The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-10-05


dent that back of many of his rulings
there was just about as much brain
displayed as there is behind hazlenut
when in the mouth of a little chip
munk. Still Jerimiah welded the iu-
diclal hammer that came down very
often wisely and justly on the head of
the offending nail.
AS a spectator | witnessed many
trials that took place in Casey's court
house, but of these / will speak of only
one. The case was that of a tramp
who was arrested for sleeping in a box
car. This weary Willie was not only a
model of the typical back door tramp.
but was living monument of vagran-
cy who, with double bitted jackknife,
carved on the water tanks the venom
Gus name of Rattle Snake Jack. The
moment Jack was ushered into the
presence of the Court, that dignitary
lost no time with prelminaries, but
ordered the prisoner to stand up and
at once proceeded to read the charge
which was something like this:
"You are charged this morning, in
Jerimiah Casey's courthouse, with the
heinous offense of forcing and entering
a side door pullman and sleeping.there-
in. If you plead guilty [ will give you
five days; if you plead not guilty I'll
give you thirty days! What is your
plea ?"
The prisoners plea was that of not
guilty. The Court then turning to the
officer who made the important and
daring capture, asked him to explain
what else he knew about the defendant
besides sleeping in the car. Now this
policeman, in his own estimation, was a
very important parsonage. He was the
self-appoiDted sleuth of the city, but
actually couldn't trail an elephant in
twenty feet Of snow, nor locate a door
mat thief if the latter was within ten
feet Of him with cOWbell tied to his
neck. But in reply to the Judges
query, this bum catcher stated, and in
voice with an Indiana twang to it.
that the defendant was a bloOdthirsty
vampire, a pesky rascal, whose head
was just plumb chOck full of cussed
nastiness, a varmint who keeps bum
ming and knocking about; he never
works, but just keeps going continu-
ally round and round.
Rattle Snake Jack, old timer that he
was, knew from past experience that
it would be useless to attempt to deny
anything that the officer said; but Jack
IN his own way was something of a
diplomat and in little talk turned his
vocal batteries loose and commenced
to work on the sympathy of the Court.
He feigned sickness, was troubled with
heart-failure, and Informed the Court
that while working with a bridge crew
he was struck on the head with pile
driver and with such force that it drove
him in the ground up to his knees, and
as result he had been crippled under
the hat ever since. He promised the
Court that if let go he would stop this
going round and round
His appeal might not have been in
vain if, like many others in similar
position, he hadn't gotto gay, for beat
ing in the breast of Judge Casey was
heart the size of tub. The Judge
turning in his chair and addressing the
prisoner asked him if let go, what he
intended to do if he stopped going
round and round.
"Tll take a balloon and go up," came
the prompt reply from this human
rattle snake.
His Honor was not man to lose
his temper, but took everything good
naturedly; he ordered the prisoner to
stand up and addressed him something
after the following:
cit is with many regrets that the
Court has to inform the prisoner that
it is not provided with arerial ships or
balloons for the convenience of its
compulsory guests. However, l am
happy to state, that it has at it's dis
posal a parachute in the shape of
black maria, and it is the sentence of
this Court that you take the said para
chute and 60 down to Tim Hogan's
piggery for the period of six months,
where, under the wise tuition of Prof.
Mike Clancy, the official head of the
chain gang, you'll be taught the useful
art of making big stones into little
Ones" F. HI. M.