The daily Alaskan., 1904-05-10
A POINT
 OF LAHG)
toriginaLl

"Jim Sanders"
 "Waal, Jim Sanders, yer here to be tried for the killln' of Andy Lary. The said Andy Lary an you uns was play in' a small game at the Sunset saloon, an Andy won consid'able of you uns' money. You draw'd student an with no other provercashun eNcep' lOsin' far, list because you was onlucky'-
 Andy was the Onlucky one" inter- rupted the prisoner. He dropped ace Of clubs on the floor when had anoth- tr one fin my hand"
 Are you sure of thatY
 Tom Burke seen 1t. kin prove it by him"
 "Call Tom Burke" said the judge.
 Burke took the stand and swore that be had seen an ace of clubs lying on the floor. a duplicate of which was in the hands of the prisoner. but be couldn't say which man dropped it. He rather thought 1t fell from Jim Sanders sleeve.
 Judge" said the prisoner impressive ly, i've toyed with keerds, man an boy. nigh on ter twenty year. My reputation for skill should purtec' me from sich a barefaced statement as that There's hundreds of men as has played with me who'll swear that am onCapable of any stch onhandiness. If I take a keerd from my sleeve 1t goes on ter the table an not on ter the floor"
 The prisoner looked around at the faces Of those present for justification,
 You've spoke a strong argument in yer favor" said the judge, assuming a judicial pose.
 '.To prove what say" continued the prisoner. "I'H agree to deal myself two aces of clubs from a squar' pack an uso one from my sleeve. an if any mem bcr of the Jury kin spot the time'I done any part of this professional bit of work I'll plead guilty, confess an dance the rope with, lt Objectin'.'
 "Jim Sanders remarked the judge, ''prev'us to this charge you uns has always bore a excellent reputashun, an yer prOposishun is worthy of yer standin' in the community"
 A table was drawn forward. the jury took seats around it, and the prisoner was given the cards. He pro ceeded to shuttle them, dealt a poker hand to each Juryman, dealt each man to i'll. and, without betting, there was a showdown. The dealers hand was three of kind. being three aces of clubs, and two kings. The judge look ed at the hand meditatvely and then turned the aces over. One ace belonged to the pack. The others had different backs. The judge and jury looked at the prisoner as if the vindication was questionable,
 "Yer honor and gentlemen of the jury" said the prisoner "I hey done as I agreed. l said I'd deal two aces of clubs from a squar' pack and take an- other from my sleeve. The pack was squar', an thar'S the aces of clubs. I could hey dealt 'em all from keerds of the same pattern, as l hey 'em in my pocket. but that wasn't what agreed to do. I agreed to deal 'em from a squar' pack"
 The judge continued to stare medl, tatively at the aces and then said to the prisoner:
 -Jim Sanders, I hev remarked on the excellent reputashun you bore be- fore the shoOtin', an l hey allus re- garded you uns a honorable man, but 1 mus confess I was not prepared for this spechul evidence of yer high toned sense of honor. The eXperyment is on. tirely satisfactory. We will resume our original positions"
 The table was moved back into its place. and the jury again placed their chairs and stools in two rows.
 "Gentlemen of the jury" said the judge, "Pu now charge you. The pris- l oner Is accused of shOOtn' in cold blood one Andy Lary. The Occashun of the shootin' is said to be the drOppin' of an ace of clubs on the floor, the same ace bein' in the hand of the prisoner. You uns is forbid to consider the onhaudi. ness of Andy Lary. There mustn't be no prejudice agin said Larry on ac' count of slch onperfeshunal clumsiness specially sence he's dead. What you uns has to consider is, Did Lary drop the keerd, or did Sanders drop it? An you uns needn't consider if Sanders dropped it. cause he's proved sich mufin' unworthy of him. An you uns needn't lug in no side questions like whether the prisoner is guilty anyway even if Lary did drop the keerd, or whether Sanders was right in asSumin that Lary wasn't playlH' far. You uns is to decide if Lary dropped that ace If Lary dropped 1t, then you uns Is to find the prisoner not guilty of the shoOtin'"
 The jury rose, but before retiring the foreman put the following question:
 Are we to consider if the prisoner done the community a service in putin out of the way a man that showed none of them nice points of honor that the prisoner has showed an a man that was bringin' disgrace on us all by bunglin'?"
 You are to consider that pint" re piled the judge.
 The fury then filed out to the saloon where the shooting took place. In half an hour they filed back again, and tht | to-ornap eppouncpd the verdict: