The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-01-23
SKETCHES BY M. QUAD
Judge HoLe of Sandy Bend.


"This yere court bein a court of law
and now open fur bizness," said Judge
Hoke of Sandy Bend as he looked
around on the crowd, 81 will purceed
to cut matters short and save the coun-
ty of DEVILS Elbow $50 in cash by stat
in the case. Over thar on my right sits
that blamed kyote known as Sam White.
He's the complainant in this case, and
he's tryin hts durndest to look like an
abused man. Over thar on my left side
Ia One Legged Pete, who's half greaser
and half American and n of the
meanest critters to be found fur a hun
dred miles around. Neither one of 'em
is with plantin over six inches deep,
and arter the trial this court hopes to
see che pair run outer town Gu gineral
principles. 49,.
This yere court, as is known to
most of We, owns the Red Dog saloon
across the creek. It ar needless to add
that drinks, poker and other things
ar dispensed over thar fur cash, and
the %reputashun of Red Dog ar second
to none in this woolsey west. Last
night was a busy time at the Red Dog.
This court had to help wait ON the bar,
| chuck three men out Of doors and pop
another, and when midnight came he
went to bed tired ont. He had just got
to sleep when a critter gallops up on a
broncho and pounds ON the door and
yells that he wants jestice.
"'Who is it?' sez /.
Sam White seq he.
WHATS the h~uliabaloo?'
"'One Legged Pete has stole my
wife!'
p"'Waal, go'n steal some other crit
ter's wifel'
"'But I wants j~estice.'
"Yes, durn his hide, he wanted jes.
tice, and he wouldn't be satisfied till ]
got up and agreed to hev One Legged
Pete ARRESTED. He was arrested this
mornin, and thar he is. I've talked
with him, and I've talked with the
woman, and I've also had my nose in
the statoots fur an hour or more. Now,
then, Justly, as the oma went away
willin'ly with the prisoner he didn't
steal her; secondly, under the statoots
of this territory a woman amt property
and can't be stole; thirdly, any critter
hevin SIGH a humbly wife as she ar
orter be willin to pay $50 to hev her
stole; fourthly, Sam White was right
thar when his wife jumped on the hoss
behind Pete and rid away. He had a
rife beside him, and he's a good shot.
He could hev plunked the both of 'em
and the boss to boot, but did he do it:
No, street He sot right thar and seen
'em go, and then he mounts his knock
kneed ole broncho and rides 'leven miles
to pound on the back door of the Red
Dog saloon and yell fur jesticern
Your honor" said Sans lawyer,
'smy client ar q peaceful, law abidin"-
"Shet upi" Numbered the judge.
1--WE know Sam White from top to toe,
and the court don't want any of yer CAB
in this easel Has the prisoners lawyer
got any words to shoot Off"
Eve hev nothin to say" replied the
counsel.
(Which ar jest as we'll fur ye, Tom
Thatcherr' growled his honor. "It
ye'd said ten words in favor OF the
prisoner, I'd hev sentenced him to be
hungi Pete, ye blamed ole reptile, what
made ye steal that woman?"
"She wanted to be stole" replied
Pete.
WAL ye've got her, and now KEEP
her, but don't never do it agin. Sam
White. why didn't ye shoot the smoke
colored cuss when he come fur yei
wifert
"Ileft him to the law"
"Oh, ye did! Well. mebbe it's jest al
well as the law is big huff and broao
nun to take keer Of both Of ye. When
was elected jestice Of the peace in ant
fur the county of DEVILS Elbow. it wal
ginerally understood that everybody
could hey law and jestice by the shovel
full. Ye had the right to pop at Pete
but no right to wake this court MP. Y,