The San Francisco call., 1903-09-20

the calendar Of the court for four years.
mas been postponed many times. at the
instance first of the plaintiff. and then OF
the defendant The attorneys who
brought the suit against the Ophir Com
psny have retired from the scene of inhu-
man activities, one OF them peaceably and
the other forcibly, and have taken their
place, while the original attorneys for
defendant now wear the toga and the err
mine Many changes have taken place
since Negus was driven from his wood
ranch by the defendants. When this ac-
ton was instituted the Ophir Company
was the incorporate High yu Muck a
Muck OF the sagebrugh. Its stock sold
for $4,000 foot-it paid monthly dividends
on each foot Of $780, It had brick house
at its reduction works which were sur
rounded by high fence to exclude the
gaze OF the vulgar. 1t built q bridge
across the muddy pond which, when 1t
has any water In II, Is called Lake Wa
shoe, so Inat when the trustees came
down every Saturday for their wine din
ncr they were not obliged to go around
the alleged lake to get there.
After their wine dinners the trustees
occupied the night and sometimes the en-
tire Sabbath In playing the great Ameri-
can game with blue chips and q ceiling
limit. The Ophlr had United States Sem
ator and a United States District Judge
for Its attorneys and its stockholders
walked along snuff1ng the stars. Now,
gentlemen of the jury, how have the
mighty fallen. Ophir stock has dropped
from four hundred dollars to one hun
dred dollars per share The dividends
have ceased. The decayed and untrav-
eled bridge across the diminished lake
has become useful chiefly as shelter for
young wild ducks, while their pin feathers
are growing. The high fence has fallen
SO low that the Iowliest wood packing
5ackass of the ridge straddle 1t, the
pop Of champagne corks Is heard no more
in the dismantled brick house, and when
the detected trustees occasionally assem-
bic there they use beans for chips with
one cent ante, and ten cents limit, and
each director squealing for sight all the
time. The great Ophir Company has
struck hot water and desert sand in its
mine and come down to Whitman and
Fitch for lawyers
There was much activity in the polit-
ical arena in Nevada as elsewhere in the
late sixties, and In the absence of thea
ters and concerts the crowds who attend
ed upon the hustings were large and ap-
preciative OF a good point, whoever it
might hit. When the fourteenth amend
ment was under discussion q candidate
for Congress was expatiating upon the
dire results to flow from Its adoption.
Under it." said he, 'if Nevada refuses
to admit Cinnamon to vote her represent
alton in Congress will be reduced" Ne
vada has but one member of Congress"
retorted his opponent, 'and / do not see
how we can reduce her representation un-
less we elect you"
There was a great meeting at Austin
called to listen to joint debate between
the Congressional candidates. One Of
these was a young man with heavy
head OF brick-auburn hair, which he part
ed in the middle, and a well developed
bump of self-esteem. Austin was in the
eastern portion Of Nevada 160 miles from
the western section. with a desert wilder
ness between. MY opponent" said one
of the speakers, has been called the
young Samson of his party, and admit
the aptness of the comparison. Like
Samson he has a heavy head OF hair in
which his strength mainly lies and which
he parts In the middle to avoid disturbing
the equilibrium OF his intellect. He has
come across the desert which divides Aus
tin from Virginia City in order to enligh-
ten US Philistines upon constitutional
law. Like Samson he has come up out
of the wilderness hoping to prevail
against US, and with the Same weapon
that was used by his predecessor. The
speaker did not say what the weapon was,
but the audience caught on.
s'Mr. Smith," said Judge Caleb Bur-
hank, "you have been convicted of the
crime of murder in the second degree,
and for some reason not apparent 70 the
court, the jury has recommended you TO
its mercy. Your crime was dastardly
While your victim was seated you came
behind him, and without any apparent
provocation you stabbed him In the back
a TO a
and it is in the power OF this court
to sentence you to imprisonment for the
remainder of your natural life, but the
jury which convicted you has seen mt
to recommend you to mercy, ana as TINS
court does not feel at liberty to entirely
disregard the recommendation or the
jury, it will comply with 1t to the extent
of not giving you a life sentence. The
sentence of this court is that you be con-
fined at hard labor in the Nevada Peni-
tentiary for fifty years"
From what you know OF yourself,
said Charley Bryan to a smooth-tongued
witness who had given damaging testi-
mony against him, from what you know
of yourself and of your reputation for
truth and veracity in this community,
would you believe yourself under oath
where you were personally Interested.
The reply is not chronicled.s
Judge Co. said his partner, you have
violated our partnership agreement Ano
this law firm must be dissolved at once.
1t was distinctly agreed between US that
we were to take turns impartially in get
ting drunk-week and week about. You
have now been drunk two days In my
week. You have failed to control your
inordinate appetite for liquor; you have
usurped my privileges: you have deprived
me of my bargained rights, and we break
up right here and now"
Colonel Calhoun Thompson. aspirant
for Sheriff In an outlying county Pc
rused with indignation an article which
appeared in the Carson Appeal rejecting
on the character. career and character