The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-19
PASSING OF DANDY I'm.
HOW a WESTERN TOWN GOT RID
OF A WASHER.

His Way, He Left Virginia City
Never More to Return-Given n
bogus TriuI and Convicted on
Fake Testimony-McNott WeIeom-
cd Opportunity to Run for Ills
Life.
From the San Francisco Call.
It was a cold, drizzling night in No
vember, 1869. During the day a light
snow had fallen in Virginia City, New,
leaving a thin coating of sleet on the mud
DIV streets and exposed wooden sidewalks.
and Mount Davidson bonneted in unbrok-
en- white. Fires, consuming wood provid-
ed at cost of $40 per cord, were ablaze
In the hundred or more drinking and
gambling saloons of the city, into which
streams of .overcoated ana blanketed men
ceaselessly poured in search of comfort
and out in quest of adventure.
While noisy crowds were josting each
other on street, B street was compare
lively quiet II was quiet even in and
around Justice Murrays court room-mys-
teriously quiet Notwithstanding the con-
gregation there of fifty or sixty men, who
Iounged around the entrance or sought
comfortable seats in the neighborhood
of the stove within. What was the OBJ
iect of the gathering at the justices court
at the unseemly hour of o clock at night?
The most of those present seemed to
know, and the few in ignorance of it
inquiry resulting in nothing satisfactory
concluded to wait and find out.
Knots of men were whispering in the
back part of the room, and in small
connecting chamber a dozen or more stern
visaacd gentlemen were in consultation
among them Justice Murray himself and
the township constable. There were bot
ties and glasses on a table in the room
so placed as not to be visible from with
out when the door was opened, and his
honor, as well as the executive, took some
pains TO evade the public eve, especially
as it could best be done in close proximity
to the bottles They were not sure that 1t
would be well with them to openly sane
ton by their presence a solemn mockery
of judicial proceeding in the very home
of justice, to say nothing of lights and
fuel at the county's expense. They, there
fore, remained discreetly in the back
Ground prepared to silence suspicion with
an incontestable albi should occasion re-
Quire
AT little connection was followed by the
announcement to the conspirators in the
back room of "All right. He's been
snatched. Jack1l be here with i'm in a
minute" And then Col. Bob Taylor, wip-
ing his lips after fresh iibation, passed
into the court room and mounted the seat
Of authority with the dignity of a Ro-
man senator. A lawyer of first-class abil-
tiles, whilom district judge in Sierra
county, California, and fun-loVing almost
to a fault he looked the personification OF
justice as he smOte the desk and ordered
"Silence and hats off in the court room"
Every one present knew him, and there
was a Questioning buzz in the seats, bue
he promptly froze the smile on the lips
Of levity by making his face with a look
as stern as an Oregon boot. With WIN
Campbell acting as prosecuting attorney,
George /. LammOn as clerk and AleXan-
der Coryen as constable, the staff of the
court was complete and strikingly respect
able Suddenly, and without the usual
preliminary inquiry his honor Numbered:
Mr. Officer, bring in the prisOner!'
The officer left the room and in a few
minutes returned with the individual whose
presence was SO peremptOrily required. He
was accompanied by Jack Perry by whom
the arrest had been made. The prisoner
was a well favored, fopplshly dressed
young gambler, with high-heeled boots
curled mustache and a loud display of
jewellery. Although he had been on the
Comstock but two or three weeks he had
been spotted as a ''masher." He shade
fiippant remarks to attract the attention
Of ladies passing along the streets and
Oil two or three occasions had been dis
covered hanging around the Fourth ward
school house at times Of recess, endeavor-
ing TO engage IN conversation some of the
larger girls. His name was McNott but
his fellow check guerrillas referred to him
as Dandy Jim
Half suspccting that he was being made
IL xrs<,
er smilin2ly took the seat provided for
him within the bar and the machinery of
the court was put in motion by the
prosecuting attorney fumbIing over what
purported to be a complaint, warrant and
return, and then informing his honor that
he was ready TO proceed with the case of
The people of the state of Nevada against
John Doe McNott."
Al an animation by the court that the
case might be proceeded with notwith-
Standing the late hour, the complaint was
read. In 1t the prisoner was charged with
attempting assault upon Margaret Magln-
mis-, widow, whose home on Mill street
he had invaded two or three nights before
1t was atsolemh and circumstantial docu-
nent' and when the reading of it had been
concluded the prisoner, somewhat alarmed
ana not knowing whether to laugh or cry
sprdnS to his feet and declared that he had
never seen Margaret Maginnis; that he had
az VI HCSH on MILL street 10 ms knowledge,
and that the complaint was a tissue of
lalsehoods from beginning to end
Sit down.! roared his honor, s"or l will
have you irOned aud gagged If you are in
nocent you will have an opportunity to
make il appear. The proceedings of this
court must be treated with respect"
If TINS thing Is in earnest remarked
the prisoner, resuming his seal, while cold
PeFspiratton began to bead his temples, Il
want jury trial and an attorney"
committing magistrate Is not com
peAed to sive you a jury sir" replied the
Judge; but this court is merciful, and.
looking for justice beyond the pale of ju-
dieial regulation, viii accord you what you
desire Are you able to employ an attor-
ncy?'
The prisoner felt through his pockets and
said he had about 81S.
NO respectable lawyer will take your
case for that pitiful fee" said the Judge.
The court win appoint an attorney to de-
iend YOU ana name r. H. Lindsay who is
IN the room, / believe"
tThe attorney selected seated himself be-
SIDE the prisoner. NOW Mr. Clark. call
jury, from the bystanders," resumed the
judge.
This was done, and in five minutes
twelve men good and true" were in the