The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-04

Florence, July 3l.-(Special.)-Amo the many notable and remarkable char acters that are the product of the Southwest, none are better or more widely known than Judge Roy Bean, whose title is dignified by the append age, Law West of the Pecos." Judge Bean lives at the station of Bean, on the Southern Pacific, railroad on the border land of Old Mexico not far from Pecos River, where it flows into the Rio Grande. Every tourist who passes through this wonderful country has heard or met Judge Roy Bean, and many tales of the unique justice meted out by this law unto himself' are re- lated with humor and setting that will appeal to the disabilities of the most conservative tenderfoot.
 Recently, while the writer was on his way east with the Alabama Press Association, after a journey across the continent, he met Judge Bean at his dual bar and court room," and after "liquoring up," warm friendship sprang up between the erstwhile judge and his quondam friend, who was on equal terms with his honor as soon as | the latter learned that his guest was native born Texan. As the Judge sat in the bar dispensing drinks. some thoughtless traveller had the termerity to ask the Pseudo bar-tender-jurist if he had any ice as the bottled beer was of very high temperature. The Judge looked amazed at the affront to the bar and, with judicial decision. re- marked: "Ice, who ever heard of ice in the summer timer The crest-fallen and crushed tourist shrunk from under the eye of the court, and when the Judge called upon him to treat the crowd, he meekly obeyed the sentence of the court. Judge Bean conducts a dance hall and hotel in connection with his other official duties, including the office of Notary Public.
 The Judge was born in Kentucky in 1929. He came West when he was IS and his life has been one of wild ad- | rested for shooting Mexican who tried to rob his brother. He ran | a gambling house and saloon | in Los Angeles in 1S50-1. When the | Southern Pacific was built he had a | travelling saloon followed the build | ing of the road. While thus engaged
 he began lis judicial career. Gamblers | fiocked in and there was so much
 shooting and the cemetery increased in population so rapidly that the con- | tractors got Bean commissioned as Justice of the Peace with a company | of Rangers detailed to assist him,
 and from then on followed his most | extraordinary decisions that made him notorious. listened to few cases as related by the Judge, who enjoys the notoriety heeh acquired. I had read | of the Judge as many pages of | Western literature have been devoted
 to his life and his decisions. The
 Judge said when there were six thou | sand Chinamen working along here | building the road it was a hard mat ter to hold them in check. One day
 some Celestials made an assault on the | foreman, whercupon the white boss | promptly shot d Chinaman Another
 white man. who was not friendly with | the boss, who shot the Chinaman,
 caused his arrest. A large party of | white men heavily armed rode to camp
 and demanded the foreman's release. l The Judge told them to picket their horses and the case would be heard
 next day and to make themselves at
 home. This they did. patronized the
 Judges bar Iiberally during the day.
 The next day the able jurist convened | court taking a seat on the counter in
 his saloon. where he usually sits while | conducting case. He announced with | great dignity that he had carefully
 studied the statutes but the most dili- l gent searcAl failed to show that it was
 a crime 10 kill a Chinaman; and if
 any one could show him where it was
 made a misdemeanor to uake the life
 of a Chinaman he would hold the ac-
 cused, otherwise he would be compelled
 to discharge him. and as no one could
 the prisoner was discharged.
 Another case was where a railroad
 bridge was being constructed. one of
 the men fell from 1t and was killed
 Judge Bean was summoned to view | the remains and upon examination he