The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-06-21
Arizona Justice.
The BARRIERS Verdict on the Killing Of
the Smithson Goat.

Iioeet ~heepeIf 3 pet goat nad Deent klileQ
by a schoolboy. The town was worked
up about it, because tho killing was justl-
haoie, nevertheless the hotel keeper de-
manded that the boy should be punished
and they had him arrest ed and asked
mat the barber, who was the only
,sst1ce OF the peace in all the country
round, should bring him up for trial.
This was why the barber was walking
up and down his shop, wringing his
hands land exclaiming: ''Ach Lieber
Colt! was ever a poor justice Of the
peace in such fix before?'' -. d H.
He was on the horns Of terrible
dilemma. for if he gave the verdict for
samson the hfteen-year-old son of Texas
Jim, who killed Billy he would incur the
enmity Of Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln, and
this meant the loss of the hotel trade,
upon which he depended for his living
And 1t was all the fault of Mrs Lin
com, the hotel keepers wife, who would
not keep her goat tied up, although re-
peatedly importuned to do SO, the parents
or the children whom 1t molested being
AFRAID to do more than demonstrate, as
they also depended for their support on
the hotel. ,.a ~ i \
Such was the state of things when
Samson's arrest came to the ears Of
ourly brewer from Milwaukee, who was
a guest at his hotel. e - s..@s 5
The boy was favorite of his, on: ac-
count Of his obliging disposition In run
ring many little errands when the old
gentleman's rheumatism prevented his
waiting on himself. Therefore, the mo-
ment he heard Samson was in trouble, he
hfed him to the barberfs for a shave, and
had heart to heart talk with his colin-
tryman. He waited till his lips were free
from 1ather, and then with many mods
and winks whispered something to Judge
Stein, which. caused the distracted barber
to poise his razor in mid air and look
with admiration on his customer, one side
OF whose face was snowy white, and the
other as red as a beet Bonner. urd
bitten, mein Herr" he exclaimed. "you
must haVe the brain of a Solomon Z
On the day of the trial the court room
was crowded. Judge Stein sat in state on
an upturned barrel in front Of wooden
plank, supported on two other barrels by
way Of table,. He looked very stern,
but his heart was pumping like a. steam
engine, for there stood Mrs. Lincoln like
living rainbow, arrayed in seven differ
ent colors, before him, pleading her own
cause. She tearfully lamented the loss Of
her dear Billy, declared there was not
such a beautiful Angora goat on the
ranch where he was raised, and wiped
her eyes on lace pocket handkerchief as
she averred that the killing was mere
wsnton cruelty on the part Of the mis-
chievous boy. Texas Jim, in his usual
d1ngy red shirt. mis- long tangled locks
resting on his shoulders, his faded trous:
ers tucked into his boots, listened In grim
silence as he tightly clutched his bat
tered felt halt with both Of his brown
hands, but Samson, 1.-THE and activessteod
unooncernedly beside his rather with
eyes modestly bent on the ground.
And now what has the prisoner at the
bar to say for himself?' asked the judge,
glaring at the culprit. ri s...e
NM. mo snf n.
but the prisoner was real live fact, so
he stepped up to the wooden plank, threw
back his head, squared his shoulders, and
spoke out like the brave boy that he was:
Thine and agin, your honor said he,
"have l driven off Billy from the kids,
but that day, with my brothers and sis
ters I was riding into town, and before
we come in sight Of the schoolhouse, we
heard the children a-screaming, and seen
Billy bouncing, and a butting them.
And before I could git up to him, he had
knocked down pore little girl and was
worrying her with his horns. It made
me feel kinder tired. so / spurs my
bronco at him, whirling my RATA as I
rode, and in twinkling had him prone
on the ground; then as the pony he'd the
rope taut, / swings of the saddle and
ul1iets him for good. I reckon I done
wrong, your honor, but I'd do 1t agin, on
the same provocation, for allow that I
mean to defend every female find in
trouble, as long as live, no matter what
happens to me-. 49, -sl$
The conclusion of this speech elected a
roar Of applause from the cowboys who
crowded the doorways, but the judge wilt
ed them with a glance of his eagle eye
and shake Of his massive brow. Then
he turned appealingly to the boys father.
Now. Jim, = sad ha.''dont you think that
fine strong boy of yours could have man
aged the goat differently p
At allow that he could, your honor, but
I think that he managed him just about
right, ''-replied Jim; and then the cowboys
laughed so uproariously that the judge,
who used his razor strap for a gavel,
brought it sharply down on the wooden
plank, and threatened them with con-
tempt of court. LAY Z E1s$54
made him famous for the rest of his life.
II find the prisoner at the bar not
guilty." he said--here Mrs. Lincoln's va
riegated silk dress was heard to rustic
plainly, whereupon the judge hastily con-
Guided his sentence-.but I fine his father
$12 for the damage done to the goat, be-
cause his boy did not ask my leave to
kill it." Ss.
Silence reagned in the courtroom when
the astonished audience first heard the
verdict. 1t was upon the cowboys its
conciliatory nature first dawned and their
n
a. rousing cheer from the rest Of the
crowd. Never had any of Judge Stems
former ver1fcts met with such universal
favor Texas Jim grinned broadly as he
dug his sGnburnt fist into his trousel
pocket and laid twelve silver dollars al
in row on the wooden plank before the
Judge. Mrs Lincoln threw a smile of tri.
umph over the assembly, and every one
rushed up to Samson, who was plainly thu
hero Of the day, and shook hands with
him; while tho cowboys, forcing their way
through the crowd carried off the barber
on their shoulders to drink his health. A!
for the champion of the school, he rode
home surrounded by bodyguard of hi.
schoolmates vociferating his praise all thu
way. 3
II cannot imagine said a tall. lanks
Boston lawyer, as he left the courtroom
{ with the Milwaukee man, Il how that un
i sophisticated barber came to pronounce
80 sound judgment; for in spite of its
oddity. It was legally correct. as the only
\ point on which the boy could have beer
= convicted for Kidding the town of q nui
sance was that he had neglected to OBJ
4 tain the necessary authority before act
Ing s.s III 5sg 81
And he wondered why the milwaukee,
man looked up at him with such a com
ical expression Of countenance and will
i such merry twinkle of his eye o:
Il Angeles Times. sSS
Human Pincushion.
$ In a downtown hosiery, day or two
ago sun burned man sat leisureB
slipping a gin rickey. He said he was q
sailor, and was entertaining number OF
D listeners with tales of the fferent lands
he had visited and some of the hard
4 ships he had endured. d They were mar
yelous yarns. No old salt ever spur
Il het Ter One in particula ar fairly made
his auditors breath1ess " 33
wherever have gone. gentlemen. !
he said II have been known as the HUI.
-, 3 !, II; Il ans IOrk At Is