The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-18
a HALFBREED's CHARM BAG.
Judge LanEworthy Tells a story of
Criminal Law In Old Kentucky
From tho New York tribune.

Days.
Fvom tho New York Tribune.
The old Judge was in a mood OF remin-
lscenee. lie had not always been a
Judge. and his memories harked back to
the days of his great triumphs a. the
known criminal lawyer la Eastern
Kentucky. Those were lawless days, and.
as Judge Langworthy said truly enough.
murders were 50 common that like 6s
not every body IN the country would
a-been hanged Sf they hadn't had a right
smart lawyer 10 defend 'em."
And that was how 81 happened that the
most desperate curthroat brought 10 bay.
the worst outlawed murderer the man
for whom e dozen noOses were yawning'
would always come 10 sam" Langworthy
FOR help. II there was any loophole OF
esnaue n there was the slightest weak
ness on the part OF the prosecution Law
yer Sam was sure to seize Il ana squeeze
the prisoner through. Ideals In the law
an Eastern Kentucky were none too high
i'm those days. and sam Langwortny
never dreamed OF turning a client Down
because he happened 20 be guilty. Ihat
was a circumstance that the lawyer was
generally pretty safe In taxing LOT
granted
well" eald Judge Langworthy. re-
eectivelv. "of all the cases ! ever had l
40 believe that Jim IAghtbird's was the
one that gave me the most bother.
lin LIchthlrd, ye See" said the judge
.,,,itnr hack In his chair and crossing
NE feet carefully on the table In front OF
MIN. sJim Lighthlrd was a halt-nreed IN
alan. a sour, suilen sort OF seacook' cruci
as a shark and superstitious as mig
cor There must a-been bad blood IA
! for 81 Z
Ave hrothers. one had been hanged for
,,vraer and not less than two or the
c,bcra would have swung years before u
bad not got EN- out OF their killing
Wen a. course. Jim Lightbird knew
"a hotr,aa his brothers, In fact, he'd done
LOT Of the work 10 earn money Tor my
fees. But ne always seemed Just SORT "l
Quiet and sulky. and ! never thought ne
get into serious trouble.
~, was about 7 O'Clock one August
night. and ! was settin OF the NetaHu'
~ my boardin place In Conway-that
| ,ha county seat. There was a great red
,.l,uT IN the West, and the moon, pale and
,..redllke. was just slldin above the
| 49,. mines over 10 the East was think
| a., now peaceful the whole world would
| ~ N there wasn't any men IN II 70 RAISE
r,.,sons But lust that minute aione
I came Jim Lightbird iookin' as solemn az
,,,dQn,ept day And who should be run
nln' alongside OF Jim but Lot Johnson
sssa Vow. Lot was a nice. old, peace
able farmer that lived down by the creek
arr rad a decentish BIT Of propsrty. too
NJ bad married a giri twenty years
Younger than he was. and not much 81
a hooker at that. she come OF poor
| ,,bftc family. and wasn't In Lots cloHs-
I e,,evtshody said that.
" Judge whispered Jim. layin' his hand
., nv knee (they had already begun %
caii me Judge; sort Of comm events cast
in' shadows racket. I SUPPOSED; Judge,
he said. and ne was as cool as the North
pei. we Eant 10 speak 20 ye a BIT
!. ssBut Farmer Johnson's wife. she didn'
Iook 60 game. She was clustered a good
I'D and her lips were al q twitter
II took 'em both upstairs 70 my room