town that q murder had been committed near
PlRinville, a village In q narrow valley near
Snake Creek Gap, among the post oak ridges
that break away at the foot Of the Unaka rsngo.
Plainvillo is in the heart of the moonshino
region, and the odor Of sour mash is mingled
with tho aroma of reddening chestnut leaves
and the nutty fragrance Of falling hickory foil.
ngc. When the writer arrived at Plainville on
the first available train from tho city, a knot Of
bronzcd and bearded mountainecrs, hard.faced
women and touslc-headed children had gath.
cred about the vacant store which had been
transformed into a court OF justice. Awaiting
the arrival of the culprit, who had been cap.
turcd by a posse about an hour before in the
woods, the blear.eyed old Justice Of the Peace,
who had absorbed enough mountain dew dur
ing his reign to have floated a river steamer.
had improviscd n judicial bench. Two empty
whiskcy barrels had been stood on end AMI
from one TO the other n rough, unplaned plank
had been laid, which answered for the desk.
Behind it, pcrched upon n rickcty stool, sat his
Honor with q quid Of tobacco in his cheek. A
pair Of rusty.rimned spectaclcs lent an air Of
judicial gravity to his face and accumulated
the size Of his nose. In front of him reposed in
solemn majesty a wcll-worn copy OF the Code
Of Georgia, vintage of 70, and beside 1t was a
o%overless cory OF the New Testament.
I'VE hain't nary Bible handy" said he apollo
geticaily, 'but the Fo' Gospels fulfls the sperrit
O. the law In the Justification O. witnessesI,in
criminal cases." and he glanced around with an
tir of superior crudition that had q ~salutary CT.
feet upon the crowd.
The olicitor-Gonera n lean. lanky lawyer
from the county town, had been summoned TO
represent the State, and ho paced up and down
the creaking floor, clawing at his locks with his
long, bony fingers. Suddenly there was a stir
arnonp tha loiIerinu crowd nu'sidn md dowp
the winding path came a number Of mon tug.
ging at q long rope made Of plough lines tied
| together. At the end OF tho line staggered q
low.browcd negro, whose ashcn face indicated
tho fear that was In his heart as he moved to-
ward his doom. Bringing up the rear Of the
! procession was a burly specimen of the 'Hill
Billies," tho county Sheriff, astride a diminu.
tive mule Of mountain breed.
"Ahcm,' began the Court, biting off a fresh
chew from an enormous twist and pas sing the
rest of the twist around among the crowd,
"Nistor Bailiff, open court
A crUss-eyod cou ltryman' standing near the
desk stepped to the door, and, poking his head
out, yelled:
20 yez! o yez! Tho honer'ble Jestlce Court
TO the Lcben Hundred. an SeDcntv-sebeut' dees-
trick is now opon!"
''Order in court, Mr.. Bailif. /" commanded the
Justice. and, after n whispered consultation
with the solicitor, he seemed to recognize the
presence OF tho Sheriff, who,.within his domain,
was an officer OF less magnitude than the
constable who did his bidding.
'Nlr. Bailif, l see here among us the High
Sheriff o. the county. an you'll DO pleased to
invite i'm to a seat on the bench" The Sheriff
took n seat on the end of a ten-gallon key, when
The Justice again proceeded: "Frien's an Teller
citerzens, Their is a gent heare f'om a jinin'
derstrick who is n good scrib> m l s'pose
therell be no objection to him actin as clerk
O. this ere court. Hits not adzackly icordin' to
forms, but in emergencies ike this the Court
claims tho right, under the s.atchoots. to waive
all lormalities. MIR. Bailiff, call the fust wit
ness.'
The writer whipped out his scratch pad and
prepared to take the testimony. A taded wo-
man moved up in front Of tho Court, and with
great.gravity Of demeanor. the Justice ordered
her to hold up her right hand. Tho witness
first he'd up her left hand, then corrected her
self. held up her right for a moment, and then.
to be certain, elevated both palms to an angle
Of 60 degrees.
You do solemnly' swear that the evidence
that you shall give touching the case between
the state and the accused shall be the truth,
the whole truth, and nolning but the truth. 80
kiss the Book, /" said the Justice, and the
corrected, she imprinted a smack upon the
c~oyerlese. copy of the "Fo' GospiIs."
"N hat your manner asked the Justice, who
cond uctcd his own examinations.
"Mahaly Mecks,'' answered the woman.
Miss or missiei'
wy. mltsis-no, put it miss. bccase he sd one
an gone an quit ;lc three months ago an mo-"
"A miss is as good as a mile said the Jus
it down H!issis, Mietcr Clerk, fur she's a niissis,
'cordin' to the sta,choots. ,Whar do ye liver
IVY. squire, l'm s'prised at yer akin SIGH
tDon't squire me. l hain't s'posod to
s kGSw tb nS1m,h as w cans : m pG The law IN an e'q the e evi.
dcncc. Whar do yo live, Missis Meeksf'
I've hin alvin in the Pocket. nigh Snake
I'm this county,
II rathor shi1k it is. sir. What county is
questions ;Mhissis, Meoks, hits 70 business to
Mister Clerk. Thu State, Missis Mceksi"
Il rcckin so. 'Ialn't IN Alabam', I'm Sho'.
Don't ye git TOO pcart, nor try TO confuse the
Court with r0undabout answers. Fust thing ye
know yen Tin yersclf in, contempt. War you
present when this ere crime wuS oomin1ttedi'
How fur WIS you f'om tho oman what was
Bout rs fur as rom here to you"
That amt n proper answer. How many
Never measured it."
Well. you kin guess. bout how many footf'
Bout Ton foot.
"Ef yen let me tell 1t jest as hit happened, |
kin do 1t, squire. but yo sit me frustrated in
akin 30 many questions an Inc nervish al
ready"
"Mi.sis Mocks, the Court don't want no
trouble with ye, an ye'd better answer tho
questions what's "Xed we. Wus 80 inside or
outsidc!"
~ wus inside"
Gould yc set outsider
my eyos is purity good. an the do wus
open
What did 20 seer
81 seed Mandy %Jeffrics, Jcems %Jnnries's wife.
She ,wn6...a'standin' jest outside
"Hol' up. thar, madam. Answer the ques-
tions as they're axed yc. What day wus
tnali'
Day TO yistiddy."
II mean what day o. the weekl"
II fuIgit. What is to-dayi'
"AIadam, I've told ye repeatedly that I'm not
here to answer questions. My business Is to AK
tho questions an your'n is to answer the
questions as l AK EN-. Mister Bailiif, let
Their DO order In court. Put it down Chues-
day, Mister Clerk"
And 20 the investigation dragged along. Tho
woman finally managed to tell how she was
sitting just inside Of the door of tho cabin on
the mountain side talking with Mrs. Joffries,
whom she was visiting. Mrs, Jeffries had
stepped outside for some purpose, a shot was
fired from II clump of bushes and Mrs. Joffries