Rock Island Argus., 1902-04-07
DAILY SHORT STORY
Two Kinds of Law.
IOrfg1naI.l.


murder at Stony Gulch and the discov-
cry of the real criminal the next day
the population decided that Judge
Lynch had held court in that location
for the last time. A real bona fide
judge was elected. before whom sub
sequent cases would be brought in
obedience to the forms of law. Soon
after the news of this radical change
had got abroad there appeared at
Stony Gulch something that had never
been known there before-a lawyer
Arrayed in n threadbare black suit,
out ut the elbows and the knees, he
walked into the place and hung out
shingle bearing the euphonious name
of Abdiel Sliberbone.
No sooner was il known that real
law was TO dispense justice at Stony
Gulch than crime became rampant.
Houses were broken open and robbed.
horses were stolen, and in less than n
week. though there were but a few
hundred people in the place. there was
n murder case. Seth Skinner was ask
ed for his watch in the center of the
settlement in broad daylight. in pres
ence of two witnesses, and upon his
refusal was shot down in cold blood.
The perpetratcr had too much contempt
for the law to disappear. Arrested
and held for trial. he engaged the sery
ice of Abdiel Sliberbone.
The legally elected judge sat upon
the bench, and twelve good and true
men listened 10 the evidence, which
was so conclusive that there seemed
to be nothing more to do but convict
and hang the murderer. Indeed the
jury was rising from the boards. sup
ported by barrels, on which it sat to
retire and finish the case when the
attorney for the accused asked to be
heard. By the first witness he. proved
that from the point he 0he witnessl
viewed the shooting it was Impossible
that he could have seen the murder
The second witness he proved had de
fective eyesight Then he proved that
at the time of the murder the accused
was playing Il game of 'seven up at
Mike Tooley's saloon.
There was CONSERVATION on the faces
of all present.
Gentlemen Of the jury" said the
Judge. you hev. hearn the evidence. Is
the prisoner guilty or not guilty.
I'VE would like to know. jedge. ."Nsaid
the foreman. IF this yere case is to he
decided whether the prisoner reely kill
ed Seth Skinner or what the evidence
says about it,
The judge looked at the rafters and
considered.
This yere court" he said presently.
sis a court of law. You're Ter decide
what the evidence says about it,
The jurymen filed out and. crossing
the street, consulted in the corner of 4
saloon opposite. In an hour they re-
turned TO their seats.
''Waal?" said the judge.
1--WE hev found" said the foreman,
''thet on the evidence the prisoner is Il
innocent and powerful mistreated
man.
There was deep drawn breath from
the spectators. The prisoner arose and
put on his overcoat and hat.
Gentlemen of the jury and citizens
said the judge, THE prisoner
has been legally tried and found not
guilty. Therefore he is discharged
The murderer stepped toward the
door.
"One moment" said the judge. lit
seems ter me we hev done our duty as
good citizens in givin' the prisoner Il
legal trial. Thar's cases even in the
big towns whar the law occasionally
fails ter dispense justice. We hev tried
the committee plan and the legal plan
and hcv had failures under both Of
'em. What 90 you say, gentlemen. ter
applyin' both plans. l put it ter vote
ter the citizens of this yere Stony
Gulch, Shall we now try the prisoner
before Judge Lynch?'
There was n spontaneous yell of as
sent. The prisoner sank back in ter
ror 4 new judge was selected, that
there should be 10 complication be-
tween the civil and committee plans.
and the jury was sworn in anew. All
seemed at home under the new code.
and the trial was brief and to the point.
You. Bill Jones'" said the judge to
the first witness-"did you see that ar
galoOt shoot Seth Skinner"
"You bet"
''That'H do. You, Tom Murphy-you
seen the shooting"
Reckon"
'You. jury, what hev you got ter
say"
The foreman then and there polled
the Jury and announced the result
which differed from the legal form in
that it both convicted and passed SEN
tence.
Judge" said the foreman. eve hev
found, the follerin' verdic': We're goin'
ter take thet rum un out of this court
and make him dance whar the grass is
too short"
Hold on" said the judge. while
we're we're s<pposin' we settle anoth-
Pr matter It's my 'pinion thet, while
the majesty of the law is good thing
md should be always supported under
Ill circumstances. every man havin' an
EQUAL chance under it before bein' tried
under the committee plan = it's my
opinion. sly. thet lawyers hez a bad