The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-26
.BACON'S SHORTAGE;
JOHNSON'S TROUBLE

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The following unique story was evi-
IDENTIFY written for the Pulaski News-Re-
view by bright limb OF the law:
An Indictment against Josh Johnson,
charging him with entering in the night
time the SIN oke house OF O. P. Jordan and
stea ling three hams. was tried last Sat
urday. Tho form OF the trial was novel, 4
being the first instance here of criminal
case being submitted to tho determination
OF the court without the Intervention OF q
Jury. This was done under provision Of
the new Constitution.
It seems that some two months ago,
Josh was performing various domestic
offices around the dwelling house and
curtilage OF Mr.. Jordan. and, while lie
was there, some prime old country hams
were placed in the smoke house. It ap-
pears, further. that Josh conceived a sud-
den and overpowering affection for this
meat-probably onagccount Of q sim!ll rity
in family name, he being a 'son OF Ham,
q Al any rate three hams disappeared. and
i the next scene In this drama opened ip
the loft OF Josh's cabin where Pat Carper
and Frank Campbell. (who visited Josh's
domicile at the invitation OF Mr.. Jordan
expressed in the form of Il searcn VAR
rant, and who would find a ham though Il
were hidden moro securely than the pro.
verbal needle in hay stack, dlscov-
cred a ham lying perdue. Josh. being
confronted with this mute. yet eloquent
witness OF his unlawful asportauon of the
sought for bacon, made full confession,
and disclosed the hiding place or the re-
naming hams, which were thereupon
again stored In Mr.. Jordan's smoke house,
and Josh was stored In jail. He was In
dicted in due course and, under the adj
vice OF his counsel. F. w. Morton, plead
guilty and left 1t for Judge Longley to say
how much he should be punished.
Mr.. Jordan, who was the principal Wit
ness, was very lenient to Josh. evincng
no desire to have him punished severely.
and. in response to question: said that
Josh got the benefit OF none Of the meat
not even SO much as slice OF ham:
that possibly he got some of the grease
on his clothes, but that was all he got
The penalty denounced by the statute
| against an offense such as that committed
by Josh is from two to ten years in the
pcnltentiary, or not more than twelve
months In jail and fine not exceeding
$500.
The Commemorative Attorney insisted
on severe punishment, saying he could
discern no extenuating circumstances In
fried by him, which he stated to bs
Josh's favor, and that in Il case formerly
"ldentically the same. with a slight diff
ference" n negro got three years In the
penltentiary. Josh's 0ffense struck him
as a Migrant breach OF confidence. a
robbery in the nighttime by trusted
servant, and the whole tenor of, his re-
marks was ION to Richmond"
Mr.. Norton on behalf of Josh, stated
to the court that he had hoped that Mr..
Draper's recent happy change from the
condition OF bachelor to that OF ben
edIct would have softened some what tho
asperitles of his disposition rs public
prosecutor; but that he remained a lin
cal descendant OF Draco, whose laws
were written In blood" and who, having
punished n chicken thief with death, had
no scyerer punishement left for n man
who had murdered his father. He fur
Their called the courts attention to the
fact that for centuries the punishment by
the common law for the larceny Of goods
above tho value OF twelve pence was
death: that in times past more than sew
enty thousand persons had been hanged
In single year In England alone, yet
Without any corresponding benefit to so-
cicty: that formerly, In our own State.
horse thieves and those who aided ana
abettcd them were punished by death
without benefit Of clergy, and that laws
toe severe or too severely administered
had never yet ameilorated the condition
OF society
He adyerted to Josh's condition In Nfa
belonging 10 n lower race and bat recently
emerged from slavery, and suggested
that in analogy to the prlncipl. Of law
whereby court takes Judicial knowledge
TINT brandy Is intoxicating. tho Judge
would much more readily tako judicial
knowledge that negro lives ham; TINT
as domestic his idea OF tho distinction
between his MASTER property ani his
own ia but MY developed; that his self
control is small, and the temptation to
steal ham easily accessible very great;
and asked that the court deal mildly with
Josh.
relnnrked that If there had bean amy error
In our administration or Justice; It was
in furnishing offenses against life 5nd
limb too lightly and offensos against
property too severely Ha stated that
thero was quite dlfferoncn bet wecn a
dn1na t Mas and a stranger entering the
smo,.e house, and thereupnn sentenced
.Tosh II sixty days in Jail ami a fine Of
five dollars.
Josh abridged ne nulloer y M. Jor-
dams hams; me ma'ns, ~ revenge
ton "Racon's Abridgmen'"--'the title OF
n a. n u